Cat6 Plenum Ethernet Cable & a Network; A Match Made in Heaven
Category 6 plenum-rated cables are one the most popular and widely used cable all around the world. Many people use this cable for safety reasons since its outer jacket is fire retardant. Not only that but it is packed with high-speed internet connections and other useful features.
In this article, we’ll have a deeper understanding of how this cable works and what makes it the best in the business. So, let’s get started.
Category 6 Ethernet Cables
Cat6 cables are the 6th generation cables with a twisted pair internal structure. It has eight copper wires twisted together in four pairs. This cable is backward compatible which makes it easier to use it with older categories like cat5e and cat5. Cat6 plenum is ideal for all purposes including domestic, commercial, and big data centers. You’ll get the maximum speed and a stable connection with this cable due to pure copper conductors.
Now that you get the gist of what cat6 cable is so let’s talk about the jacket types of this cable.
Cat6 Ethernet Outer Jacketing
Any Ethernet cable has usually three types of jackets; plenum, risers, and polyvinyl chloride. Plenum-rated cables use for indoor purposes, especially in the plenum space of any building. These places are shafts and spaces between the walls. Plenum spaces have a purpose for air conditioning and heating. There is continuous air circulation in these places which makes them prone to fire accidents. Plenum coating has fire-retardant qualities. In case of a fire, these cables would burn slowly emitting a lot of smoke making the fire easy to detect.
Riser-rated cables are ideal for riser spaces. These are vertical spaces in any building. Since there is not much air circulation, you can use a riser cable in those places. And PVC cables are made for outdoor installations. Their thick jacket withstands extreme weather conditions. Many users prefer plenum cables because of their high quality and durability.
Cat6 Plenum Applications
Cat6 cables are considered the backbone of any network. Though slightly more expensive than its predecessors like cat5e and cat5, this cable is far more reliable at longer distances. Cat6 plenum is a good fit for the wave of 60W & 90W PoE (Power over Ethernet) applications. With superior qualities and less crosstalk, cat6 cable is ideal for both domestic and commercial purposes.
Difference Between Cat5 & Cat6
Category 6 cables are relatively newer cables. Unlike category 5 cables, cat6 can deliver data at a higher speed. This cable supports a 10Gbps data transfer rate which is much faster than the older categories. This cable meets all the modern requirements for data transfer applications in all sorts of data centers like hospitals, government websites, and schools.
The internal structure of the cat6 cable has 23AWG copper wire. There are eight wires in total twisted together in four pairs. Not only that, but this cable also has a thicker jacket as compared to cat5. These features provide better resistance against all sorts of crosstalk and other data leakage.
Crosstalk is a phenomenon that occurs when signals from two passing cables mix. This can affect the integrity of your data packages. Although cat6 seems like a pricy option to many people, in the long run, you’ll get the complete value for your money.
Backward Compatibility
Both cat5 and cat6 utilize the same end piece. These cables plug into the same port. The main difference lies in their capabilities as well as the materials that manufacturers use. All the Ethernet cables have the same end with an RJ45 connector. You can plug them into any computer, router, switch, and other devices.
Cat6 is backward compatible. You can use it for older categories such as cat5e and cat5. This quality makes the cat6 plenum-rated cable the best in business.
Various Cat6 Applications
Most installers use cat6 cable with fiber optics at the backbone of any network. Even though this cable has a big price tag, the performance outweighs the price of the cat6 cable. Unlike cat5e or cat5, this cable is a good fit for 60W and 90W Power over Ethernet applications. Since it has the potential for higher speed and better compatibility, cat6 dominates domestic and commercial networks as the cable of choice.
Cat6 Accessories
If you are looking to get the maximum performance out of your Ethernet cable, there are certain products you should use with your Ethernet cable.
Patch panels – this product is a must-have for your network. Cat6 patch panels come with various port options. These panels exceed the TIA-568 category 6 standards. They also have a configuration for T568A/B.
Keystone jacks – these jacks are also known as the Rj45 connectors. This product is standard for terminating and connecting Ethernet cables. These jacks are an integral part of any high-speed network.
Rj45 Plug – you can use these plugs to terminate your Ethernet cable to connect your cable to keystone jacks and other RJ45 inserts. These plugs come in a variety of selections. You can choose according to your networking needs.
Cat6 plenum-rated cables can be a valuable addition to your network. Though they seem pricey we can assure you that you’ll get the complete value for your money.