Are ethernet jacks all the same?

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
I know there is a difference in how cat 5,6.7 cables are manufactured. But is there a real difference in the RJ45 jacks and connectors?
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,085
Cat 7 uses shielded pairs with an overall shield so the new GG45 (for Cat 7A with four quadrant pairs) type compatible connectors are different.
 

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Cat 7 uses shielded pairs with an overall shield so the new GG45 (for Cat 7A with four quadrant pairs) type compatible connectors are different.

But what about between CAT5 and CAT6 jacks? Are there any differences at all? Lots of local CAT5e sources but I have yet to find CAT6.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
Cat 5 has been deprecated and not recommended for use. I see many Cat 5 installations and they all have issues. Replace it ASAP. Cat 5e and Cat 6 wiring to the jack pins is the same. However, one critical difference is how the backplane is wired. There are very specific standards with Cat 6, such as how the connecting cable is bent.
 

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Cat 5 has been deprecated and not recommended for use. I see many Cat 5 installations and they all have issues. Replace it ASAP. Cat 5e and Cat 6 wiring to the jack pins is the same. However, one critical difference is how the backplane is wired. There are very specific standards with Cat 6, such as how the connecting cable is bent.

I am using CAT6 cable. I just got finished running it. I am really just running it for extended HDMI so I am guessing it will be fine. It is only 50ft (15m).

So I can use the CAT5e connectors? Sorry for being dense.
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,859
Hi

When the industry talks CAT5 or CAT6 or CAT (whatever), they are referring to a structured cabling standard defined by the EIA/TIA..
Each category has its own performance requirements and specifications. Some of these requirements specifiy NEXT (near end crosstalk),
and insertion loss, etc, and generally speaking, are frequency dependent. Cable testing tools are sold that will certify that a cable system being tested meets the category performance specification. This is what is meant by a cable system being "certified cat 5" or cat (whatever).

Each component used in a structured cable system (jacks, plugs, cable, etc) also are tested by manufactures to meet certain category performance specifications and this will usually be marked on the component or noted on the component packaging.

So, to answer your question, if the product does not indicate it is certified for a particular category, then it isn't guaranteed to pass certification.
This basically means one cannot expect a CAT5 jack to perform equally well as a jack certified for CAT6 in a CAT6 cable system (it doesn't mean it won't, but one cannot expect it to).

Hope that helps.
 
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