Cat6 on Cat5e equipment

[manchesterman]

Hi,

can I install cat6 to a cat5e patch panel and outlets?

Cheers

 

[chrish_1977]

Yes, all the difference is it is shielded (feel free to correct me though if I'm wrong)

 

[manchesterman]

Yes, all the difference is it is shielded (feel free to correct me though if I'm wrong)

Though so Chris, it's better cabling isn't it, sort of too good to use as described

 

[chrish_1977]

I think it's just better shielded, I have used both and that's the only difference I have found

Chris

 

[deltacabling]

The difference between Cat 5e & Cat 6 cable isn't anything to do with shields. You can get Cat5e/Cat6 shielded (FTP) and unshielded (UTP). Basically Cat 6 is a higher spec cable and is able to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10000Mbps) as opposed to Cat5e which supports Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps).

To answer the original question, yes you can terminate Cat6 onto Cat5e terminations/panels but of course it will only support gigabit ethernet speeds.

HTH​

 

[rickwookie]

The difference between Cat 5e & Cat 6 cable isn't anything to do with shields. You can get Cat5e/Cat6 shielded (FTP) and unshielded (UTP). Basically Cat 6 is a higher spec cable and is able to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10000Mbps) as opposed to Cat5e which supports Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps).​

More precisely, Cat5 is rated at 100 MHz and Cat6 at 250 MHz.

I would warn that as Cat6 has slightly thicker cores, you may find that punching it into the back of a Cat5e patch panel is problematic, although I've only really found this the other way around, i.e. trying to punch Cat5e into Cat6 slots, as they're designed for the thicker cores and so the Cat5e cores can remain loose after punch-down and in some cases fall out.​

 

[chrish_1977]

Thanks guys, thought someone might have had something else to add after my comment, I learned something else today now

 

[kingeri]

But avoid cheap and nasty cat6 or even cat5e as it can give awful results!

 

[elgeebar]

I've started recommending Cat 7 now because it's frequency range (600Mhz) is wide enough to support video applications.

 

[Simlec]

I've started recommending Cat 7 now because it's frequency range (600Mhz) is wide enough to support video applications.

You can put full 1080P + audio + IR down a single cat5e

 

[rickwookie]

You can put full 1080P + audio + IR down a single cat5e

Make that full 1080p Deep Colour + Full HD Audio + two-way IR + RS232 or USB + 100baseT Ethernet + 100 W of power! - HDbaseT over single Cat5e, is that "Video Application" enough for ya?
Who in their right mind specs Cat7???

To be honest I often use Cat6 just because it's physically more robust so will withstand more abuse, not because of any bandwidth reasons.

 

[elgeebar]

Make that full 1080p Deep Colour + Full HD Audio + two-way IR + RS232 or USB + 100baseT Ethernet + 100 W of power! - HDbaseT over single Cat5e, is that "Video Application" enough for ya?
Who in their right mind specs Cat7???

To be honest I often use Cat6 just because it's physically more robust so will withstand more abuse, not because of any bandwidth reasons.

Yes, but can you put a satellite or cable coax down Cat5e? And what about 4k TV (launching at a trade show near you now)... There is always something pushing the bandwidth requirements further and further out.

General advice, always go for the highest specification you (or your customers budget) can afford at the time.

 

[Simlec]

Full support for 48bit Deep Colour and 4k resolution applications (4 times standard HD quality) yes over cat5e.
But 4k is around 2-3 years way unless you have lots of £££

 

[rickwookie]

General advice, always go for the highest specification you (or your customers budget) can afford at the time.

I'd argue that that advice is poor. The cost/benefit equation for Cat7 certainly doesn't stack up now, and there's no evidence that it will in the next decade either. Budgets, however large, are never limitless and there are so many other things that a customer could spend their money on that DO give a benefit right now.