Overview of Cable Types
There are many different cable types within the industry, all of which have different uses for different project scenarios.
One Vision is well experienced with the installation of various types of cables from simple CAT5e to Multimode Fibre optic cables. Below you can see the types of cables we use and the differences between each type.
| Catergory | Shielding | Max. Transmission Speed @ 100m | Max Bandwidth |
| CAT5e | Unshielded | 1000Mbps / 1 Gbps | 100MHz |
| CAT6 | Shielded or Unshielded | 1000Mbps / 1 Gbps | >250MHz |
| CAT6a | Shielded | 10000Mbps / 10 Gbps | 500MHz |
| CAT7 | Shielded | 10000Mbps / 10 Gbps | 600MHz |
CAT5e Cables
The “e” in Cat 5e stands for “enhanced.” There are no physical differences between Cat 5 and Cat 5e cables. However, manufacturers build Cat 5e cables under more stringent testing standards to eliminate unwanted signal transfers between communication channels (crosstalk). Cat 5e is currently the most commonly used cable, mainly due to its low production cost and support for speeds faster than Cat 5 cables.
CAT6 Cables
Cat 6 cables support higher bandwidths than Cat 5 and Cat 5e cables. They’re more tightly wound too and often outfitted with foil or braided shielding. This shielding protects the twisted pairs of wires inside the Ethernet cable, which helps prevent crosstalk and noise interference. Cat 6 cables technically support speeds up to 10 Gbps, but only do so for up to 55 meters. That speed comes with a price, however, as Cat 6 cables are more expensive than Cat 5 and Cat 5e variants.
CAT6a Cables
The “a” in Cat 6a stands for “augmented.” Cables based on this standard are a step up from Cat 6 versions by supporting twice the maximum bandwidth. They’re also capable of maintaining higher transmission speeds over longer cable lengths. Cat 6a cables are always shielded, and their sheathing — which is thick enough to completely eliminate crosstalk — makes for a much denser, less flexible cable than Cat 6.
CAT7 Cables
Cat 7 cables support higher bandwidths and significantly faster transmission speeds than Cat 6 cables by utilizing the newest widely available Ethernet technology. They’re proportionally more expensive than other Ethernet cables, though their performance translates to a premium price tag. Cat 7 cables reach up to 100 Gbps at a range of 15 meters, making them an excellent choice for connecting modems or routers directly to your devices. Cat 7 cables are always shielded and use a modified GigaGate45 connector, which is backward compatible with regular Ethernet ports.
