# Cat 6



## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

Need some help from my ET brothers I was checking prices between cat 5 and 6 wow what a difference. My question is what is the difference , the ends look alike and can you use 5 crimp on ends for cat 6 any help as always is appreciated


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## Wired4Life10 (Jul 9, 2011)

Cat6 is rated for higher speeds of transfer. No you cannot use 5e ends on 6. For it to be 6 rated, it must be 6 from device to device, including cable, patch cables, patch panel, and jacks. If you put 6 into a 5e patch panel or jack, it will only be rated for 5e. 

We use 6 across the board unless spec'd, especially in residential since it will be there for years in a locked-in wall. It's a little different when it's a drop ceiling and you have the option to change.


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## FlyingSparks (Dec 10, 2012)

Also when terminating cat6 there will be less of a tolerance for mistakes. You should read up on it a bit on terminating, and bending cat 6. You can get all sorts of strange crosstalk.


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

Cat 6 is thicker gauge, more twists, and generally has a pair separator. The OD of the cable will be slightly larger as well.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

How about the price difference between the components 5 and 6 that is


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

A bit more expensive, don't have exact numbers since all of our stuff is Cat 5e.


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## Wired4Life10 (Jul 9, 2011)

Cable, a little higher.
Patch panels, about double, little less. 
Jacks, slightly higher.


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## triden (Jun 13, 2012)

More copper in cat6 and built to a much higher tolerance. Don't terminate it unless you know what you're doing otherwise you might as just well have used cat5e.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

triden said:


> More copper in cat6 and built to a much higher tolerance. Don't terminate it unless you know what you're doing otherwise you might as just well have used cat5e.


What is unusual about terminating


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## FlyingSparks (Dec 10, 2012)

ampman said:


> What is unusual about terminating


Okay, one of the flaws with high speed copper wiring is that the high speeds standardized are conducted in highly controlled environments with no flaws.

To achieve maximum speeds with low error in transmission, lots of attention must be paid to the installation and termination of cables. Little minor installation problems, like bending a cat6 cable too tightly can nullify your hundred foot run.

The biggest problem with copper wiring is in order to test your installation you need equipment that can sometimes cost more than a brand new car. Unfortunately, as installers, we have to deal with these problems.

Give this article a read, a lot of it is relevant to cat6 installations:
http://www.lanshack.com/cat5e-tutorial.aspx

My biggest cat6 recommendations:
-no zip ties EVER
-let cables flow without being constricted
-keep the manufacturers twists as close possible to the termination point. Do not untwist when installing a jack
-keep cat6 three feet away from power sources, intersections are undesirable but sometimes unavoidable.

Edit: cat5/cat5e was more forgiving than cat6 in installation practices


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

I would run cat6 on cables if I thought it might transfer video, otherwise cat5e will always be good enough.. if you want to spend more money, spend it on shielding.


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## Wpgshocker (Jan 25, 2013)

FrunkSlammer said:


> I would run cat6 on cables if I thought it might transfer video, otherwise cat5e will always be good enough.. if you want to spend more money, spend it on shielding.


How many cameras need more than gigabit? Or even 10/100? POE is based on cat5 spec , cat6 might have more bandwidth, but it don't understand how people feel they NEED cat6 so damn badly. Your backbone is typically fiber anyways.

I haven't installed many 10 gigabit switches lately, so maybe I am out of touch....


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## lortech (Mar 7, 2012)

*cat6 in blanke patch panel makes it a cat5?*

I have a jobsite that has cat5 patch panels but those can be pushed out and cat6 in its place.






Wired4Life10 said:


> Cat6 is rated for higher speeds of transfer. No you cannot use 5e ends on 6. For it to be 6 rated, it must be 6 from device to device, including cable, patch cables, patch panel, and jacks. If you put 6 into a 5e patch panel or jack, it will only be rated for 5e.
> 
> We use 6 across the board unless spec'd, especially in residential since it will be there for years in a locked-in wall. It's a little different when it's a drop ceiling and you have the option to change.


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## lortech (Mar 7, 2012)

crimping cable by accident may change its impedance and thus, maximum bandwith. The nic card will also have to retransmit packets that are not recived at the other end. 

