Difference between CAT6 and CAT6A
|
S.NO |
CAT6 |
CAT6A |
|---|---|---|
|
1. |
CAT6 is cheaper. | CAT6A is costlier. |
|
2. |
It uses thinner copper wire. | It uses thicker copper wire. |
|
3. |
Cat6 uses thinner jackets. | Cat6a uses thicker jackets. |
|
4. |
Installation is easier as it is more flexible. | Installation is difficult due to its thicker copper wire and jacket. |
|
5. |
It can be used in Phone lines, Home, and office networks. | It can be used in the Office network and Datacenter. |
|
6. |
Its potential bandwidth is up to 1 Gbps. | Its potential bandwidth is up to 10 Gbps. |
|
7. |
Data transmission used in it is 1000 BASE-TX(1000 BASE-TX or IEEE 802.3ab standard. It is a physical layer standard that enables transmitting data at speeds of Gbps on Cat6 and Cat7 cables). | Data transmission used in it is 10GBASE-T(10GBASE-T or IEEE 802.3an-2006 standard. It enables transmitting data at speeds of 10 Gbps over shielded or unshielded twisted pair cables). |
|
8. |
RJ45 8P8C( Registered Jack 45 Eight Position, Eight Contact) is used as a connector. | RJ45(Registered Jack 45) is used as a connector. |
|
9. |
Its minimum frequency range is 0-250 MHz. | Its minimum frequency range is 0-500 MHz. |
|
10. |
Its maximum frequency range is 500 MHz. | Its maximum frequency range is 600 MHz. |
|
11. |
Copper conductors are not twisted tightly. | Copper conductors are twisted tightly. |
What is the real difference between CAT6 and CAT6A?
In the world of networking cables, Category 6 (CAT6) and Category 6A (CAT6A) are two commonly used standards that provide high-speed connections for various applications. Understanding the differences between CAT6 and CAT6A is crucial for selecting the appropriate cable for your networking needs.
1. CAT6 :
Cat6 cable is derived from Category 6, it is a twisted pair cable for ethernet that is backward compatible with Cat3, Cat5, and Cat5e cable standards. CAT6 cables support 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) at shorter distances, typically up to 55 meters. It is designed for more improved performance as compared to Cat5 and it is also better at handling crosstalk.
2. CAT6A :
Cat6a(Category 6 Augmented) is another version of Cat6 standard, it is an improved and more advanced version of Cat6 and it offers better performance. CAT6A cables support bandwidths up to 500 MHz, which is double that of CAT6 cables, allowing them to transmit data at speeds up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) over distances of up to 100 meters. It is backward compatible with Cat5e and Cat6. Cat6a has more insulation and tighter twists to reduce crosstalk.