Although all Ethernet cables serve the same basic purpose, which is connecting devices to networks like the internet, not all of them are exactly the same. If you’ve ever found yourself trying to decided which Ethernet cable you need, you’re not alone. Like many things in today’s world of modern technology, Ethernet designations can be difficult to digest and understand.
Cat3 and Cat5 are basically obsolete at this point. They are slow and nobody uses them. Cat5e on the other hand is still used quite a bit even though it has the same physical build as Cat5. The “e” stands for enhanced, which means that the Cat5e Ethernet cable is built under more stringent testing standards to mainly eliminate crosstalk. An example of this would be the unwanted transfer of signals between communication channels. Cat5e is currently the most common type of category cable, mostly due to its low production cost and its ability to support faster speeds than the original Cat5 cable but Cat6 is gaining popularity. Although the cost is much more, the transition from Cat5e to Cat6 is slowly taking place.
You pay for what you get when it comes to Cat6. The bandwidth is much higher and the cables are more tightly wound then those of their predecessor and often include foil or braided shielding. This shielding helps protect the twisted pairs of wires from crosstalk and noise interference. This shielding also makes the cable less flexible, which still makes Cat5e more appealing combined with it’s low cost. Cat6a takes it one step further by supporting twice the maximum bandwidth and is capable of maintaining higher transmission speeds over longer distances as Cat6 cable drops below 10Gbps after 55 meters. The “a” in Cat6a stands for augmented.
Although you don’t see it that much yet, Cat7 cable utilizes the newest Ethernet cable technology. This means it supports higher transmission rates and bandwidth than cat6. If you think Cat6 cable is expensive, don’t look at Cat7 prices. they are proportionally higher than Cat6 but again, you pay for what you get. The Cat7 cables are capable of reaching up to 100Gbps at a range of 15 meters, making it perfect for shorter setups, like your modem or router.
Although they are still being developed, Cat8 Ethernet cable will eventually be a thing but the the costs of Cat6 and Cat7 let alone Cat8 are preventing many from engaging in this technology.