What Is The Difference Between Cat 5, Cat 5e, and Cat 6 Cable?
If youâre researching the different types of twisted-pair copper cable used to transmit data in network and home theater applications, then itâs likely that you will repeatedly come across the terms Category 5 (Cat 5), Category 5e (Cat 5e) and Category 6 (Cat 6). Organizations such as the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) and Electronic Industries Association (EIA) set specific product standards, and these guidelines have resulted in cables being classified into various categories based on their performance levels. Just in case youâre not too familiar with cabling terminology, we at CableOrganizer.com would like to provide you with a few straightforward definitions and statistics on these three common grades of network cable, to help you better choose the right one to fit your needs.
Cat 5: Out of the three types of cable weâll be discussing, Category 5 is the most basic. Cat 5 cable is available in two varieties: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), the type widely used in the United States, and Screened Twisted Pair (SCTP), which has shielding to provide a measure of extra protection against interference, but is rarely used outside of Europe. Cables belonging to Category 5 are either solid or stranded: Solid Cat 5 is more rigid, and the better choice if data needs to be transmitted over a long distance, while Stranded Cat 5 is very flexible and most likely to be used as patch cable. Cat 5 cable can support 10, 100, or 1000 Mbit/s Ethernet. The 1000BASE-T standard for Gigabit Ethernet over UTP was designed to work over up to 100 meters of plain old Cat 5.
Cat 5e: Cat 5e (which stands for Category 5, enhanced) cable goes along the same lines as basic Cat 5, except that it fulfills higher standards of data transmission. While Cat 5 is common in existing cabling systems, Category 5e has almost entirely replaced it in new installations. Just like Cat 5, Cat 5e can handle data transfer at 1000 Mbit/s, and is suitable for Gigabit Ethernet. Cat 5e experiences much lower levels of near-end crosstalk (NEXT) than Cat 5.
Cat 6: Of the three cable categories weâre discussing, Category 6 is the most advanced and provides the best performance. Just like Cat 5 and Cat 5e, Category 6 cable is typically made up of four twisted pairs of copper wire, but its capabilities far exceed those of other cable types because of one particular structural difference: a longitudinal separator. This separator isolates each of the four pairs of twisted wire from the others, which reduces crosstalk, allows for faster data transfer, and gives Category 6 cable twice the bandwidth of Cat 5! Cat 6 cable is ideal for supporting 10 Gigabit Ethernet. Since technology and standards are constantly evolving, Cat 6 is the wisest choice of cable when taking any possible future updates to your network into consideration. Not only is Category 6 cable future-safe, it is also backward-compatible with any previously-existing Cat 5 and Cat 5e cabling found in older installations.
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What you are looking for is NOT a fiber channel switch. You are looking for an ethernet switch with SFP slots, unless you want an antique (GPIB slot). While you can purchase SFP switches with no copper slots, it's often not the best or most affordable solution. Then you need SFPs (Small Form Pluggables) which are the devices that actually connect to LC fiber optic connectors and plug into the slots.
On the low end you can get Gigabit 8 copper 2/SFP ethernet switches for $100 each, or less. Be careful not to buy 100Mbit when shopping used stuff. Much larger than life, an SFP:
An SFP switch (this exact one possibly no longer available new, but there are many, and used works fine in most cases anyway) with 16 copper and 4 SFP (fiber) slots
With no connectors in place, if going there, use LCs - everything "modern" does. But you'll find the process is rather expensive to set up for doing, or to have done.
You also need to figure out what your fiber is (singlemode/multimode - & what core size (50 or 62.5) if multimode, and whether it's OM3 or 4 if it's 50), so you can buy the right SFPs, and you'll want to carefully look on ebay to see if you can find some at a reasonable price. It's not a small undertaking (I got a baptism by needing to do a large project with virtually no budget 3-1/2 years ago.)
If your house is not huge, there may be a simple wiring issue with not getting full throughput on Cat5e - it should be good for gigabit up to 100 meters - 328 feet. That would be lot cheaper to solve than terminating a bunch of fiber, unless you have the tools already, which seems unlikely. Often electricians who are not network techs mess up Cat5e installs, IME. Phone techs are (or were circa 2004) prone to use Cat3 or Cat5 jacks since many of them did not stock Cat5e jacks and few customers were actually using gigabit then to notice - that might be the first thing to check. Better switches can also be set up to trunk several copper connections (if several connections are available between places you want to go) to provide 2, 3, or up to 8 GB over copper.
To clarify a bit with more space than is in comments - fusion spliced no-polish (prepolished) conectors are OK, but expensive (both to buy and to have the equipment to use, though you can rent a splicer.) A fusion splice is, in most cases with a modern splicer, a good splice. The field-termination mechanical splice connectors are great in the eyes of the salesmen, and nobody else...a mechanical splice has several issues right from the get-go, and despite the protestations of the salesmen, real users find that the index-matching gel used to make them somewhat better than they would be without it dries out, turns brown, or both over time, making the connector lose light transmission ability. Epoxy polish (where the actual fiber is inserted in the connector and held with epoxy, then polished in the connector) is as good as you can get if you actually need a connector, assuming you do a decent polish job (not all that hard if you follow the correct procedures with the correct abrasives.) If you don't need a connector you can disconnect, a fusion splice is better.
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I would personally stick with CAT5e for home wiring. CAT6 will show no improvement, and will cost you more.
I would consolidate to one switch. Easier to manage and less points of failure.
I would also avoid a patch panel. I think they are overkill for a home project, and just considerably add to the cost. I would just terminate with RJ45 and hook it up to the switch. I personally just got creative with a shelf and some zip ties. I mounted the shelf pretty high up in the laundry room so you can't see the cables at all.