The cable needs to be secured with velcro. Also, it is a good idea to have the cable cirtified "bert test" with a fluke dx 1800 or more recent tester or other models. my favorite was the Agilent 350 wire scope pro. Got a bid comming up and while I wish I could buy the cable, I do not have the budget for it. I will instead, deal with the ends and then have a seperate company cirtify the cable ends. 

Got 165 runs/ends to provide a estimate with.


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## rexowner (Apr 12, 2008)

Cat 6 is a scam by the cable manufacturers to charge a higher price for no added value. 

Any (eg ethernet) standard will run on Cat 5e. Most installers and customers have no clue.

Cat 6 is pure BS. 

Having said that, I install cat 6 only, because I don't want to waste more time educating, often to no avail.


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## rexowner (Apr 12, 2008)

lortech said:


> crimping cable by accident may change its impedance and thus, maximum bandwith. The nic card will also have to retransmit packets that are not recived at the other end.
> 
> The cable needs to be secured with velcro. Also, it is a good idea to have the cable cirtified "bert test" with a fluke dx 1800 or more recent tester or other models. my favorite was the Agilent 350 wire scope pro. Got a bid comming up and while I wish I could buy the cable, I do not have the budget for it. I will instead, deal with the ends and then have a seperate company cirtify the cable ends.
> 
> Got 165 runs/ends to provide a estimate with.


Are you a physicist? The remarks re changing impedance and max bandwidth are pure, unsubstantiated, BS.


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## lortech (Mar 7, 2012)

I think you are basing this assumption on ignorance. Cat6 does have specifications. Higher bandwith, tighter twist and so on.

http://www.cat6.com/overview/standards.aspx
http://www.belden.com/docs/upload/what_is_category_6_q-a.pdf


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## rexowner (Apr 12, 2008)

lortech said:


> I think you are basing this assumption on ignorance. Cat6 does have specifications. Higher bandwith, tighter twist and so on.
> 
> http://www.cat6.com/overview/standards.aspx
> http://www.belden.com/docs/upload/what_is_category_6_q-a.pdf


Actually, not. I have decades in IEEE.

The standards you cite are crap. No ANSI/IEEE/IETF or other impartial body. They are simply ginned up manufacturer garbage to charge more that has no value.


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## rexowner (Apr 12, 2008)

Wired4Life10 said:


> Cat6 is rated for higher speeds of transfer. No you cannot use 5e ends on 6. For it to be 6 rated, it must be 6 from device to device, including cable, patch cables, patch panel, and jacks. If you put 6 into a 5e patch panel or jack, it will only be rated for 5e.
> 
> We use 6 across the board unless spec'd, especially in residential since it will be there for years in a locked-in wall. It's a little different when it's a drop ceiling and you have the option to change.


What "higher speeds"? How many more Mbps? You are full of crap and spreading misinformation and preying on ignorance.

Thanks!


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## Wired4Life10 (Jul 9, 2011)

rexowner said:


> What "higher speeds"? How many more Mbps? You are full of crap and spreading misinformation and preying on ignorance. Thanks!


If you spent half the time you wasted insulting everyone on this thread, you'd know there is a justifiable difference. You're not worth my time to explain. Goodbye.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

Any good videos of terminating cat 6 I found a few just wondering what y'all have


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

I do it the same as cat5e, just use different connectors. 

Got this tool for male where you line up the conductors and push them straight through so you can see you have them correct and can push the sheath up inside the connector and then trim and crimp it. 

Got this other tool for female connectors where you untwist and lay all the conductors in the proper slot and then squeeze and it punches down all of them at once and trims them. Takes a little getting used to, but then really speeds up the work.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

FrunkSlammer said:


> I do it the same as cat5e, just use different connectors. Got this tool for male where you line up the conductors and push them straight through so you can see you have them correct and can push the sheath up inside the connector and then trim and crimp it. Got this other tool for female connectors where you untwist and lay all the conductors in the proper slot and then squeeze and it punches down all of them at once and trims them. Takes a little getting used to, but then really speeds up the work.


