The same plug, different cables
Look at the cables in a school. They all end in the same clear plug. Yet one runs at one speed and another at ten times that.
The plug looks the same. The cable inside is not. The label on the cable tells you which is which.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can compare CAT 5e, CAT 6 and CAT 7 by speed and length and pick one for a job.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Network | computers joined so they can share data | |
| Ethernet | the common set of standards for wired networks | |
| Standard | an agreed set of rules that everyone follows | |
| Category (CAT) | the grade of a twisted pair cable | CAT 6 |
| Bandwidth | the most data a link can carry each second | 1 Gbps |
| Maximum length | the longest run before the signal is too weak | |
| Crosstalk | signal leaking between wire pairs in a cable |
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What Ethernet is
Ethernet is the set of standards for wired networks. It says what the cable is, how the signal is sent and how the data is packed.
It is used almost everywhere: homes, schools, offices and data centres. It is the reason a cable from one maker works with a switch from another.
CAT 5e, CAT 6 and CAT 7
Ethernet cables are graded by category. A higher number is a better cable.
We compare cables on two metrics. Bandwidth is how much data per second the cable can carry. Maximum length is how far you can run it. For copper Ethernet the normal limit is 100 metres.
The three grades compared
| Cable | Bandwidth | Maximum length | Shielding |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAT 5e | 1 Gbps | 100 m | Usually none (UTP) |
| CAT 6 | 1 Gbps to 100 m, or 10 Gbps to 55 m | 100 m, or 55 m at 10 Gbps | UTP or STP |
| CAT 7 | 10 Gbps | 100 m | Always shielded |
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3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.