Cat Cable

Find the cat cable best suited to your business: cat 5, cat 6 or cat 7.

A cat 5 cable, short for category 5 cable, is most commonly used for ethernet, voice service and ATM connections. Containing up to 4 twisted pairs of copper wires, a cat 5 patch cable provides a high signal-to-noise ratio, unlike that of other cables, and makes it ideal for fast transmissions no matter what the application. The wires are typically safety coated with PVC -- or polyvinyl chloride. If you're looking to purchase cat 5 cables for your business, keep in mind that though the cat 5 patch cables are typically easy to fix or inexpensive to replace, they have a maximum length of 100 feet and there are now faster versions like the cat 6 cable and the cat 7 cable.

Look into the following before making a decision:

1. Cables for a basic cat 5 network

2. Extenders for the cat 5 network cable

3. The cat 6 cable

 

Buy or replace your cat 5 network cable cheaply

Even if you have solid skills to repair your cat 5 cable -- essentially stripping the damaged area and re-tipping it -- using cables in good or perfect condition is ideal, especially if you want to make safety and performance a priority. Plus, new cat 5 cables come in a variety of colors which will make it easy to identify ethernet lines in case you need to reorganize your office or quickly identify your cat 5 network cables for any reason.
Try: Shop GreatCables.com for a wide selection of cat 5 cables and buy in bulk for the biggest price breaks. For same-day shipping on U.S.-made cat 5 cables in both blue and grey contact Cables To Go.

Look for extenders and get more use from your cat 5 cable

Though the choice of your cat cable and its applications vary greatly, most cat cables come in standard lengths. Since cat cables longer than 350 feet can hinder diagnosing potential problems with the cables, many companies manufacture extenders. Individual extenders are small but are more expensive than the cables themselves but can solve both problems that could occur with diagnostics as well as the frustrations that come with having too many cables or cords in one area.
Try: Both Black Box Network Services and KVM Switches Online offer cat 5 network cable extenders for multimedia use.

Get twice the speed with a cat 6 cable

A cat 6 cable offers an even higher signal-to-noise ratio than cat 5 cables. And though a cat 6 cable or a cat 7 cable is typically manufactured with heavier gauge wire than a cat 5 cable and offers less system noise, there are also limitations on their length -- the longest is 330 feet in length. The connectors to which they attach are also less common than those of cat 5 cables.
Try: For cat 6 cable needs, buy several colors by-the-foot through Control Cable Inc.. Comtrad Cables offers a bulk pack of cat 6 cables for a deep discount.

 

• A cat 5 ethernet cable is the best choice for home use. Whether you use it in a home office application or for recreational computer applications, components for a cat 5 cable can also be used with home video electronics as well as with some newer model appliances.

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