What are the Differences Between Cat5e and Cat5 Cables?

What are the Differences Between Cat5e and Cat5 Cables?

Choosing the right cables for your network can be a confusing task. Unless you are an expert, it is unlikely that you will know the difference between different types of cable and where they would be most appropriately put to use. In this article, we consider the main differences between Cat5 cables and Cat5e cables.

Category 5 (Cat5) and category 5 enhanced (Cat5e) cables are used for carrying data. They are both a twisted pair designed but whilst Cat5 cables depend on two pairs of copper wire, Cat5e contain four pairs of copper wire. Most Cat5 cables are unshielded; instead, they rely on the twisted pair design which uses two complementary signals for data transfer. This reduces signal transfer between the pairs. These cables are extremely versatile as they can also be used to carry telephone signals and video, as well as data. This makes them perfectly suited to the needs of most businesses.

The differences between Cat5 and Cat5e cables

Cat5e cabling is a newer specification for Cat5 cabling. There are several differences between these cables, including:

    • Network support – Cat5e cables offer a superior network performance compared to Cat5 cables. Cat5 cables will support network speeds of up to 10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet. As well as Ethernet and Fast Ethernet speeds, Cat5e cables are designed to support Gigabit speeds of up to 1000Mbps.
    • Bandwidth – Bandwidth is the capacity of a system for carrying information so, in this sense, it is directly related to network support. Cat5e cables are rated at a frequency of 350 MHz, which is a significant increase on the Cat5 rating of a maximum frequency of 100 MHz. A greater bandwidth allows for an increased capacity for carrying information, so it is this increase that allows Cat5e cables to support Gigabit Ethernet speeds.
  • Protection against interference – Cat5e cables offer enhanced protection against crosstalk compared to standard Cat5 cables. Crosstalk is electrical interference that can occur when the signals from different wires and equipment affect the signals of others. Crosstalk reduces the speed at which cables can transmit information, resulting in a poor network performance. Although twisted pair cables have been designed to reduce interference, Cat5e cables offer an improvement in this regard, compared to Cat5 cables. This is because the wire pairs are more tightly twisted and they are protected by heavy-duty shielding, making them extremely durable.  

 

Cat5e cables are backwards compatible with Cat5, which allows you to easily upgrade all or part of your network for a superior performance. And, Cat5e cables can be used in any application in which Cat5 cables are currently used. Cat5 cables have been in use for around fifteen years now and, over the past few years, they have been gradually superseded by superior cabling standards such as Cat5e and Cat6 cables. Cat5 cables are still sufficient for many businesses applications, and are still used by a number of companies. However, due to the improved performance they deliver many new cabling installations are being carried out using Cat5e cabling.

If you are thinking of upgrading your cabling infrastructure, Cat5e cables will be suitable for the majority of business environments and offer a cheaper alternative to Cat6/a cables. An improved network performance can really benefit your business with increased efficiency and productivity. You will be able to do much more, much faster and take full advantage of new technologies.

At Midland Networks, we offer a full range of cabling solutions. If would like to find out more about how Cat5e cables can benefit your business, contact us today on 0800 849 8585.