The network cable is an indispensable item for network communication. In this article, we'll summarize the speed differences between Category 5 and Category 6 cables that are often used in ordinary homes.
Effect of speed difference between class 6 and class 5
Communication speeds can vary widely between Category 6 and Category 5 cables. In particular, category 5 has a very slow maximum communication speed of 100 Mbps, which hinders browsing websites and watching videos. Also, if you use Category 5 cable, data exchange and replication between devices using the same network will be very slow. Due to the large speed difference between Category 6 and Category 5, even using Category 5 cable in only one part will be affected.
For example, if the LAN outlet and router are Category 6, and the network cable between the router and the computer is Category 5, you will experience Category 5 communication speeds. Note that even using some low-gauge cables will affect the entire network. Even in the same category 5, the network cable of category 5e has the same communication speed as category 6 at 1 Gbps. Category 6 is 2.5 times larger in transfer bandwidth, but if you only have one computer, you won't be affected as much.
What is the speed difference between class 6 and class 5?
There is a speed difference between Category 6 and Category 5, but what is the actual speed difference? Category 6 is a speed suitable for using the Internet when using a lot of information or data in an office, etc. On the other hand, the communication speed of category 5 is rather slow and not suitable for creating a comfortable Internet environment. However, since it's cheap, you might be better off using category 5 if you're actually using the network without problems.
As you can see, if you just look at the communication speed, you can see that category 6 is far superior to category 5. Why is there a speed difference between class 6 and class 5? I know there is a big speed difference between class 6 and class 5, but why is there such a speed difference? The main factors that cause the difference in network cable speed are the communication speed and transmission frequency band. Let's look at these points one by one.
communication speed
Communication speed is a standard for classifying network cables. The faster the communication speed, the smoother and more comfortable the network connection will be. As mentioned above, there is a big difference in communication speed between class 5 and classes 5e and 6. The communication speed of category 5 is 100 Mbps, and the communication speed of category 5e and 6 is 1 Gbps.
In other words, classes 5e and 6 can support 10 times faster communication speeds than class 5.
Also, it is equally important that categories 5e and 6 are compatible with the standard "1000BASE-T" currently supported by most personal computers. Since 1000BASE-T can use 1 Gbps network cables, the performance cannot catch up to the slower category 5.
transmission band
The transmission band is the next factor in the speed difference between Category 5e and Category 6. The transmission band is the amount of information that can be transmitted at one time, and the larger the transmission band, the more information can be exchanged. The transmission band of category 5 and 5e is 100MHz, while the transmission band of category 6 is 250MHz, which is 2.5 times. If the amount of information is large, category 6 may be able to communicate more smoothly than category 5e. Consider water pipes as an analogy.
Assume that category 5e is a thin water pipe, and category 6 is a thick water pipe 2.5 times thicker.
With a small amount of water, both pipes flow at the same speed. But, obviously, when a lot of water is flowing, thicker pipes can flow more water more efficiently. Category 6 cables are useful when using multiple computers or when using two-way communications such as video conferencing. If you like to surf the web at home, then the 5e class is sufficient, but if you use multiple PCs for day trading or online gaming, the 6e class is more comfortable.
There are speed differences between Category 5, 5e and 6 cables due to the communication speed and transmission frequency band. You must carefully consider the number of network connections in use, the number of computers and tablets you have, and the required communication speed before choosing a network cable. In any case, choose the categories wisely so that you can reach a satisfactory speed.
