Cat 5e cable data transfer speed. Technical characteristics of twisted pair (type, length, speed). Types of twisted pair cable shielding

Not all Ethernet cables are created equal. What is the difference between them, and how to determine which cable category is needed? To understand this, let's look at the technical and physical differences between the categories of Ethernet cables.

Ethernet cables are grouped into sequentially numbered categories (cats) based on different specifications. Sometimes the concept of a category is clarified or supplemented by testing standards (for example, 5e, 6a). The category to which the cable belongs determines in what conditions it can be used. Manufacturers are required to adhere to standards, which makes choosing a cable and generally working with it easier for us.

Technical differences

Differences in cable specifications are not only reflected in the appearance of the cable; so let's take a look at the capabilities of each category. Below is a table of standards that can help you choose a cable for your case.

As the category number increases, the data transfer speed and frequency at which the cable operates also increases. This is no coincidence, as each new category places higher demands on crosstalk suppression (XT) and conductor insulation efficiency.

But these tables are not postulates at all. It is physically possible to use Cat-5 cable for gigabit speeds, and it is similarly possible to make the cable longer than 100 meters. The standard has not been tested in your specific conditions, so the results may vary. The opposite is also true; just because your cable is Cat-6, this does not mean that you will have a data transfer speed of 1 Gigabit/second. The network equipment and sockets to which this cable is connected must also support this speed, and there must also be appropriate settings in the network card driver, operating system, etc.

Category 5 has been revised and has been overwhelmingly replaced by Category 5 Enhanced (Cat-5e). Nothing has changed physically about the cable, just a stricter crosstalk standard has been applied.

Category 6 was revised to become Augmented Category 6 (Cat-6a), which tested at 500 MHz (compared to Cat-6's 250 MHz). The higher communication frequency eliminated crosstalk (AXT), resulting in higher data rates of up to 10 Gbps over longer distances.

Physical differences

So, what physical cable parameters help eliminate interference and increase data transfer speeds? It's all about insulation and the fact that the cable conductors are twisted in pairs. Conductor braiding was invented by Graham Bell in 1881, and it was he who first applied the technique to telephone wires running along power lines. He discovered that when twisting the cable every 3-4 posts, interference was significantly reduced and the signal transmission range increased. Twisted pair has become the basis for all Ethernet cables, reducing the impact of internal crosstalk and crosstalk from external sources.

The two main physical differences between Cat-5 and Cat-6 cables are the number of twisted pair turns per unit length and the thickness of the braid.

Twist lengths are not standardized, but typically Cat-5(e) has 1.5-2 turns per centimeter, while Cat-6 has more than 2 turns. Within the same cable, each color pair also has a different twist length based on prime numbers. The lengths of the turns are selected in such a way that two different turns never coincide. The number of turns per color pair is usually unique to each manufacturer. As you can see in the picture above, each color pair has a different number of turns per 1 inch.

Many Cat-6 cables contain nylon thread, which makes cable cutting easier and increases cable strength. Although filament is optional in Cat-5, some manufacturers add it anyway. In Cat-6 cable, the filament is also optional as long as the cable passes the standard's tests. In the picture above, only the Cat-5e cable contains nylon thread.

While nylon filament increases the strength of the cable, thicker braid protects against close-in interference and external crosstalk, the impact of which increases with frequency. In the picture, the Cat-5e cable has a thinner braid than the others, and only it has a nylon thread.

Shielded (STP) or unshielded (UTP) cable

Absolutely all Ethernet cables are twisted, but manufacturers have gone further and use shielding to combat interference. Unshielded twisted pair cable is fine for laying a cable from a wall to a computer, but when laying in areas with high noise levels, outdoors or inside walls, it is highly advisable to use a shielded cable.

There are several ways to shield an Ethernet cable, but the usual way is to make a shield of foil around each pair. This protects against mutual interference between pairs within the cable. Some manufacturers further protect the conductors from external crosstalk by adding an external shield to the UTP or STP cables. So, the picture at the top right shows a Screened STP cable (S/STP).

Solid or twisted cable

The term solid or stranded cable refers to the actual copper conductors within the cable. Solid means that the inner conductor is a single piece of copper, while stranded means that the inner conductor is made of several thin copper conductors twisted together. Each type of conductor has different applications, but most readers only need to know about two of them.

Stranded cables (Stranded, pictured above) are more flexible and should be used where the cable will move frequently, such as near work areas.

