Question 1: What's the difference between CAT 5 cable and CAT 5e cable?
Answer: CAT 5 cable and CAT 5e cable have several differences, the most important are as follows:
- Network support - CAT 5 cable will support 10/100 Ethernet. That is, Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. CAT 5e cable will support Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet. CAT 5e Cable is completely backwards compatible, and can be used in any application in which you would normally use CAT 5 cable.
- Less cross talk - Cross talk is the electrical interference that results when one wire's signal effects another wire's signal. CAT 5e cable has been improved over CAT 5 cable in this respect, and cross talk has been greatly reduced.
- Bandwidth - This is directly related to network support, in the sense that the bandwidth is the information-carrying capacity of a system. The greater the bandwidth, the greater the information-carrying capacity in a given period of time. CAT 5e cable is rated at 350 megahertz, and it is this increased bandwidth (compared to CAT 5 cable) that allows it to support Gigabit Ethernet.
If you are unsure whether to order CAT 5 OR CAT 5e, we recommend ordering CAT 5e. CAT 5e is completely backwards compatible. The improvements made in CAT 5e over the original CAT 5 Cable are astonishing, so it will always be the right choice between the two.
CAT 5e Cable also has improved durability, due to improvements in the quality and thickness of the PVC protective jacket. It is more than suitable for most data cabling requirements.
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CAT 5e Cable
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CAT 6 Cable
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Question 2: What's the difference between CAT 5e patch cable and CAT 5e crossover cable?
Answer: The difference has to do with the wiring of the cable and the situation in which you will use the cable.
On a CAT 5e patch cable, the wiring configuration is identical on both ends of the cable.
On a CAT 5e crossover cable, the wiring of pins 1, 2, 3, and 6 are "crossed-over" to pins 3, 6, 1, and 2.
CAT 5e crossover cables are used in situations where two devices have the same interface, for example, connecting a hub to a hub, or a switch to a switch, or even when patching a hub or switch into a wallplate.
The most common use is to connect two PCs directly to each other, without the use of any kind of router, hub, or switch. This is called a peer-to-peer network, and is a low-cost solution to allow file and Internet sharing between two computers.
Question 3: What's the longest (maximum length) CAT 5 patch or crossover cable I can buy from you?
Answer: The maximum length (maximum certifiable length) for CAT 5 patch or crossover cables is 328 feet (100 meters).
Beyond that, you run the risk of signal loss and other complications.
Question 4: What is the difference between CAT 6 and CAT 5e cable?
Answer: Currently there is a great deal of confusion among cable buyers concerning whether to purchase Cat5e, or to use Cat6. Most of this confusion comes from a misunderstanding by the buyer that buying Cat6 cable will give them an "all gigabit" network. This is not the case. Unless every single component in the network is gigabit rated, then you will never have a gigabit network, because your network will always run at the speed of your slowest device. Cat5e cable of good quality can run near or at gigabit speeds, it just cannot be "certified" for this use. By comparison, Cat6 is designed especially for gigabit use, and is certified to operate at said speed. It becomes a matter of whether or not you want to pay all that extra money, for little or no noticeable improvement in the performance of you network. In most cases, it makes more sense to go with Cat5e. It is for this reason that most of your new installations in the private sector are going with Cat5e. It is more economical, performs well, and is readily available in many colors. Many IT professionals when asked about why they specified Cat6 for a specific job, often responded stated that they "wanted the best they could get." This is the line of thought behind many purchases of cable.