Cat 5 vs. Cat 6 cable anyone?

Early B.

I went to RS yesterday to pick up 25 ft. of CAT 5 cable. It was expensive ($19 with tax). Then I ran across CAT 6 cable and it is supposed to be an improvement. Does anyone have any real world experience with CAT 6 cable?

The retail price for CAT 6 is currently double the price of CAT 5. However, on ebay there a number of vendors selling CAT 6 super cheap. Is it good quality? Should I return my RS cable and purchase some of the cheap CAT 6 cable on ebay?

Thanks.

bobman1235

I don't know about Cat 6, but either way unless you desperately need the Cat 5 I would say return it and get something online. Cat 5 is basically free at this point, $19 dollars is an obscene amount to pay.

nadams

Cat5 is far from free. Prices used to be around $50 for a 1000' spool, but as with anything containing copper these days, it has more than doubled in price, to around $110/spool. Still, $10/100' vs $19 for 25'.

CAT6 is rated for gigabit ethernet speeds, cat5 is only rated for 100mbps. However, everything these days is CAT5e, which you can run at gigabit with no problems at all.

bobman1235

Of course I was referring to a run like he was talking about (25'), which should cost, as you say, like 3 dollars, not 19. Less than five dollars = free.

Shizelbs

Yeah, you got soaked. Take it back, buy it online.

nadams

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812105307

Shipping is going to be the thing online, but oh well. RS is the place to buy NOTHING (and even that's too expensive there).

25 ft CAT6, if you're so inclined - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812189087

Early B.

Thanks, fellas.

I'll just buy some CAT 6 cable and return the RS cables.

Fireman32

Cat6 is more for high speed networks. If you need cable for basic home networking or just to hook up your modem to your computer cat5 is fine. Cat6 is being used more for business that wire there entire building for gigabit ethernet. If you do not have a gigabyte ethernet card in your computer stick with the cat5 and save the money

brettw22

never ever ever ever pay the prices radio shack charges for their stuff...........anything i've ever HAD to buy there (when work was buyin stuff as needed) was ridiculously priced..........

ledhed

Go to Lowes, I buy mine by the foot there. I think the last price we paid was around 10 to 15 for 30 feet. More expensive than internet and you have to terminate it yourself but, it is worth it if you will continue to use it and make your own.

Midnite Mick

I've made 5e before and it costed 50 cents a meter at Home Depot. This is in Canada so it should be cheaper for you.

Mike

unc2701

Cat5e:

$90 for 1000' at HD about 3 weeks ago...

Anyhow, you're will probably never need Cat6. I don't know that I've seen a home router with a gigabit switch and you'll have to plunk down a lot of money to buy one seperate. Only difference in Cat6 and Cat5e is that you can run full duplex gigabit over Cat6.

Oh and DO NOT pay for plenum wire, unless you plan on running it through AC ducts.