A solid cable (Solid, in the picture below) is not as flexible, but it is more durable, it can be ideally used for permanent networks - both outdoors and indoors.

This is a translation of the article

In this article, we will look at the technical characteristics of twisted pair cables, which are taken into account when creating local area networks. Twisted pair is classified as a structured cable system and is used for signal transmission in computer and telecommunication networks Ethernet, Arcnet and Token ring. Connection to network devices is made through an 8P8C connector, popularly called RJ45.

This widespread use of twisted pair is due to its compatibility with many classes, categories and types of equipment, ease of installation and relatively low cost for creating a structured cabling network. To crimp the LAN cable and RJ45 connector, use a crimper (special crimping pliers), but it is possible.

A twisted pair is a structured LAN cable with a PVC sheath, which contains from one to several insulated and twisted pairs with a certain number of turns per unit length.

Why do they twist the wires together? The fact is that the interweaving of wires with their own twist pitch forms a pair, as a result of which the quality of communication increases. Thus, electromagnetic interference evenly affects the wires forming a pair and reduces mutual interference during the transmission of differential signals, and also reduces the influence of external factors (electric, magnetic, electromagnetic fields) during operation.

Twisted pair device.

The LAN network cable, depending on the category, has different technical characteristics and consists of several copper conductors that form a pair and can have an insulation of about 2 mm thick made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and for higher quality categories (CAT5) made of polypropylene (PP) , polyethylene (PE). High quality cables are insulated with cellular (foamed) polyethylene or Teflon. Such polyethylene guarantees low dielectric losses, and Teflon protects conductors at high temperatures. Conductors can consist of either a monolithic copper core (0.4-0.6 mm) or several wires collected in a bundle.

For the convenience of cutting the cable, inside the outer polyvinyl chloride sheath there is a “breaking thread”, made in most cases from nylon. Twisted pair cables of category 5 and higher may have a shield in its structure to protect the signal from external and internal electromagnetic interference. The thickness of the outer insulation in a four-pair twisted pair cable, depending on the category, is about.5-0.9 mm. Polyvinyl chloride with an admixture of chalk is used in the production of the outer shell. Also in the manufacture of external insulation, polymers that are resistant to combustion and halogen emission (LSZH marking) are used.

In Russia, in accordance with basic fire safety requirements, they are marked: ng(A)-HF; ng(B)-HF; ng(C)-HF; ng(D)-HF. The category in accordance with fire safety indicators is indicated in brackets. Fire- and emission-resistant LAN cables of the above markings are used for installation, taking into account the volume of flammable load of the cables, in internal electrical installations, as well as in buildings and structures with large numbers of people, including multifunctional high-rise buildings and building complexes.

The outer sheath of the twisted pair cable for outdoor installation has a hydrophobic polyethylene material, which is usually applied as a second layer over the polyvinyl chloride sheath. In addition, the void in the cable can be filled with special hydrophobic helium and armored with corrugated tape or steel wire applied to it.

With the help of the color scheme, the LAN cable sheath can be easily identified and its functional purpose can be recognized for installation or during maintenance. For example, a black color made of polyethylene (PE) indicates that the cable is well suited to the influence of external factors on the street (dampness, air...), and an orange color may indicate the resistance of the outer material to combustion. Light gray color is used for interior laying in residential buildings and office buildings.

Types of twisted pair.

It should be said that there is a monolithic and multi-core, shielded and unshielded LAN cable. Let's look at everything in order.

Twisted pair with one monolithic core (one copper wire), as a rule, is used for laying lines in walls, trays and is not used for direct connection of external devices (Smart TV, computer...), but is used to install terminal equipment to the cable. For example, an information outlet. This process is called termination. This is due to the fact that the cable has relatively thick cores and is easily broken if subjected to frequent bending.

Multicore twisted pair cable is used to make patch cords and serves to connect digital devices (router, printer...) to each other and to an internal or external Ethernet data outlet. This type of cable has proven itself in conditions of bending and twisting and is not suitable for “cutting into” the data socket connector. Copper strands are very thin and break easily. In addition, a multicore LAN cable has a large attenuation signal compared to a monolithic type. As a result, the maximum length of a multi-core twisted pair cable should be no more than 100 meters.

