Category 6 Cable


Cat 6- Category - 6, (ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1) is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet and other network protocols that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards. Cat-6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. The cable standard is suitable for 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) connections. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz.

The cable contains four twisted copper wire pairs, just like earlier copper cable standards. While Cat 6 is sometimes made with 23 gauge wire, this is not a requirement; the ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1 specification states the cable may be made with 22 to 24 gauge wire, so long as the cable meets the specified testing standards. When used as a patch cable, Cat-6 is normally terminated in RJ-45 electrical connectors. If components of the various cable standards are intermixed, the performance of the signal path will be limited to that of the lowest category. As with all cables defined by TIA/EIA-568-B, the maximum allowed length of a Cat-6 horizontal cable is 90 m. A complete channel (horizontal cable plus cords on either end) is allowed to be up to 100 m in length, depending upon the ratio of cord length: horizontal cable length.
 

RJ-45 Wiring (TIA/EIA-568-B T568A)
RJ-45 Wiring (TIA/EIA-568-B T568B)
Pin Pair Wire Color
1 3 1  white/green
2 3 2  green
3 2 1  white/orange
4 1 2  blue
5 1 1  white/blue
6 2 2  orange
7 4 1  white/brown
8 4 2  brown
Pin Pair Wire Color
1 2 1  white/orange
2 2 2  orange
3 3 1  white/green
4 1 2  blue
5 1 1  white/blue
6 3 2  green
7 4 1  white/brown
8 4 2  brow
Other categories of network cables
  • Cat 1: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously used for POTS telephone communications, ISDN and doorbell wiring.
  • Cat 2: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously was frequently used on 4Mbit/s token ring networks.
  • Cat 3: Current cable standard, used for data networks utilizing frequencies up to 16 MHz. Popular for 10 Mbit/s Ethernet networks.
  • Cat 4: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Provided performance of up to 20 MHz, and was frequently used on 16Mbit/s token ring networks.
  • Cat 6: Defined by the ANSI TIA/EIA 568B-2.1. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz, more than double category 5 and 5e.
  • Cat 6a: Operates at frequencies up to 500MHz and provides up to 10Gbit/s
  • Cat 7: Draft standard, proposed to include four individually-shielded pairs (ScTP) inside an overall shield. Designed for transmission at frequencies up to 650 MHz.