A twisted pair cable with each pair individually wrapped in foil<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe cable works with 25 and 40BaseT Gigabit ethernet, which reduces power consumption and can handle data-intensive data center applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since Cat8 cables meet the latest IEEE standards and their Gigabit speeds future-proof the network, it is advisable to skip Cat7\/7a and go straight to this cable.<\/p>\n\n\n
Ethernet Cable Defining Factors<\/h2>\n\n\n As you might have noticed above, ethernet cables have these two defining factors.<\/p>\n\n\n
Bandwidth<\/h3>\n\n\n Measured in MHz frequency, bandwidth gives the rate at which the electrical ethernet signal cycles each second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 MHz is equivalent to 1,000,000 cycles per second, and the cable with the highest bandwidth is Cat8 (two billion cycles per second). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
High frequencies carry more data (0 and 1) per second, allowing fast data transmission speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nAn ethernet cable test tool checking a Cat5 UTP cable<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nCat5 cables have a 1:1 ratio between the bandwidth and transfer rate, meaning they can handle a maximum transmission speed of 100 Mbps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Cat8 cables can encode more bits per second, leading to higher transmission rates.<\/p>\n\n\n
Data Transfer Rate<\/h3>\n\n\n This factor defines how many data bits can travel through the cable each second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So the two terms relate closely because an increase in frequency raises the bandwidth. But they are not the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can increase the frequency by using heavier gauge cable, increasing the number of twists per centimeter, or using a shielded twisted pair.<\/p>\n\n\n
Ethernet Cable Shielding Types<\/h2>\n\n\n Since shielding also affects cable performance, we will examine the shielding types available for these twisted wire pairs.<\/p>\n\n\n
UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair)<\/h3>\n\n\n This network cable consists of four twisted pairs with only the plastic insulation around the wires and an outer cable jacket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it can come in two other variants to help reduce signal interference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These include F\/UTP (unshielded twisted pair with an outer foil shield) and S\/UTP (unshielded twisted pair with an outer braided shield).<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nAn unshielded twisted-pair cable<\/em><\/p>\n\n\nSTP (Shielded Twisted Pair)<\/h3>\n\n\n Shielded twisted pair cabling features a copper-braid jacket around the individual pair, with a cable jacket covering all four shielded pairs. Like UTP, STP comes in several variations.<\/p>\n\n\n
FTP (Foiled Twisted Pair)<\/h3>\n\n\n Instead of having a copper-braid jacket, FTP cables feature foil shields or screens around each pair. And they are available in several variations with different construction standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nA foil-shielded cable<\/em><\/p>\n\n\nConclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n As you can see, all ethernet cables contain pairs of conductor wires. But each type has different construction standards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These standards differ depending on the solid copper wire thickness, shielding, and twisting per centimeter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Higher-category cables have thick gauge copper wires with more twists and shields\/foils, enabling them to achieve fast network speeds and bandwidths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, they are costlier. So always consider your application and speed requirements first, then pick the right ethernet category for your project. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
About ethernet cable types and speeds,Ethernet cables have evolved to remain relevant despite the emergence of other super-fast connections like fiber optic cables. This evolution has led to different ethernet cable types and speeds that fit various category cable standards. We will look at these types and explain their differences in performance. Let’s get right … <\/p>\n
Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4408,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nEthernet Cable Types and Speeds: Different Network Cable Performance Categories<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n