Detailed explanation of network cable classification
Publié par JiangDavid le
Twisted-pair network cables (commonly referred to as network cables) are further divided into multiple categories based on their performance and standards, including Category 5 (Cat5), Category 5e (Cat5e), Category 6 (Cat6), Category 6a (Cat6a), Category 7 (Cat7), and Category 8 (Cat8). Each category of network cable has its own specific transmission rate, bandwidth, and maximum transmission distance.
Network cable type classification
Category 5: Supports 100 Mbps with a maximum transmission distance of 100 meters.
Category 5e: Enhanced Category 5, supports 1000 Mbps, also with a maximum transmission distance of 100 meters.
Category 6: Supports 10 Gbps up to 55 meters, or 1 Gbps up to 100 meters.
Category 6a: Enhanced Category 6, supports 10 Gbps up to 100 meters.
Category 7: Supports 10 Gbps up to 100 meters and offers improved shielding.
Category 8: Supports 25 Gbps up to 30 meters, offering even faster transmission rates.
Differences between UTP and STP
Twisted pair cables are divided into unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and shielded twisted pair (STP) according to the presence or absence of a shielding layer.
● Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
○ Construction: Consists of multiple pairs of insulated copper wires twisted together, without an outer metal shield.
○ Interference Immunity: Compared to STP, UTP has weaker immunity to electromagnetic interference.
○ Cost: Typically lower than STP because it requires no shielding, resulting in lower production costs.
○ Application: Widely used in home and office networks for its ease of installation and cost-effectiveness.
● Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
○ Construction: In addition to the multiple pairs of insulated copper wires twisted together, STP also has an outer metal shield, typically aluminum foil or braided metal mesh.
○ Interference Immunity: STP effectively reduces electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI), providing more stable signal transmission.
○ Cost: Due to the added shielding layer, STP is more expensive than UTP.
○ Application: Suitable for environments requiring high signal stability, such as data centers and industrial networks.