I have already mentioned that twisted pair shielding is used to protect against external and internal electromagnetic interference. It is worth saying that the entire length of the screen is connected to a non-insulated drain wire, which is designed to protect the screen itself from ruptures and stretching. There are several types of twisted pair shielding, which determine the technology and purpose of protection against electromagnetic influences. The following types of twisted pair are distinguished:

• UTP - (Unshielded twisted pair - unshielded twisted pair) - the cable does not have a protective shield.
• FTP or F/UTP - (Foiled twisted pair - foil twisted pair) - the cable has one outer common protective layer of foil.
• STP (Shielded twisted pair - shielded twisted pair) - the cable has a screen for each pair and external protection like a mesh (shown in the figure).
• S/FTP or SSTP (Screened Foiled twisted pair) - this cable has foil protection for each pair, as well as an external screen.
• U/STP (Unshielded Screened twisted pair - unprotected cable with shielded twisted pair) - the cable does not have a common screen, but each pair has foil protection.
• SF/UTP or SFTP (Screened Foiled Unshielded twisted pair - shielded twisted pair with protection) - has two external screens. One is made of copper mesh, and the second is made of foil screen. There is a drain wire between them.

Twisted pair cable categories (data transmission speed).

The definition of a twisted pair cable category is based on the maximum transmittable frequency range. This is due to the number of turns per unit length of cable. That is, the higher the category, the greater the transmitted frequency range due to the increase in the turns of each twisted pair. Categories of twisted pair cables are described in international and domestic standards.

The categories (abbreviated CAT) of twisted pair cables determine the design data transfer rate. In addition, LAN cable is also divided into classes and they are also taken into account when building a structured cabling system. It should be remembered that higher-class twisted pair cables support lower-class technical capabilities. But twisted pair cables of a lower class do not support high-end technical applications. The higher the class, the better the transmission characteristics and the higher the maximum operating frequency of the cable line.

• CAT1 (frequency band - 0.1 MHz). It has one pair and is used to transmit voice and digital data using a modem. This is a standard telephone cable, which at one time was used in a “twisted” form in the USA, and in Russia it is still used without twists. Not suitable for modern systems and has a high interference effect.
• CAT2 (frequency band - 1 MHz). It has two pairs of conductors and has already become obsolete. Sometimes used when building telephone networks. Previously seen in the Arcnet and Token Ring networks. Has data transfer speeds up to 4 Mbit/s. Not suitable for building modern networks.
• CAT3 (frequency band - 16 MHz. Class "C"). There are 2-pair and 4-pair types of twisted pair. It is used not only to create telephone networks, but also local networks based on 10BASE-T. Supports data transfer rates from 10 to 100 Mbit/s using 100BASE-T4 technology over a length of no more than 100 meters. Unlike CAT1 and CAT2, it supports the IEEE 802.3 standard.
• CAT4 (frequency band - 20 MHz). At one time, this 4-pair cable was used in 10BASE-T and 100BASE-T4 technology. Data transfer rates up to 16 Mbit/s are possible. Not used these days.
• CAT5 (frequency band - 100 MHz. Class "D"). The cable was used to create telephone lines and build 100BASE-TX local networks, as well as Ethernet (LAN). Supports data transfer rates up to 100 Mbps.
• CAT5e (frequency band 125 MHz). This is an advanced category 5 twisted pair cable. When using 2 pairs, it supports data transfer rates of up to 100 Mbit/s and up to 1000 Mbit/s in a 4-pair cable. As a rule, a 4-pair cable is used to build a local computer network. This is the most common type of twisted pair cable.
• CAT6 (frequency band 250 MHz. Class “E”). This is a common cable type used in Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet networks. The cable structure has four pairs of conductors. Supports high data transfer rates up to 10 Gbit/s over a distance of no more than 55 meters.
• CAT6a (frequency band 500 MHz. Class “EA”). The cable structure consists of four pairs of conductors. It is used in Gigabit Ethernet networks and supports speeds of up to 10 Gbps over a distance of up to 100 meters.
• CAT7 (frequency band 600 - 700 MHz. Class “F”). Supports data transfer rates up to 10 Gbps. The cable structure has a common outer shield and foil protection for each pair. The type is S/FTP (ScreenedFullyShieldedTwistedPair).
• CAT7a (frequency band 1000 -1200 MHz. Class “FA”). The twisted pair speed reaches up to 40 Gbit/s over a distance of up to 50 meters and up to 100 Gbit/s over a distance of up to 15 meters.

I came across a good video on the topic on the Internet, I suggest you watch it.

