100M : What Kind of Ethernet Cable is best?

[ScotJames]

Ok, ive heard about Cat5 and Cat6 ethernet cable but which one would everyone recomend getting?


I'm looking at 15 -20m, does this make a difference to speed?


Thanks.

[Kingofthedead4]

Cat6 and yes the longer the ethernet cable the more the signal will degrade.

[Stuart]

Cat 5e is fine for any speed up to a gigabyte. Cat 6 is only really any use for 10 Gig and up.

As for distance, that yes, the signal will degrade, but unless you have faulty cable, it should be fine for up to 100 metres.

[Milambar]

Its really really pointless spending the extra cash on cat6 for domestic use. Cat5e (hell, even cat5 will probably work fine) will work without problem.

Don't bother buying fancy cables with "super mega diamond impregnated oxygenated gold terminals", aka "Monster" cables. They are entirely pointless for digital applications. Cheap "Pound Store" cables will work fine.

[Graham M]

It's 100Mb 'net, CAT5e will do speeds well in excess of that

[Halcyon]

Dont worry about a loss in signal. Unless you are going for some long length of 70 to 100 metres then you will see a difference but anything less you won't notice it.

There is no point in CAT6 at the moment unless you really want to future proof your installation for the future but right now and for quite some time CAT5 will be absolutely fine.
I buy mine from CPC and sometimes from CableUniverse.

---------- Post added at 17:08 ---------- Previous post was at 17:07 ----------

You won't be able to tell any speed difference at 15-20 metres.

[General Maximus]

cat5e will be absolutely fine, don't make the mistake though if plodding down to somewhere like pc world, asds or any other retailer, they are an absolutely rip off. You can get good quality branded cables from places like play.com or amazon dirt cheap with free delivery.

As an example, if you have a look at PC World, a 15m belkin cable costs £35

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/belkin...19297-pdt.html

On Play.com it is £9. You can get a 30m cable for £16. It is a joke really, twice the distace and nearly £10 cheaper.

http://www.play.com/Search.html?sear...0M+Patch+Cable

[TonyHoyle]

I make my own up.. I use cat6 only because the reel I bought was only about a quid more expensive than the 5e, and I might want to go 10gig one day.

For 100mb, any old cat5 you find in the attic is fine :p

[Kymmy]

You have to remember that most hubs are now gigabit on the ports so although your internet connection is only 100Mb you're still communicating from PC<>PC or PC<>HUB at 1000Mb.

If the run is less than 50meters then 5E will be fine, ignore those that say that 5E will run 100m at gigabit speed as that's in a perfect world and a lot of devices can interfere with the signal when pushing the speed/distance to it's limits. If you do want 100meters then Cat6+ is best.

[General Maximus]

dear dear Kymmy, how often we get criticised by mods for not reading posts properly

Originally Posted by Kymmy

If you do want 100meters then Cat6+ is best.

Originally Posted by ScotJames

I'm looking at 15 -20m, does this make a difference to speed?

[Kymmy]

I read it perfectly well.. my post was in response to the usual general "100m cat5e" posts which are general perfect world scenarios..

So I'm puzzled as to your amusement and inability to realise that not all responses in a thread are pointed at the OP????

[General Maximus]

I am just playing with you

[Chrysalis]

cat5e is enough however when I last brought some cables cat6 and cat5e were very close in price so I got cat6 for future proofing.

[Ignitionnet]

If you want what's best Cat6.

Cat5e is fine otherwise, I've had cabling guys do runs of it up to 97m long through data centres at gigabit for me with no issues, Cat5e that can't do that isn't Cat5e.

Only on this forum could such a basic question cause such debate.

[Chrysalis]

yeah, cat6 seems less flexible in bending etc. so has that downside. But otherwise if the price is similiar I would go with cat6.