The Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives. LAN or Local Area Networks are responsible for the internet. Many cables carry signals to our homes or offices. Cat6a is one of the latest ethernet cables that many people prefer for the internet or networking purposes.
In this article, we’ll talk about the Cat6a cable and what benefits it offers for its users.
How Ethernet Cables have strengthened over the Times?
Over the years, technology has strengthened a lot. A new technology created a demand for high-speed networks. To meet those demands, engineers developed ethernet cables that could carry a signal at a high speed to a longer distance. Cat3 ethernet cable emerged in the 1980s. These cables could support 10BASE-T Ethernet and voice services.
Category 5 cables came after cat3 cables. They improved these cables in every way. Category 5 cables could support Gigabit network applications. Category 6 cables are the latest in the long line of ethernet cables. Cat6 was a game-changer in ethernet. With improved speed and frequency, these cables are massively used everywhere.
Cat6a is also a category 6 cable. The "A" in its name stands for Augmented. This cable is an enhanced version of Cat6 cables. With 750MHz frequency, cat6a gives you a data rate of 10G up to 100 meters.
Also read: How to buy the right Ethernet Cable for a Home Network?
Cat6 vs Cat6a
These two cables belong to category 6. Cat6a has an edge over its predecessor in terms of frequency and data transfer rate. Cat6 has a frequency of 550MHz with four twisted pairs and eight conductors in total. Cat6a has the same internal structure as the cat6. Both cables feature 23 AWG wire. For frequency, Cat6a offers you 750MHz. You can use this cable for applications like Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet.
Shielded vs Unshielded
The debate between shielded and unshielded cables has been going on for a long time now. If the twisted wire inside the cable has a layer between the twisted pairs and also a protective layer around them, this cable would fall in the shielded category. When there is no layer between the pairs then this cable is unshielded.
If you are installing the cable in an environment where a lot of cables are passing by then you should go for shielded cable. The extra layer between the pairs would cut down the crosstalk in the cable. Shielded cables are a bit more expensive than unshielded cables. Cat6a comes in both shielded and unshielded versions.
Different Jackets of Cat6a
Cat6a cables come in different jackets. If you are going to install this cable in the plenum spaces of your infrastructure then you should go for plenum cables. Usually, plenum spaces have air circulation all the time. This air circulation makes them fire-prone. Plenum cables have a coating of fire-retardant material on the jacket.
If you are looking for vertical installation, riser-rated cables would be ideal in this scenario. You can use riser cables in an elevator or between the walls. PVC is polyvinyl chloride. If your cable has a PVC jacket, you can use this cable for outdoor installations.
Applications
Since cat6a has a decent frequency and data transfer rate, you can use this cable in health care facilities and hospitals.
Education institutes are another place where this cable can be beneficial.
Power over Ethernet is all rage these days. Cat6a can support PoE.
Cat6a can also support wireless systems that require 10Gig Ethernet.
If you are looking to buy high-quality Cat6a, you can get them from NewYork Cables. All of our cables are TIA/EIA verified and RoHS compliant. This cable has also undergone the fluke test that is a trademark of quality. Order them and enjoy our amazing discounted price with free shipping.
