Cable Forum - View Single Post

Kushan · 08-07-2020, 12:41

If you're running cables between rooms/walls/etc. it does make sense to consider running a better grade of cable than you currently need. That said, CAT6 is sufficient for 10Gbit and most home networking equipment still lacks that. It'll be many years before we need anything beyond CAT6 in the home.

CAT8 is really only if you plan to run 25Gbps+ stuff and that's not going to be in the consumer space for many, many years. If the price difference was a few pence then maybe? But almost certainly not required.

If it's cables between devices today, then CAT8 is absolutely overkill and makes zero difference. The HUB won't negotiate anything higher than 1gbps. Even consumer stuff isn't really going beyond 2.5Gbps (or 5gbps if you're lucky, 10gbps if you're very lucky) and CAT6 is still fine for that.

In short: Anything above CAT6 won't net you any benefit today.

08-07-2020, 12:41	#10
Kushan FORMER Virgin Media Staff Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Warrington Posts: 4,737	Re: New WiFi Router and Cat8 cable If you're running cables between rooms/walls/etc. it does make sense to consider running a better grade of cable than you currently need. That said, CAT6 is sufficient for 10Gbit and most home networking equipment still lacks that. It'll be many years before we need anything beyond CAT6 in the home. CAT8 is really only if you plan to run 25Gbps+ stuff and that's not going to be in the consumer space for many, many years. If the price difference was a few pence then maybe? But almost certainly not required. If it's cables between devices today, then CAT8 is absolutely overkill and makes zero difference. The HUB won't negotiate anything higher than 1gbps. Even consumer stuff isn't really going beyond 2.5Gbps (or 5gbps if you're lucky, 10gbps if you're very lucky) and CAT6 is still fine for that. In short: Anything above CAT6 won't net you any benefit today.