In order for the network cable to serve for a long time, you must follow the installation rules. For example, when laying, you need to monitor the integrity of the cable along its entire length and avoid stretching and bending because this can disrupt the structure of the screen, which will lead to low resistance of the cable to electromagnetic interference. The cable drain wire must be connected to the connector shield.

In addition, during installation, bends of more than eight outer diameters of the cable should not be allowed. Too much bending can damage the foil screen, which will significantly deteriorate the properties of the cable and reduce the communication speed within the network. Bye!

2019-07-14T15:44:43+00:00

There is nothing stopping you from extending a twisted pair cable of one of the categories you mentioned. To avoid confusion, it is advisable to use the same color scheme when connecting two cable sections.

P.S. But it should be remembered that for a number of reasons, it is better to use a solid twisted pair cable.

2019-07-12T22:27:31+00:00

Hello! Is it possible to supplement the missing section of the cat 5E cable with a cat 6 or higher cable?

2018-10-09T17:51:30+00:00

Hello! Can I use a twisted pair cable as a USB extender for a Wi-Fi adapter? Will this greatly affect the speed? I need 10 meters. Is it better to move the Wi-Fi adapter or extend the antenna?

2018-08-31T20:57:02+00:00

Check again at a distance of 2m!! If it increases to the PREVIOUS "9-10 mb/s, then it DEPENDS!

2018-08-24T00:13:56+00:00

And if the length is not 100 meters, but 130 meters, can this affect the data transfer speed? I have fiber optic cable from Rostelecom to my new house. Now I want to connect a twisted pair cable from the new house to the old house (from one to the other 120 meters) to another router installed in the old house. So I’m wondering whether there will be signal loss if the length of the twisted pair is more than 100 meters. Tariff for 100 megabits. Approximately how much of this 100 megabits can be lost due to the length of the twisted pair cable of 130 meters to the second router?

2017-11-24T18:30:17+00:00

Please tell me whether the data transfer speed between two computers can be more than 11500 KB/s. Thank you. I send it via Total Commander

2017-01-03T04:45:00+00:00

Thus, the network is not tested. In addition, the speed in a peer-to-peer network depends on the number of distributors... There are manuals on the network on this topic and there is no point in repeating it.

2016-12-29T23:10:58+00:00

Torrenting was stable at 9-10 Mb/sec (speed is one hundred square meters), now the maximum is up to 8 Mb/sec and not always

2016-12-18T01:12:30+00:00

Of course, signal attenuation depends on the length of the cable, but not at the same distance. How was it tested?

2016-12-16T21:45:32+00:00

Does the speed or loss depend on the length of the twisted pair cable from the router to the computer? It was 2m and became 15. The speed dropped...

2016-11-30T19:22:09+00:00

If a power cable is laid nearby, for example in one box, then it makes sense to assemble the entire network with shielded components. Remember to ground the screened mesh, otherwise the protective functions will not work. P.S. This type of LAN cable has some advantages: installation can be carried out roughly without fear of breaking the wire, the shell protects well from unwanted moisture and is made of special non-flammable, non-smoking materials.

2016-11-29T16:06:54+00:00

Hello! I can't resolve the issue. I want to change the telephone noodle from the junction box to the apartment. The question is: is it worth overpaying for shielded twisted pair Cat.5 or the essence will not be important for the quality of adsl (the provider has begun upgrading to VDSL). Judging by what I was able to see, the telephone distribution room is somewhere in the basement of the house, I live on number ten, as usual the telephone cable runs next to the power cables. I hope for your advice.

2016-10-11T08:22:41+00:00

The signal is differential, in one wire there is a positive half-wave, in the second - a negative one. The total signal swing does not exceed 5 Volts 100 mA when operating at a speed of 10 Mbit/s and 2.5 V 40 mA at a speed of 100 Mbit/s. You can provide more voltage over a twisted pair cable, but as I understand it, you had Internet access over it. Once a year the gun fires. Maybe from a lightning strike (thunderstorm). As a rule, lightning protection is installed. P.S. Can you describe the situation and connection more specifically?

2016-10-10T23:44:14+00:00

Apart from this cable (datafiber cat5e utp 25) there was nothing in the attic. 16 apartment building, access to the attic is closed.

2016-10-10T21:08:40+00:00

Only if you use it instead of a power cable =)

2016-10-10T15:46:39+00:00

Here's a question: can twisted pair cables cause an attic fire?

2016-09-24T15:31:35+00:00

The IP address does not need to be entered manually, but automatically finds everything on its own.

