Searching for a fiber optic cable option
Searching for a fiber optic cable option
You should consider your needs before deciding. A 15m Cat6 cable is suitable for most setups, but if you plan to use higher speeds or future-proof your connection, a Cat7 might be better.
In this situation, I clearly don't agree. But first, a point: is it a mounted cable inside the house or a loose patch cable? A 15-meter length is quite long for a standard patch cable. I’d highly suggest using Cat7. I’ve faced many problems with long runs like this at work, and in most cases, a superior cable works better because Cat7 offers better insulation and durability. I’m not sure the price difference is huge, but from my experience, I’d go for the higher quality option.
CAT5e can handle up to 5Gbps over 100 meters. CAT6e offers 10Gbps up to 100 meters. CAT7 delivers 40Gbps up to 50 meters. Be aware that many CAT7 cables found on general marketplaces like Amazon are essentially CAT6, not meeting the full CAT7 requirements such as shielding for each twisted pair and outer protection. As mentioned before, avoid spending unnecessarily. Unless you need a 40Gb/s fiber connection, CAT6 should suffice. After installing numerous CAT6 cables up to about 80 meters, I've never encountered any EMI problems, even when cables run parallel to 240V power lines.
I'm handling a worn-out Cat5e connection spanning over 110 meters across three buildings for the past eight years. There have been no problems with gigabit speeds. The user wants a cable suggestion from their router to their PC, not a full building rewiring for a datacenter link.
The main distinction between cat6 and cat7 lies in enhanced shielding to reduce interference. For deploying 10 gigabit Ethernet across 55 meters, you should use 7 units. With only 1 gigabit Cat5e, a 100-meter run works well (or slightly longer in some cases).
I checked the pricing and found 15m cat5e for about 10€ and cat7 for 15-20€. I won’t say cat5e isn’t functional, but I noticed some odd network issues (industrial setting) after switching to a higher-quality cable. So my take is to opt for the better options.
For reasons unclear, the price likely matches since it probably matches the intended rating. Most buyers who purchase cat7 cables won’t be using speeds that would expose a mismatch. I’ve relied on the most affordable 300-meter cat5 roll for the past eleven years without any problems. There’s never been an issue where the issue was with the cable itself.
In reality, you only need 6A for 10g at 100m; otherwise it’s mainly about shielding. Cat7 requires a TERA connector that doesn’t match RJ-45 standards, and since few market options meet both shielding and connector needs, it’s wise to skip the trouble and choose cables that are less likely to be defective.
I don't think Cat7 can do above 10. 8.1 and 8.2 exist for 25 and 40 respectively though if I remember correctly but the biggest thing is nobody has copper RJ45 or TERA based equipment on the market. 10gig is hot as heck as is, I'm sure 25g copper will come eventually (although not SFP28 variants any time soon) but still that's going to be mega expensive over some DACs or existing fiber plants.