Question any benefit to using ethernet cable higher than cat6 or cat6a ?

[wpshooter]

Is there any benefit(s) to using an ethernet cable patch cord from desktop computer network card to router/modem higher than cat6 or cat6A ?

My ISP is Verizon - DSL.

Thanks.

 

[mnewsham]

No


I have 1gbps Fiber with Verizon and they used CAT5e. Though I think they've finally switched to using CAT6a on their new installations, it's not required for the speeds, it's just so similarly priced to CAT5e that it doesn't make sense for them to buy CAT5e anymore.

 

[SamirD]

Not with 1Gbps. Better cabling will help with 10Gbps.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You're supposed to use Cat6A for 10GbE-T at any reasonable length. Above Cat6A? Not necessary, unless you're running some 40Gbit links or something in a datacenter. No need for home usage.

Cat5e is still just fine for 1GbE-T, 2.5GbE-T, and even 5GbE-T if that ever ends up standardized on mobos.

2.5GbE-T in particular is on nearly all of the new Z490 and B550 medium- to -upper-tier boards. Cat5e is still just fine for those, although I personally buy Cat6/Cat6A patch cables now as a matter of course. (I do have a few 10GbE-T links, and may have more in the future.)

 

[mnewsham]

Cat5e is still just fine for those, although I personally buy Cat6/Cat6A patch cables now as a matter of course

The cost difference is next to nothing, so there is really no reason NOT to use CAT6a if you're buying new cables.

But I wouldn't bother replacing CAT5e runs with CAT6a unless I were upgrading beyond 1gbps.

 

[Headfoot]

If I was wiring up walls, I might go to Cat7 if it was in the budget just to make sure I'm future proofing myself within reason especially if you gotta make cuts and patches in the wall. For a patch cable, just get 6a

 

[mnewsham]

I might go to Cat7

AFAIK, CAT7 is only certified for 600mhz when using GG45 or TERA connectors. 8P8C on CAT7 technically isn't certified for 600mhz.

As opposed to CAT6a which was specifically certified to do 500mhz (capable of 10GbE over 100m) using standard 8P8C connectors.

Unless you think you'll be running more than 10gbps over copper ethernet in your home, I wouldn't bother spending anymore on CAT7 over CAT6a.

 

[KentState]

With the snails pace of 10Gbe becoming affordable for home use, it feels like we are years away from anything over CAT6A being necessary. We are seeing 2.5/5Gbe being pushed to use existing cabling and I would bet things sit there for a long time. Even routers are expensive, require fans and are not suitable for a desk.

 

[Fallen Kell]

You're supposed to use Cat6A for 10GbE-T at any reasonable length

Actually, CAT6 is rated for 10GbE to 55M (so around 180feet). Most typical homes will not have runs that long. Yes there are some exceptions, especially those that need to fish up to an attic/basement and then back down/up to their main network room, but even then those are only adding 30-40 more feet to the run.

With the snails pace of 10Gbe becoming affordable for home use, it feels like we are years away from anything over CAT6A being necessary. We are seeing 2.5/5Gbe being pushed to use existing cabling and I would bet things sit there for a long time. Even routers are expensive, require fans and are not suitable for a desk.

And on that note, we will need to be using something other that copper cables anyway. 40Gb, 25Gb, 100Gb all use fiber for anything longer than 10 or so feet (i.e. within a single rack, you can get copper based DAC cabling, I think the max I have seen is 5m).

 

[KentState]

And on that note, we will need to be using something other that copper cables anyway. 40Gb, 25Gb, 100Gb all use fiber for anything longer than 10 or so feet (i.e. within a single rack, you can get copper based DAC cabling, I think the max I have seen is 5m).

And probably an actual use case for those speeds. Uncompressed 4k is under 100 Mb/sec so even an 8K stream won't max out 1Gbe. I have a hard time imagining anything touching that level of usage for awhile.

 

[Headfoot]

AFAIK, CAT7 is only certified for 600mhz when using GG45 or TERA connectors. 8P8C on CAT7 technically isn't certified for 600mhz.

As opposed to CAT6a which was specifically certified to do 500mhz (capable of 10GbE over 100m) using standard 8P8C connectors.

Unless you think you'll be running more than 10gbps over copper ethernet in your home, I wouldn't bother spending anymore on CAT7 over CAT6a.

That may all be true but I would rather spend a bit more on better cabling than redo the labor, I'd you have to punch holes and patch walls. If it's a straightforward fish where you could easily swap the cables then no sense in trying to future proof.

 

[Fallen Kell]

And probably an actual use case for those speeds. Uncompressed 4k is under 100 Mb/sec so even an 8K stream won't max out 1Gbe. I have a hard time imagining anything touching that level of usage for awhile.

Ummm... uncompressed 4K at 60 frames per sec 12 bit color 4:4:4 chroma is 24.06Gbps. Uncompressed 8k @60fps with 12bit color and 4:4:4 chroma is 96.23Gbps.

 

[KentState]

Ummm... uncompressed 4K at 60 frames per sec 12 bit color 4:4:4 chroma is 24.06Gbps. Uncompressed 8k @60fps with 12bit color and 4:4:4 chroma is 96.23Gbps.

Ummm... Talking about streaming content. You know, what people would be watching at home over a network. Unless you have some magical 4k blu ray player and disc, you aren't getting content at that rate.

 

[mnewsham]

That may all be true but I would rather spend a bit more on better cabling than redo the labor, I'd you have to punch holes and patch walls. If it's a straightforward fish where you could easily swap the cables then no sense in trying to future proof.

Considering CAT7 isn't even a recognized standard by ANSI/TIA in North America, and considering it requires properly grounded ethernet jacks on both ends, it's just not worth the hassle when it provides ZERO performance advantage over CAT6A in all but the most niche situation that you'd never run into as a home users.

I mean, do what you want, but you're just asking for potential problems, and you're spending more money to do it...

 

[mnewsham]

Unless you have some magical 4k blu ray player and disc, you aren't getting content at that rate.

Bluray are compressed pretty heavily already, streaming 4k content is then compressing the UHD bluray even further.

Most UHD blurays are 50-65mbps video bitrate, with a DTS:X or Dolby Atmos track being ~3-5mbps.

Most streaming services keep bitrates for 4k between 20-40mbps.

 

[KentState]

Bluray are compressed pretty heavily already, streaming 4k content is then compressing the UHD bluray even further.

Most UHD blurays are 50-65mbps video bitrate, with a DTS:X or Dolby Atmos track being ~3-5mbps.

Most streaming services keep bitrates for 4k between 20-40mbps.

I agree. I was speaking mainly to what we as consumers can get to in the most raw format compared to a streaming service. Unless something changes drastically, we won't be seeing the master copies of movies on physical media.