Cat 5e or Cat 6 Cabling?

dreamtfk

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Feb 1, 2002

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Orlando FL

• Nov 7, 2005

• #1

I am currently using a Cat5e cable at home to connect the router and the main host. I noticed at Best Buy that they had a Cat 6 cable for sale but it was $20. Is it worth upgrading to the Cat6 or a waste of money?

 

B

bchur83

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Jan 26, 2003

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Land of 10,000 Lakes

• Nov 7, 2005

• #2

Only if you are using Gigabit networking or higher. Otherwise it is a waste of money. Cat5e is spec'd for 350Mhz (350Mb).

 

telexen

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Jun 29, 2003

• Nov 7, 2005

• #3

bchur83 said:

Cat5e is spec'd for 350Mhz (350Mb).

Click to expand...

Funniest thing I've read all day

It all depends on your intentions later. Yes Cat5e can handle gigabit just fine... but if you plan to go gigabit, or even beyond later down the road then Cat6 may not be a bad investment.

But if you're not even to gigabit yet - then it's probably all about the price

 

darkknight187

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Joined

Oct 1, 2004

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PA

• Nov 7, 2005

• #4

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812189038

you're much better off egging it though, brick and morter cablings never "cheap"

 

Ebola

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Jan 16, 2001

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Rosemount, MN

• Nov 7, 2005

• #5

Your better off with cat 5e because the only thing you'll get with cat 6 is a lighter wallet.

 

OP

dreamtfk

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Feb 1, 2002

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Orlando FL

• Nov 7, 2005

• Thread Starter
• #6

Upgrade to a Gigabit network? I have heard the term before but am not sure what it is, there are only 2 computers in my house networked together.

 

V

Vio1

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Mar 3, 2003

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Toronto Canada

• Nov 7, 2005

• #7

cat 5 is a high grade cable. You don't need anything better.

 

TalRW

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Mar 2, 2004

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Irvine, CA

• Nov 7, 2005

• #8

currently MOST LIKELY if your network is set up how I imagine your network is set up in a 10/100 fasion. This means that your theoretical max speed is 100 megabits per second. Cat5 and cat5e are plenty to handle this type of speed. Gigabit is a newer technology rated up to 1000 megabits per second. This requires more expensive/newer equipment. If you only have two computers keep your network set up the way it is, upgrading will be a waste of money.

 

OP

dreamtfk

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Feb 1, 2002

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Orlando FL

• Nov 8, 2005

• Thread Starter
• #9

Nuff said, thanks.

 

AMD Phreak

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Apr 2, 2003

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255.255.255.255

• Nov 8, 2005

• #10

You could always use Enhanced CAT5E which spec's out very very close to CAT6 cable. You can get a box of say, Berk-Tek Lanmark 350+ for around 120$ IIRC. Ends on ebay for a bag ran around 10$, crimpers and what not eh $50.... all in all its cheap comparitvely to full blown CAT6 cable standards.