Category 6 Cable

Cat 6- Category - 6, (ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1) is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet
and other network protocols that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and
Category 3 cable standards. Cat-6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk
and system noise. The cable standard is suitable for 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX and
1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) and is expected to suit the 10000BASE-T (10Gigabit
Ethernet) standards. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz.

The cable contains four twisted copper wire pairs, just like earlier copper cable
standards. Although Cat-6 is sometimes made with 23 gauge wire, this is not a
requirement; the ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1 specification states the cable may be made with 22
to 24 AWG gauge wire, so long as the cable meets the specified testing standards. When
used as a patch cable, Cat-6 is normally terminated in 8P8C often incorrectly referred to
as " RJ-45" electrical connectors. Some Cat-6 cables are too large and may be difficult to
attach to 8P8C connectors without a special modular piece and are technically not
standard compliant. If components of the various cable standards are intermixed, the
performance of the signal path will be limited to that of the lowest category. As with all
cables defined by TIA/EIA-568-B, the maximum allowed length of a Cat-6 horizontal cable
is 90 meters (295 feet). A complete channel (horizontal cable plus cords on either end) is
allowed to be up to 100 meters in length, depending upon the ratio of cord length:
horizontal cable length.

Augmented Category 6 (Category 6a)
The TIA is working to complete a new specification that will define enhanced performance
standards for unshielded twisted pair cable systems. Draft specification ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-
B.2-10 specifies cable systems, called "Augmented Category 6" or more frequently as
"Category 6a", that operate at frequencies up to 500 MHz and will provide up to 10 Gbit/s
bandwidth. The new specification has limits on alien crosstalk in cabling systems.

Augmented Category 6 specifies cable operating at minimum frequency of 500 MHz, for
both shielded and unshielded. It can support future 10 Gb/s applications up to the
maximum distance of 100 meters on a 4-connector channel.

Cat 1: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously used for POTS telephone
communications, ISDN and doorbell wiring.
Cat 2: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously was frequently used on 4
Mbit/s token ring networks.
Cat 3: Currently defined in TIA/EIA-568-B, used for data networks using
frequencies up to 16 MHz. Historically popular for 10 Mbit/s Ethernet networks.
Cat 4: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Provided performance of up to 20 MHz,
and was frequently used on 16 Mbit/s token ring networks.
Cat 5: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Provided performance of up to 100 MHz,
and was frequently used on 100 Mbit/s ethernet networks. May be unsuitable for
1000BASE-T gigabit ethernet.
Cat 5e: Currently defined in TIA/EIA-568-B. Provides performance of up to 100
MHz, and is frequently used for both 100 Mbit/s and gigabit ethernet networks.
Cat 7: An informal name applied to ISO/IEC 11801 Class F cabling. This standard
specifies four individually-shielded pairs (STP) inside an overall shield. Designed
for transmission at frequencies up to 600 MHz.

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Category 3 Cable"

Cat 6 Cable

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