# Cat-5 vs cat-6



## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I have a customer who asked about the differences and benefits of using CAT-6 instead of CAT-5(e) for hard-wiring a computer network in his building. For the most part, this network is for Internet access.

It's my understanding that if you used CAT-6 cable, and terminated it into CAT-5e jacks and connectors, then you have wasted resources, and will end up with no better than CAT-5 cable would have done.

Initially, I told him that using CAT-6 would double the cost of the materials needed for the network installation.

As for other benefits, what would they be? Longer wire runs? More bandwidth speed? Is it worth doing this?

I'm thinking if you needed more than CAT-5 could offer, the next step would be to just install fiber optic ....?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

kbsparky said:


> I have a customer who asked about the differences and benefits of using CAT-6 instead of CAT-5(e) for hard-wiring a computer network in his building. For the most part, this network is for Internet access.
> 
> It's my understanding that if you used CAT-6 cable, and terminated it into CAT-5e jacks and connectors, then you have wasted resources, and will end up with no better than CAT-5 cable would have done.
> 
> ...


Someone will probably tell you that it is a bandwidth issue. I say not.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

more bandwidth, less interference, and better for future use. 

VOIP, is going to be the big decider for cat5/6q


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

The material costs will increase, but the installation time will be more or less the same. It doesn't take any longer to pull Cat 6 than Cat 5e, and personally, I terminate the Cat 6 jacks at the same speed as the Cat 5 ones.

What kind of building is it?


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

Cat 6 is more bandwidth, cat 3 is 10mb, cat 5 is 100mb, although I've seen some running 1gb. Cat5e is the enhanced cat 5 and lests you be a bit sloppy and still get 1gb performance. Cat 6 is rated for 10gb, hardware for that kind of speed is just starting to come around.

You don't need cat 6 for VOIP, VOIP is very low bandwidth. You may want to run it anyways as many phones allow you to piggyback the computer off them.

Cost? Cat 6 is more expensive, more twists per foot=more copper=more money. That and its the newest thing, always an upcharge for that.

Time? If your used to cat 5 it will take some getting used to, especially if it has a spine, otherwise it works out about the same. Oh, it also may be a bit bigger in diameter, so take that into consideration also.

Cat 6 is the newest thing and should be around for a while. I don't see any harm in running 5e though, most people will not maximize it out.


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## jmellc (Feb 25, 2011)

The little I was involved in pulling CAT 6, I thought it was less fragile than CAT 5. All the 5 I ever pulled was very easy to kink. The 6 has the plastic divider that seems to help it hold shape better. Anyone else notice this?


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

Yeah, the spine makes it stiffer, I did install some 6 a couple months age that was as junk, didn't kink much, but bent a lot.

As for 5 kinking, yep, been there, some stuff others give me to install is more laborsome. When your a one man show its very annoying, I honestly can't recall who I used to use before that kinked a lot. I mostly use general cable now without many issues.


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## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Update:

My customer told me today that installing CAT-6 is their new specification. Regardless of any of the reasons or discussions here, any new cable installs must conform to the CAT-6 standard. 

They are prepared to deal with the additional cost, so that is not an issue.

Looks like I will have to buy some new stuff ... :whistling2:


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## CDN EC (Jul 31, 2011)

A crew of data guys were saying you get too much crosstalk on Cat6 pulls less than 50' in length on a site I was on a few months ago. Know anything about this?


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

kbsparky said:


> Update:
> 
> My customer told me today that installing CAT-6 is their new specification. Regardless of any of the reasons or discussions here, any new cable installs must conform to the CAT-6 standard.
> 
> ...


make sure all jacks, and panels are spec to cat6


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