Question 1

what is the difference between cat5 cable and cat6 cable?

Accepted Answer

Cat6 cables, also called Category 6, provide lower crosstalk, a higher signal-to-noise ratio, and are suitable for 10GBASE-T (10-Gigabit Ethernet), while Cat5e cables support only up to 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet). As a means of future-proofing your network, Cat6 is generally a better choice and worth the small premium in price. Cat5e and Cat6 cables are both backwards compatible, which means newer Cat6 cables can be used with older Cat5e, Cat5 and even Cat3 equipment.

Question 2

is this cable rated for in wall installation

Accepted Answer

It is not rated for in-wall use. CM rating is for general (patch cable) use. It does happen to be stranded, but the rating is all about the cable jacket. An in-wall rated cable will not give off as much toxic fumes in the event of a fire. This is especially critical in a building that has significant amount of cabling, but the law does not differentiate for small homes. That being said, many homeowners just pulling a few cables in their own home would go ahead and use this if it met their needs. If you have the tools and supplies to do your in-wall cabling with CMR rated wire, that's preferred from a code perspective, but won't make any difference for your data or the longevity of the wire in the wall. It's also generally preferred to use CMR wire terminated to keystone jacks in wall plates (which can be done without a crimp tool), and then use patch cables like these to go from the wall to your device.

Question 3

What is the difference between cat5 and cat6?

Accepted Answer

Theoretically, CAT5 works up to 100mbps, CAT5e works up to 1Gbps and CAT6 works up to 10Gbps. In practice you'll see something slightly different.I have gigabit internet. You would think that it shouldn't make a difference whether I have CAT5e or CAT6, but in reality, I get downloads and uploads of around 890-930mbps with CAT5e vs. 950-980 when using CAT6.

Question 4

Can I run this cable on the outside of my house?

Accepted Answer

It's not rated for outdoor installation.

ASIN	B007NZGPAY
Brand	Cable Matters
Brand Name	Cable Matters
Cable Type	Ethernet
Colour	Black
Compatible Devices	PC, Printer, Router, Server, Smartphone
Compatible Phone Models	VoIP phones
Connectivity Technology	Ethernet
Connector Gender	Male-to-Male
Connector Type	RJ45
Country of Origin	USA
Customer Reviews	4.7 out of 5 stars 8,612 Reviews
Data Transfer Rate	10 Gigabits Per Second
Frequency	550 MHz
Gauge	24.0
Global Trade Identification Number	00738435981938
Included Components	Cable
Indoor Outdoor Usage	Indoor, Outdoor
Item Shape	Round
Item Weight	10.23 Ounces
Manufacturer	Cable Matters
Model Number	160001BLK25
Number Of Pins	8
Other Special Features of the Product	High Speed
Outer Material Type	Other
Special Feature	High Speed
Specification Met	UL
UPC	738435981938

Cable Matters 160001-BLK-25 25-Feet Ethernet Patch Cable (Black)

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