Category 6 cable, commonly referred to as Cat-6, is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet and other network protocols that are backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards. Compared with Cat-5 and Cat-5e, Cat-6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. The cable standard provides performance of up to 250 MHz and is suitable for 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet), 1000BASE-T / 1000BASE-TX (Gigabit Ethernet) and 10GBASE-T (10-Gigabit Ethernet).
To maintain transmission characteristics and network integrity, it's essential to use the correct type of patch-cord to match the installation. A network port will perform only at the level of the LOWEST-rated component in the chain.
Conductor | ||
---|---|---|
Material | Bare Copper | |
Size | 24AWG | |
Construction | 7/0.195±0.015mm | |
Insulation | ||
Material | HD-PE | |
Thickness | Minimum at any point: | 0.18mm |
Maximum average: | 0.20mm | |
Diameter: | 0.96±0.03mm | |
Jacket | ||
Material | PVC | |
Thickness | Minimum at any point: | 0.50mm |
Maximum average: | 0.58mm | |
Diameter: | 5.8±0.03mm |