Category 6 FAQs

Updated January 2004
Note: These FAQs were developed by the Category 6 Consortium. The Category 6 Consortium is an emerging working
group whose mission is to create market and industry awareness - as well as demand - for cabling systems and
components based on TIA's new category 6 cabling standard. To learn more about the Category 6 Consortium and to
participate, please contact TIA at (703) 907-7723 or email
.

Category 6 Cable Questions

1. What is the difference between enhanced category 5e cable rated for 400 MHz
and category 6 cable rated for 250 MHz?
Category 5e requirements are specified up to 100 MHz. Cables can be tested up to any
frequency that is supported by the test equipment, but such measurements are
meaningless without the context of applications and cabling standards. The Category 6
standard sets minimum requirements up to 250 MHz for cables, connecting hardware,

Multipair cables are not specifically called out in ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1, the Category 6
standard. See section 6.1.2 below which recognizes 4-pair cables for backbone
applications. Additionally, hybrid cables consisting of multiple 4-pair cables in a single
jacket or binder may also be used for both horizontal and backbone applications provided
that the requirements of section 6.1.3 below are met. Since Category 6 cabling is based
on a 4-pair, 4-connector, 100 meter channel, multipair cables are implemented as hybrid
cables consisting of 4-pair sub-units.
5.1.2. Backbone cable section, ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1 Category 6 standard.
Four-pair 100. UTP and ScTP cables are recognized for use in Category 6
backbone cabling systems. The cable shall consist of 22 AWG to 24 AWG
thermoplastic insulated solid conductors that are formed into four individually
twisted-pairs and enclosed by a thermoplastic jacket. The cable shall meet all of
the mechanical requirements of ANSI/ICEA S-80-576 applicable to four-pair inside
wiring cable for plenum or general cabling within a building. In addition to the
applicable requirements of ANSI/ICEA S-90-661-1994, the physical design of
backbone cables shall meet the requirements of clauses 4.4.3.1 to 4.4.3.6 of
ANSI/TIA/EIA -568-B.2. NOTE: Additional requirements for 100 ScTP cables are
located in annex K of ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2.

5.1.3 Bundled and hybrid cable, ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1 Category 6 standard.
Bundled and hybrid cables may be used for horizontal and backbone cabling
provided that each cable type is recognized (see clause 6.1.1 of this standard and
clause 4.4 of ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1) and meets the transmission and color-code
specifications for that cable type as given in ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2,
ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.3, and clause 7 of this standard. Additionally, for all
frequencies from 1 MHz to 250 MHz, the total power sum NEXT loss for any
disturbed pair from all pairs internal and external to that pair's jacket within the
bundled or hybrid cable shall not exceed the values determined using equation
(1). Calculated power sum NEXT loss limit values that exceed 65 dB shall revert to
a limit of 65 dB.

assuring that bandwidth remains available for applications. Please note that the bandwidth
referred to above is the bandwidth to achieve a positive signal to noise ratio between
insertion loss and power sum near end crosstalk (PSACR is greater than 0). Cat 6 cabling
performance is specified to 250 MHz, or 25 percent beyond the 0 dB PSACR frequency of
200 MHz.
8. Will category 6 supersede category 5e?
Yes, analyst predictions and independent polls indicate that 80 to 90 percent of all new
installations will be cabled with Category 6. The fact that Category 6 link and channel
requirements are backward compatible to Category 5e makes it very easy for customers to
choose Category 6 and supersede Category 5e in their networks. Applications that worked
over Category 5e will work over Category 6.
9. What does category 6 do for my current network vs. category 5e?
Because of its improved transmission performance and superior immunity from external
noise, systems operating over Category 6 cabling will have fewer errors vs. Category 5e
for current applications. This means fewer re-transmissions of lost or corrupted data
packets under certain conditions, which translates into higher reliability for Category 6
networks compared to Category 5e networks.
10.
I understand that a Cat 5e connector is an RJ45. Is a Cat 6 connector also
an RJ45 and will it fit into our Cat 5e socket?
The standard connector is defined in IEC 603-7 and FCC part 68 as an "8 position modular
interface." This is commonly referred to as an RJ-45 in the United States. The interface is
required by the standard at the telecommunications outlet, but may be used at any
connection point in the channel. The physical dimensions of the Cat 6 connector interface
are identical to Cat 3, Cat 5, and Cat 5e modular connectors and are fully backward
compatible.
11. When should I recommend or install category 6 vs. category 5e?
From a future proofing perspective, it is always better to install the best cabling available.
This is because it is so difficult to replace cabling inside walls, in ducts under floors and
other difficult places to access. The rationale is that cabling will last at least 10 years and

16. Why wouldn’t I skip category 6 and go straight to optical fiber?
You can certainly do that, but you will find that a fiber system is still very expensive.
Ultimately, economics drive customer decisions, and today optical fiber together with
optical transceivers is about twice as expensive as an equivalent system built using
Category 6 and associated copper electronics. Installation of copper cabling is more craft-
friendly and can be accomplished with simple tools and techniques. Additionally, copper
cabling supports the data terminal equipment (DTE) power standard developed by IEEE
(802.3af
). PCs ship with copper network interfaces included, in fact, recent
announcements indicate that the major PC vendors are shipping 10/100/1000 with all new
systems. Moving to fiber would mean buying a fiber-based network card to replace
equipment already included in the PC.
17.
We have a Category 6 installation in a campus dormitory environment and
recently discovered that several horizontal runs exceed 295 feet.
The application is 10/100 access from the dormitory room to the Internet. For those
locations beyond the 295 feet, we found the only workable solution is for the PCs to run
10Mbps 1/2 duplex.
18. What is meant by the term "electrically balanced"?
A simple open wire circuit consisting of two wires is considered to be a uniform, balanced
transmission line. A uniform transmission line is one that has substantially identical
electrical properties throughout its length, while a balanced transmission line is one whose
two conductors are electrically alike and symmetrical with respect to ground and other
nearby conductors.
* "Electrically balanced" relates to the physical geometry and the dielectric properties of a
twisted pair of conductors. If two insulated conductors are physically identical to one