Introduction To Cat6 and cat6a network cables

 With the popularity of high-definition video, video conferencing, and other multimedia applications, people's demand for higher network bandwidth is increasing, 1Gbps bandwidth has been almost totally replaced by 10Gbps bandwidth, so Cat5E network cable which only supports 1Gbps transmission gradually fades away in people's life. Cat6 and Cat6A cables have become more common cable products, this tutorial will introduce these two types of cables and their applications in detail.

1,  What are Cat6 and Cat6A cables?

Cat6 cable usually refers to Cat6 unshielded network cable, which is the sixth generation of standard Ethernet cable, conforming to ISO/IEC 11801:2002 and EIA/TIA 568B Cat6 standard. Its bandwidth is twice that of Cat5 cable, and the transmission performance of Cat6 cable is much higher than that of Ca5E cable, which is most suitable for gigabit network transmission applications.

Cat6A cable is an upgraded version of Cat6 cable, so it is also known as "enhanced Cat6 cable", which complies with ISO/IEC 11801:2002 and EIA/TIA 568-B.2-1 standards and provides better performance than Cat6 cable in terms of external crosstalk. Compared to Cat6 cables, Cat6A cables have a larger out diameter, heavier mass, and larger minimum bend radius. Cat6A cables have a maximum transmission distance of 100 meters and are compatible with Cat 6 and Cat5E cables.Cat6A cables must have a grounding connection to prevent electrostatic interference from the electrons generated by long-distance transmission, which can cause packet errors. In the case of ordinary anti-static interference, only a single point of grounding connection is required. If there is strong current interference outside the cable or for safety considerations, such as protection against electric shock or lightning, multiple points of grounding connections are necessary. In addition, Cat6A network cables need to be connected to all hardware shielding products to reflect their good shielding performance, including transmission cables, patch panels, and modules.

2, What are the classifications of Cat 6A network cables?

There are two types of Cat 6 cables: shielded (UTP) and unshielded (FTP), which are very different in structure.

2.1. Unshielded Cat 6 patch cable. Usually used to increase the distance between the core and the non-metallic filler to reduce external crosstalk, hence the outer diameter of unshielded Cat 6 patch cable is usually larger. The advantage of an unshielded Cat 6A patch cable is that it is easier and less time-consuming to terminate because there is no shielding layer. In addition, the price of an unshielded Cat 6A cable is lower, and the price of the unshielded patch panel used with it is also lower.

 2.2, Shielded Cat 6A patch cables have 2 types: U/FTP and F/UTP, U/FTP doesn't have total shielding, and the anti-crosstalk performance of this shielded cable is high, but the termination is more troublesome, you need to deal with each aluminum foil shielding before termination; the total shielding of F/UTP is the aluminum foil shielding, without twisted pair shielding, the production process of this cable is more complex, but its outer diameter is smaller than U/FTP cable. The FTP cable is slim, and the termination process of it is easier and less time-consuming.

By this token, it seems that Cat 6 shielded cables have more advantages than Cat 6 unshielded cables in the promotion of application areas, and are currently the better standard solution for cabling.

3, How to identify Cat 6 and Cat 6A cables?

3.1,  Method 1: Distinguish Cat 6 and Cat 6A cables by their appearance. Generally speaking, cables and their outer packages have information printed on them. For example, Cat 6 cables are marked with "CAT6" on the outside, while Cat 6A cables are marked with "CAT6a" on the outside. In addition, Cat 6 cables support 10 Gigabit Ethernet network transmission, so the appearance of these products will generally have a 10 Gigabit logo.

3.2,  Method 2: Use a professional network cable tester to test the bandwidth.

4, The difference between Cat 6 and Cat 6A network cables

4.1, The speed and bandwidth between the Cat 6 network cable and the Cat 6A network cable are different. Cat 6 cables are mainly used for 1Gbps network connections, while Cat 6A cables are used for 10Gbps network connections. The bandwidth performance of Cat 6A cables is higher, and their transmission frequency is twice that of Cat 6 cables, for example, the bandwidth of Cat 6 cables is 250M, while the bandwidth of Cat 6A cables is 500M.

4.2, The structure of the Cat 6 network cable and super Cat 6 network cable. Both Cat 6 and Super Cat 6 cables have an insulated cross skeleton.