CAT 5 Patch Cable :: CAT 5 Crossover Cable :: Cat 5e Patch Cable :: CAT 5e Crossover Cable
Shipping :: About Us :: Contact Us :: Help :: Home

FAQ Section

CAT 5 v. CAT 5e

[Q] What's the difference between CAT 5 cable and CAT 5e cable? [A] CAT 5 cable and CAT 5e cable have several differences, the most important are as follows: Network support - CAT 5 cable will support 10/100 Ethernet. That is, Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. CAT 5e cable will support Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet. CAT 5e Cable is completely backwards compatible, and can be used in any application in which you would normally use CAT 5 cable. Less crosstalk - Crosstalk is the electrical interference that results when one wire's signal effects another wire's signal. CAT 5e cable has been improved over CAT 5 cable in this respect, and crosstalk has been greatly reduced. Bandwidth - This is directly related to network support, in the sense that the bandwidth is the information-carrying capacity of a system. The greater the bandwidth, the greater the information-carrying capacity in a given period of time. CAT 5e cable is rated at 350 megahertz, and it is this increased bandwidth (compared to CAT 5 cable) that allows it to support Gigabit Ethernet. If you are unsure whether to order CAT 5 OR CAT 5e, we recommend ordering CAT 5e. CAT 5e is completely backwards compatible and we do not charge any additional amount for it. The improvements made in CAT 5e over the original CAT 5 Cable are astonishing, so it will always be the right choice between the two. CAT 5e Cable also has improved durability, due to improvements in the quality and thickness of the PVC protective jacket. It is more than suitable for most data cabling requirements. Keywords: CAT 5, CAT 5e