I'm looking to buy an Ethernet cable and I keep hearing terms like Cat6 and Cat8. Do these different categories actually make a difference for home use? I also noticed some listings have MHz ratings—what does that mean? And is there a limit to how long the cable can be? Can I just keep extra length lying around?
2 Answers
You really don't need to stress about all the technical specs unless you're going for something specific. If you're getting a Cat5, Cat5e, or Cat6 and the length is under 100 meters (around 328 feet), you're all set. Just think about where you're placing the cable. If it's going inside walls or outside, consider the shielding. But honestly, for everyday use, you won't see much difference if you stick to those cables.
For a standard home network, Cat5e or Cat6 will do just fine. They can handle speeds up to 1000MB/s without issues. If you find yourself needing more bandwidth down the road, you can look into Cat7 or higher, which can handle speeds over 10G, but that's really only necessary for specialized setups.
I think I'll be fine; my WiFi only reaches a small fraction of that.
Just a heads up, CAT6a is also rated for 10 gig speeds. Keep in mind, CAT7 isn't compatible with standard RJ45 connectors; it needs different ones like GG45 or TERA. Honestly, even in data centers, most people don't use anything higher than CAT6a since CAT8 is typically overkill.
It'll be inside, running from my router to my PC, just a couple of meters.