2016-09-01T23:36:44+00:00

Need gig space instead of 100

2016-07-21T18:29:40+00:00

I don’t think that the provider provides you with such a tariff that it makes sense to change the twisted pair cable =) As a rule, CAT5e cable is used in homes.

At the moment, local networks (Gigabit Ethernet 1000BASE-T standard) use a UTP cable, also known as “twisted pair” (in English - UTP, unshielded twisted pair), consisting of 8 cores.

It consists of four pairs of wires, specially twisted into a spiral and covered with insulation, through which a digital signal is transmitted in a local network, structured cabling systems, security and video surveillance systems, and even telephony (in a word).

The cable, also known as a patch cord, is crimped with wire cutters, with 8-pin RJ-45 sockets for LAN or 5-pin RJ-11 for telephones (usually two are used in the noodle). So what is the maximum length?

Category 5 patch cord compression

The process of clamping a socket onto a wire with wire cutters is called crimping, previously called desoldering. In extreme cases, instead of pliers, you can take a flat (slotted) screwdriver, which you will have to install with the slot on the cavity and hit with a hammer; with proper skill, you can get the same result as when using pliers (crimper).

Crimping tool (crimper)

Well, what does a crimping tool “crimper” look like - it’s also called wire cutters or a crimper.

Drilling type 110 - Krone

Also, if the cable is routed for sockets, then it is hammered in with a tool like this: touch tool Krone LSA-PLUS 6417 2 055-01 then it is hammered in the same way, only on two sides, and according to the markings of the module.

Standards TIA/EIA-568A, TIA/EIA-568B

At the moment, there are two twisted pair crimp standards for 8-pin RJ-45 connectors: TIA/EIA-568A and TIA/EIA-568B, which differ in the position of 4 of the 8 cores. So, the choice here is quite simple.

StandardTIA/EIA-568A

A sample of ashka compression.

TIA/EIA-568B standard

Well, this is, accordingly, a bashka.

Crossover cable, inverted/reverse patch cord.

If the local network consists of only two devices (a computer is connected to a computer, or a computer is connected to a printer or scanner), the connection between them, then on one side we put TIA/EIA-568A (ashka), and on the other TIA/EIA-568B (bashku). It was previously called cross-over, (not machine), or reverse/inverted patch cord.

Connection via switch

When all the computers in the office or at home are plugged into a router, router, or switch (choose what you like), then it is better to choose one of the two on both shanks. There will be a lot of opinions, but most often they put a bug, the exception is if someone has already set up a network on A before you, then in order not to make a fuss, it’s better to do the rest the same way. Although modern switches have learned to detect the signal independently.

Maximum length of the fifth category for a local network

It is difficult to comment on the opinion that the standards for different cable lengths are technically the same thing except as misconceptions. According to the specification for category 5, at a distance of about 100 meters you can run 100 megabits, and if you use a good cable, such as the AMP 57535-5 UTP Cat.5e Box 305m 5YW cable, then you managed to hang it up at 117 meters, and the switch, accordingly more expensive than D-Link.

The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) recommends using the TIA/EIA-568A standard to standardize a twisted-pair network, and provides the TIA/EIA-568B option for compatibility with certain types of equipment.

Meanwhile, in practice, most companies use the TIA/EIA-568B standard, since it coincides with the previously widely used AT&T 258A standard. The categories (abbreviated CAT) of twisted pair cables determine the design data transfer rate. In addition, LAN cable is also divided into classes and they are also taken into account when building a structured cabling system.

It should be remembered that higher-class twisted pair cables support lower-class technical capabilities. But twisted pair cables of a lower class do not support high-end technical applications. The higher the class, the better the transmission characteristics and the higher the maximum operating frequency of the cable line.

CAT1 (frequency band - 0.1 MHz).

One pair is used to transmit voice and digital data using a modem. This is a standard telephone cable (we had it before noodles, most often round), which at one time was used in a “twisted” form in the USA, and in Russia it is still used without twisting. Not suitable for modern systems and has a high interference effect.

CAT2 (frequency band - 1 MHz).

It has two pairs of conductors and has already become obsolete. Sometimes used when building telephone networks.

Has data transfer speeds up to 4 Mbit/s. Not suitable for building modern networks.

CAT3 (frequency band - 16 MHz. Class “C”).

There are 2-pair and 4-pair types of twisted pair. It is used not only to create telephone networks, but also local networks based on 10BASE-T. Supports data transfer rates from 10 to 100 Mbit/s using 100BASE-T4 technology over a length of no more than 100 meters. Unlike CAT1 and CAT2, it supports the IEEE 802.3 standard.

