Category 5 (CAT5E) & Category 6 (CAT6) cables

Remember back in the “good ole days” where a phone line was the only way to get onto an internet provider, and how it took what seemed like eons to download even a picture? Phone line connections are known as Category 3 (or Cat3) lines, and they could not transmit data at a very fast pace over internet networks; only 10 megabits per second (mbps) over an Ethernet network. Category 5 (Cat5), a better solution, was developed for military and big businesses to keep the phone lines free and to transmit data at a much faster rate. Eventually high speed internet made its way into the private sector of households across the world through “cable”. Cat5 cable transmits data at up to 100mbps or 100mhz. A few years after Cat5′s introduction Cat5e, or Category 5 “enhanced” was introduced. Cat5e allowed for networking of speeds up to 1000mhz over a short distance. One of the reasons for this was there was less “cross talk” between the pairs of wires. What that means is there is less interference of of data transmission.

A few years later Category 6 (Cat6) cable was created to keep up the ever-growing technology world, and the growth of the internet. As larger sources of data and new tasks were done over the internet, it became vital to have Cat6 for some entities. Cat6 is very similar to Cat5, but was designed to run at a much faster, consistent rate of one gigabit (1000mhz) at all times. Cat5 can run up to one gigabit, but fluctuates in speed which makes it much more inconsistent. Here at FireFold we carry both Cat5e and Cat6 cable’s.

Cat5 and Cat6 cable’s are made up of a conjunction of 4 pairs of twisted cables to receive signal. The outer shielding of Cat5/Cat6 cable can be made in every color imaginable to help with designation of the cables (modem to router, router to splitter, splitter to computers, etc). The maximum allowed length of a continuous strand of Cat5/Cat6 cable is 328ft, anything after that and the data will be distorted and broken up.

There are a few different types of Cat5/Cat6 cables that we sell at FireFold. We have Plenum, Non-Plenum, Shielded, Solid and Stranded. The best types of cable to efficiently make patch cables is stranded cable. For feeding cables through a wall we recommend solid cable. For general use under “normal” conditions we recommend Non-Plenum cable.

Non-Plenum: The vast majority of Cat5/Cat6 cable sold is Non-Plenum cable. or the consumer who wants a network, this is the cable to purchase. Non-Plenum cable is more cost efficient than other types of cable. Is a very flexible type of cable. Non-Plenum is designed to be used indoors only. This cable can be hung from the ceiling to keep clutter free around your networking station/office. Click here to check out Cat5e Non-Plenum and Cat6 Non-Plenum cable!

Plenum: Is designed to be used in a plenum space. “The plenum is the space that can facilitate air circulation for heating and airconditioning systems, by providing pathways for either heated/conditioned or return airflows.” The major identifier of plenum cables are they have to meet two certain requirements: Must not burn easily, and most not emit a toxic smoke when set on fire, or around extreme heat. Plenum cable is usually much harder than other types of cables due to its PVC coating to meet the fire/heat demands. Plenum is not designed to be used outdoors. Click here to check out Cat5e Plenum and Cat6 Plenum cable!

Shielded Cable: This can be either Cat5 or Cat6 cable. The benefit to this cable is that the pairs of wires are wrapped in a protective type of foil to keep out Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), which has been known to disrupt the stream of data. A few examples of objects that could create EMI are; elevators, certain types of florescent lighting, and generators. Click here to check out Cat5e Shielded and Cat6 Shielded cable!

Solid Cables: This can be most types of Cat5/Cat6 cables, but has a sturdy plastic cross running through the middle which separates the pairs of cables. It makes the cable much sturdier when feeding the cable through walls, which is why it is the most common cable run through walls. Solid cables can be good at making patch cables as well, but it’s not flexible. As an added bonus it can help relinquish any possible interference between pairs of wires. Click here to check out Cat5e Solid and Cat6 Solid cable!

Stranded Cable: Is a simple Cat5/Cat6 which is flexible. It is a good cable if you do not need to feed it through a wall or put through a plenum space, and is also a good cable to make patch cables with. Click here to check out Cat5e Stranded and Cat6 Stranded cable!

Underground Cable: We carry a few different types of cable at FireFold that you can bury underground. The first we carry is CMX. Which is UV (ultra violet) certified so after exposure to UV rays for an extended period of time there is no chance of it cracking It can also withstand temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius, and is also water resistant. The other type of cable we carry is CMXT Direct Burial, which has the same resistances as CMX but is also Direct Burial Rated. Direct Burial Rated is just as the name says, ready to bury in the ground right out of the box, but is also a little more resilient to the elements. Click here to check out Cat5e Outdoor and Cat6 Outdoor cable!