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cat5e or cat6?

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  • 29-08-2008 1:37pm
    #1
    lunacyfoundme
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭


    Im building a house at the moment and will be wiring it for a home network. I already have a roll of cat5e. I plan to watch movies and tv over the network including HD. Is the cat5e sufficient or would I be better springing for the cat6 cable altogether.


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    #2
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,344 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    lunacyfoundme wrote: »
    Im building a house at the moment and will be wiring it for a home network. I already have a roll of cat5e. I plan to watch movies and tv over the network including HD. Is the cat5e sufficient or would I be better springing for the cat6 cable altogether.

    Do you intend/afford to have 10 gigabit network devices? If not, then 5e is enough for 1 gigabit.


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    #3
    FusionNet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 695 ✭✭✭FusionNet


    Im afraid this is a simple answer and one that there really is no debate about.. As a network engineer take it from me install the Cat6. If you dont you will be kicking yourself in about 5 years.. Cat5e is around nearly ten years and its at its end of life.. In 5 years you'll have a 15-18 year old technology..

    Nuff said!!


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    #4
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,836 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    then again cat6 termination standards are tougher than cat5e

    another option is to run the cat6 cable in parallel with cat5e cables and just terminate the cat5 for now

    or run the cat5 to use now and some fibre ducts for the future


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    #5
    FusionNet
    Closed Accounts Posts: 695 ✭✭✭FusionNet


    Cat6 is tougher to certify but this is a home network he's not going to certify it im sure?! I think at a minimun run cat6 cable, no question and ya about a year ago there was an argument to using cat5e modules and patch panels cause they were so much cheaper but nowadays the Cat6 stuff is finally at cat5 prices.. Im sticking to my guns on this one, stay away drom cat5e cable..


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    #6
    sunnysoutheast
    Registered Users Posts: 2,072 ✭✭✭sunnysoutheast


    I'd say go with FusionNet's suggestion, the CAT6 cable and kit is much cheaper than it was a year ago when I went with CAT5e.

    You possibly may never even use the extra bandwidth in a domestic scenario but the install effort is the same, so it'd be a no-brainer for me to put CAT6 cable in if I was doing it today.

    SSE


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    #7
    Cat5
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭Cat5


    Until I change my name to cat6 Run Cat 5 and plenty of it... (I would say that though wouldn I :D)


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