Here are some more information for Gigabit Network:

Network Cabling Cat5 Vs Cat5e Vs Cat6 - Which Should You Use? by Mark Allen

To explain it in a simple statement, the main distinction comes to the differences in how each delivery medium manages crosstalk, bandwidth and network support.

Cat5 vs Cat5e

Crosstalk – Crosstalk is when the signal from another line causes a harmonic effect or bleed over into another cable. When this happens you will notice that the speed of the network is hindered and it can even shut the signal out completely. Now with Cat5e (Category 5e) there is an improvement over the Cat5 (Category 5) cable and the crosstalk has been significantly lowered.

Bandwidth – Bandwidth is how fast data can be moved across a network. The more bandwidth you have the more quickly you can move data over a network. The rating for Cat5 is at 100Mhz where it is 350Mhz with Cat5e. With the extra speed and higher specs this make Cat5e ideal for network environments that are looking to use Gigabit Ethernet speeds.

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Network support – With Cat5 you have the support needed for networks running 10Base-T and 100Base-T, which in layman terms means the network can run at 10mbps or 100mbps (megabits per second). Cat5e is an improved and superior version of Cat5 with added provisions for crosstalk mentioned above. Cat5e is also backwards compatible with Cat5 and can be used in any way that you would use Cat5; yet Cat5e has the ability to support a Gigabit Ethernet and networks that run 1000Mbps (1000Base-T)

The bottom line here is if you plan on putting into operation a Gigabit Ethernet, then you should be sure to use Cat5e. The extra cost involved compared to using Cat5e over Cat5 is well worth it when you consider what is saved in the fact that you are “future proofing” the infrastructure of your network.

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Cat5e vs Cat6

At present there is still some discussion whether new installations of cable should use Cat5e or Cat6. It is often incorrectly assumed that if Cat6 is run then the ability for a Gigabit Ethernet is available. In truth to attain a true Gigabit Ethernet speed, then all components of the network have to be rated for gigabit. Items such as switches, network interface cards and hubs also need to be gigabit rated. That doesn’t mean that there is no difference from Cat5e and Cat6; the difference between these two is in the transmission capabilities. Where it is known that Cat5e can support gigabit speed, Cat6 is actually certified to manage Gigabit Ethernet.

Also, the specifications on Cat6 is better suited for the environment that is usually filled with twisted pairing cables and areas that you generally find with lots of items that cause interference, such as electrical rooms, phone equipment rooms, power lines and lights. For most applications you will find that Cat5e is still acceptable and even preferable to Cat6 because it is less costly and still performs nearly as well. If however you know for sure that all of the components of your network are gigabit rated and the amount of data that will be transmitted will require that you have certified gigabit capabilities, then Cat6 would be the preferred choice.

Mark is the Chief Revenue Officer of SCT Product Sales, Inc.

About the Author

SCT Product Sales, Inc.
A Los Angeles Cabling Contractor

800-203-9841

Email: myoung@sctproducts.com

SCT Product Sales, Inc. is a Los Angeles Cabling Contractor servicing commercial clients throughout the Los Angeles Area. Our services include but are not limited to:

Network Cabling Infrastructure Design, Installation & Certification

Data Cabling, Voice Wiring, Audio/Video Cable

Fiber Optic Cabling

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Audio Distribution, Video Distribution & Conference Table Data Systems

What's a gigabit network?

I hear about people switching their networks to "gigabit", what's that? Does it go by another name? Is it a wireless network? What are the costs to set up at home? ty

Gigabit Ethernet is a network standard providing a 1000Mb connection rather than the typical 100Mb speed. It is a cabled solution, not wireless. It costs about $100 for a GigE switch for home use.

GigE is used on local area networks to facilitate faster file transfer between computers on the same network. It would have limited benefit to the average home user.

If you transfer files between computers often, or have a large network with a lot of traffic, this is something you should look into. If you're wondering about using it in your home for a LAN that supports only a few computers without regular large file transfers between them, it's not worth the investment.

GigE on your local network will not make your internet connection faster, and there will still be a bottleneck at your modem.

(AFX UK Focus) 2010-03-04 18:00 UPDATE 1-US seeking 1 gigabit Internet speed for communities
WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will seek to bring Internet speeds of 1 gigabit per second by 2020 to community institutions such as schools and government buildings, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said on Thursday. The FCC's National Broadband Plan, to be released later this month, is also expected to free up airwaves for mobile broadband, seek to ...

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