Industrial Ethernet Cable Assemblies
Ethernet cable assemblies come with RJ45 connectors on both ends. The RJ45 connector is a standardized interface which connects internet-enabled devices directly into hardware such as a modem, router or server. Most standard Ethernet cables consist of four twisted-pair wire strands, totaling eight individual wires. RJ45 connectors separate and correctly terminate the eight individual wires. RJ45 wiring is based on an 8P8C (8 position, 8 contact) configuration.
Ethernet Cat 5e cables are the “Enhanced” version of Cat 5 cables. Both cables look identical and can plug into the same port utilizing RJ-45, the end piece that allows connection to an Ethernet jack. Cat 5e cables are backwards compatible with Cat5 cables, allowing for a smooth transition to an upgraded network. Cat 5e cables support networks that run up to 1 Gbps, while Cat 5 cables support networks running at 10-100 Mbps. A higher bandwidth allows data to be transferred across a network at a faster speed. The bandwidth of Cat 5e cables can reach 250 MHz, while the bandwidth of Cat 5 is only 100 MHz. Cat 5e cables have been specifically designed to reduce crosstalk. Crosstalk is the interference that occurs between cables through the emission of electromagnetic signals when they are close to each other. This leads to errors in data transmission.
Ethernet Cat 6 cables are an improvement on the Cat 5e cables. Cat 6 cables can support 10 Gigabit Network speeds and offer up to 10 Gbps max speed. The frequency of Cat 6 cables is almost double that of Cat 5e, around 250 to 500 MHz. However, once the distance of the cable goes beyond 180 feet, the transmission speed of Cat 6 cables declines to 1 Gbps, similar to Cat 5e cables. Cat 6 cables are designed with a nylon spline in the wiring, which increases the strength and flexibility, as well as reducing crosstalk. Cat 6 cables are backwards compatible with Cat 5e cables.
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