Thanks frunk got any pics of the last tool you named


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)




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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

Its just the same as Cat5e to terminate, side entry into the jack is preferred by me personally as its less of a bend radius inside a box.

To get the specs you need to talk to the manufacturer, theres no cat6 way to terminate only the way the manufacturer wants you to do it. 

People are being a little pretentious about it here. 

All my installs are certified with a DTX1800 before any phuckos ask.


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

chewy said:


> side entry into the jack is preferred by me personally as its less of a bend radius inside a box.


Could you elaborate? Not sure what you mean.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

FrunkSlammer said:


>


Does that crimper need special punch down jacks?


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

FrunkSlammer said:


> Could you elaborate? Not sure what you mean.


Some people bend back all the pairs and insert the cable sheath into the centre of the punch down area, I find it easier to lay the stripped pairs and but the sheath up to the side then do blue and brown or green and orange first then lay the next 2 on top of the first 2. This leaves the jack at a right angle. Which is good for high density outlets like 4 or 6 gang.


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

wendon said:


> Does that crimper need special punch down jacks?


Yes, Systimax or Uniprise Jacks.


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## Edrick (Jun 6, 2010)

FrunkSlammer said:


> Yes, Systimax or Uniprise Jacks.


Technically no it doesn't need special ones, it has changeable dies. We have the Hubbel NetSelect, Leviton and one other manufacture, The head just pops off easily and can be changed.


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Cat 6 is an absolute MUST... in Data Centers! 









Anywhere else, and at some point you will run into a Cat 5 or 5e device or cable or termination, and the entire extra expense of going Cat 6 was a complete waste of money.

I've been doing a lot of industrial Ethernet networking systems (my company is pushing it) and I keep running into Consultants insisting on Cat 6 cable, but connect it to Cisco switches that are not 10GB! Absolutely pointless! I don't think, however, that this is some big conspiracy, I see it as an issue of "give me the best so I don't have to think about it much" or "give me more than I need now just in case things change later". 

Kind of like that line from Spinal Tap:
"This amp is better because the knob goes to 11".









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xgx4k83zzc


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## JW Splicer (Mar 15, 2014)

Sorry if this is a dead thread, but we are held to cat6 patch panels, cords, jacks etc for cat6 cable and 6a stuff with 6a cable because standards such as Tia and bicsi say your system will be lowest rated component in the entire system. Also manufacturer warranty plays a critical role in this as well. If your shop warranty is 20 yrs from brandx, everything in that system had better be brandx as well, otherwise your warranty is void and your shop will have to replace and fix everything... It's not a big deal for a telephone at a mom and pop shop. But when your customer is spending millions on a campus or possibly multiple campus... Campuses... Campi? Anyway a bunch of sites... All cabled with brandx and warranties by brandx it's a huge deal. These manufacturers pay guys big bucks to travel to a job site when something goes wrong, and believe me, it won't be brandx's fault... You're gonna eat it.


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## lortech (Mar 7, 2012)

*Cat6 uses by industry*

I can see it being used in data centers, video storage servers, HD cctv cameras but for the run of the mill business, it is overkill. I still see electricans mix it in with the cat5 cable from time to time.


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

Just make it look better than this


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

jeffmoss26 said:


> Just make it look better than this


Needs more cable ties :laughing:


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

My thoughts exactly :X


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## lortech (Mar 7, 2012)

Due to the higher frequencies and higher sensitivity to impedence changes in the cable from zipties, it is a requirment to use low compression from zipties OR prefer to use velcro hook and eye or stock velcro. I was asked to use velcro next time on cat6 from a former employer. It does make sence and could be a BICSI requiment.

I uploaded a image and not sure if the cable is laying on the edge of one of the railing. Also, ca6 requires shorter cable length termination standards to prevent it from absorbing ambiant signals and to prevent it from radiating signal radiation. If you had the time and budget the cable would look really nice with a cable comb. Look good good otherwise.


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

It gets worse, this is the "finished" install:

http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/jefflocks/library/why?sort=3&page=1


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

Jeff, would that happen to be an Edward Jones office?


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

Nope.


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