What are Types of Network Cable

There are many types of wires and cables, and many friends who do not know much about cables may feel that cables are wires, they are similar, and there is not much difference. In fact, in different industries and products, the application of wires and cables is very different, so there are many classifications of wires and cables. In this article, cable manufacturer Maojia will share with you Network cable In this article, cable manufacturer Maojia will share with you the types of Network cable.

Network cables is the type of wire we often contact daily, used for the network connection wiring of computers and servers. For different network needs and scenarios, there are different types of Network cables to choose from. Here are the types of network cables.

There are several types of network cables:

Straight-through or crossover

Straight-through cable

Straight-through cables, often called patch cords, connect different types of devices. For example, to connect a computer to a router.

Crossover cable

Crossover cables connect two similar devices, for example, connecting two computers.

Solid or stranded cables

Solid Cable

Solid cables are typically used in commercial networks and provide slightly better service than stranded ones. They consist of a single wire. They are cheaper to produce and, therefore, usually more affordable than their stranded counterparts.

Stranded Cables

Stranded cables contain several smaller wires that work together. Most patch cords are stranded cables. Stranded cables are more robust in terms of breakage. They are more suitable for home use.

Network cable categories

Ethernet cables come in different variants called categories or classes. Each category refers to a different set of standards. As standards change over time, new categories are created.

Currently, the minimum recommended standard available is Cat 5. Anything below it is now obsolete. As the Internet gets faster and faster, Cat5 cables are becoming obsolete.

Category 5 (Cat5) - An older Ethernet cable form that can achieve speeds up to 100 Mbps. (megabits per second)

Category 5e (Cat5e) - An updated version of Cat5 increases speed and reduces cable interference.

Category 6 (Cat6) - Speeds up to 10 Gb, depending on the region. Cat6 cables have thin wires, which help improve signal-to-noise ratios. Cables are stiffer than Cat5 cables, making them more challenging to run in tight corners.

Category 6a (Cat6) - An improved version of the Cat6 cable. It supports speeds of up to 10 Gb. The cable also provides twice the bandwidth of Cat6. Typically, Cat6 cables are usually shielded to reduce the effects of electrical noise and electromagnetic radiation on the signal.

Category 7 (Cat7) - Provides speeds of up to 10 Gbps (gigabits per second) over a distance of 15 meters. Cat 7 twisted pair cable must be fully shielded, eliminating crosstalk and improving electrical noise immunity.

Category 8 (Cat8) - Supports 2000MHz bandwidth and 40Gbps speeds. These cables are designed specifically for data centers and enterprise networks and are much more expensive.

For business networks, choose the highest type of cable for the best results. For home networks, it's best to choose the highest cable you can justify buying to deliver the speeds your Internet service provider promises.

However, some older equipment may not support newer cable types, so you may want to check before you buy.

For custom high-quality network cables, welcome to contact professional network cable manufacturer - Maojia.