Cable 3 or 5 ?

[squirrel]

How do you tell if you're dealing with ethernet cable Category 3 or 5 ??? I read you must use Category 5 in order to have a fast ethernet network to work properly...

Is it all about the material used and it's resistance?

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

most Ethernet cable has print like CAT5 or Cat3 on the surface of the cable.

 

[Red_Zealot]

It has to do with the interference of the cable. CAT5 supports fast ethernet because it is twisted and (sometimes) made of better material.

"If you teach a child to read, then he or her will be able to pass a literacy test" - George W.

 

[jlanka]

I thought they were both twisted, it just had to do with the number of twists per inch. Could be wrong, though. (been know to in the past )



<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[kwebb]

Yes, they are both twisted. lol. Both are usually 24 AWG copper conductors. The first difference is in the transmissions frequency they can achieve. Cat 3 is suitable up to 16 Mhz while Cat 5 is 100 Mhz. Cat5E up to 200 Mhz. Performance gains is the primary difference. Cat3 up to 10BaseT and 16 Mb Token ring, although I have seen where it is not actually rated but to 4 Mb token. Perhaps interference plays a part but that is more a concern of shielded vs unshielded.

CCNA, MCSE, A+, Cisco Certified Wireless Field Engineer

 

[lagger]

according to Belkin ( a cable manuf.) cat 5 goes to 150 mhz, 5e to 350 mhz and (my shiny new) cat 6 is rated for 500 mhz

<b><font color=blue>I'm a NASTY Intel\AMD\Nvidia\ATI user and I'm just gonna TAKE that d@mn cookie</b> </font color=blue>

 

[kwebb]

Its symantics at this point. Some vendors will rate there cables at those rates. It here nor there. The IEEE spec are those i mentioned.

CCNA, MCSE, A+, Cisco Certified Wireless Field Engineer