It seems as though every year ethernet cables change. They are supposed to be better, stronger, faster and simply all around more useful. Oftentimes they are. Sometimes they are not. Whichever view you have seems to be dependant on what you need the cables for, how many you need and for what types of job you are going to use them.

Should you buy cat6 ethernet cable in bulk or a single cat5e cable for your office? Which one is better for the job? Who invented string cheese and why? All great questions and while the birth of string cheese might continue to remain a mystery, bulk fiber optic cables are pretty not too terribly difficult to compare.

As it stands currently, there are two major types of cables being used as network cables: the Cat5 and the Cat6. These two types of cable are basically used for the same purpose, though each one has its particular benefits. Which type you decide to use depends on your set up and what you are trying to accomplish.

Although there are a variety of purposes for which you might use these cables, they are most commonly used as network cables. They connect computers and servers to modems and ISPs. These cables have undergone a number of changes and improvements over the last several years and are continuing to be improved all the time.

Both the Cat5 cables and the Cat6 consist of four twisted pairs of wires, the twisting of which prevents currents and interference that might occur between the pairs. They also each have RJ45 plugs on the end of each cable. These plugs are useful for roughly 1,000 to 2,000 insertions before they need to be replaced. If you will be moving equipment around a great deal, you might consider buying Cat5 or Cat6 ethernet cable in bulk.

If you are looking into the Cat5 cable, it is broken down into two categories: Cat5 and Cat5e. The Cat5 is basically obsolete at this point due to what are not limitations in its capability. The Cat5 can handle up to 10/100MHz bandwidth, but the Cat5e is much quicker. The Cat5e (e for enhanced) has 10 times faster speed than its older brother the Cat5 and can traverse greater distances without too much crosstalk.

The Cat6 cable is the new kid on the block, though it has been around for only a few years less than the Cat5 clan. The Cat6 is primarily used as the backbone of networks, instead of at individual workstations themselves. For this reason, you might wind up buying Cat6 ethernet cable in bulk. The Cat6 can handle 10 gigs of data but that bandwidth is limited to 164 feet. Anything beyond that and you are basically using a Cat5e.

One of the biggest advantages of the Cat6 is its ability to further reduce crosstalk. The Cat6a is the newest member of the ethernet cable squad and is capable of greater speeds and greater blockage of crosstalk.

If you are looking for the type of cable that will take your business into the future, the Cat6a is the way to go. It is faster and more efficient than the other ethernet cables out there today.

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