CAT4 (frequency band - 20 MHz).

At one time, this 4-pair cable was used in 10BASE-T and 100BASE-T4 technology. Data transfer rates up to 16 Mbit/s are possible. Not used these days.

CAT5 (frequency band - 100 MHz. Class “D”).

The cable was used to create telephone lines and build 100BASE-TX local networks, as well as Ethernet (LAN). Supports data transfer rates up to 100 Mbps.

CAT5e (frequency band 125 MHz).

This is an advanced category 5 twisted pair cable. When using 2 pairs, it supports data transfer rates of up to 100 Mbit/s and up to 1000 Mbit/s in a 4-pair cable. As a rule, a 4-pair cable is used to build a local computer network. This is the most common type of twisted pair cable.

CAT6 (frequency band 250 MHz. Class “E”).

This is a common cable type used in Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet networks. The cable structure has four pairs of conductors. Supports high data transfer rates up to 10 Gbit/s over a distance of no more than 55 meters. CAT6a (frequency band 500 MHz. Class “EA”). The cable structure consists of four pairs of conductors. It is used in Gigabit Ethernet networks and supports speeds of up to 10 Gbps over a distance of up to 100 meters.

CAT7 (frequency band 600 - 700 MHz. Class “F”).

Supports data transfer rates up to 10 Gbps. The cable structure has a common outer shield and foil protection for each pair. The type is S/FTP (ScreenedFullyShieldedTwistedPair).

CAT7a (frequency band 1000 -1200 MHz. Class “FA”).

The twisted pair speed reaches up to 40 Gbit/s over a distance of up to 50 meters and up to 100 Gbit/s over a distance of up to 15 meters.

Indeed, legacy Category 5 cabling systems (as defined by TIA/EIA standards) could not support gigabit applications, which is why Category 5e requirements were developed. However, in the standards themselves for cable components and systems in general, you will not find a direct relationship between applications and categories. This relationship is indirect, through the frequency range and bandwidth. The following is an extract from ISO/IEC 11801:2002, Annex F.

Class D, defined in the frequency band up to 100 MHz according to ISO/IEC 11801:2002, is the equivalent of Category 5e according to ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B. As you can see, in systems of this type it is possible to implement not only Fast Ethernet applications, but also 1 Gigabit Ethernet. Ethernet applications themselves are described in IEEE 802.3 documents.

Categories 1 and 2

Category 1 and 2 balanced twisted pair cable. No longer recognized as a transmission medium by ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B standards. Previously used for voice and low-speed data transmission (9600 bps or less).

Category 3

Balanced twisted pair, cable and passive switching equipment. Recognized by ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B standards as a transmission medium for voice applications, but not recommended for use in new cabling systems. The cable characteristics are specified in the range up to 16 MHz. Historically, Category 3 media have been used to carry voice and data at speeds up to 10 Mbps (IEEE 802.5 Balanced Twisted Pair 4 Mbps Supplement and IEEE 802.3 10BASE-T).

Category 4

Balanced twisted pair. The characteristics of the components are specified in the frequency range up to 20 MHz. The components were intended for use in voice and data transmission at speeds up to 16 Mbit/s inclusive. (IEEE 802.5, Balanced Twisted Pair Standard for 16 Mbps). No longer recognized by ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B or ISO/IEC 11801:2002.

Category 5

Balanced twisted pair. The characteristics of the components are specified in the frequency range up to 100 MHz. The components were intended for use in voice and data transmission at speeds up to 100 Mbit/s (100BASE-TX) inclusive. ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1 no longer recognizes this category for new systems.

Category 5e

Component characteristics are specified up to 100 MHz, with new parameters added to the list of tested parameters to ensure support for applications that use all 4 pairs in bidirectional mode (full duplex). See IEEE 802.3 1000BASE-TX standard.

Category 6

Category 6 channels have a bandwidth of up to 200 MHz (the region in which the signal-to-noise ratio is positive, PSACR>0), while transmission media parameters are specified in the range up to 250 MHz. Category 6 cabling systems are designed to support more demanding applications (wideband video, for example) and to more reliably support 1-Gigabit applications (IEEE 802.3 1000BASE-TX). These systems are designed for future use in multi-gigabit applications that require higher bandwidth and a wider area where the signal-to-noise ratio is positive.