With various cable categories available, each offering different speeds, distances, and frequencies, understanding these distinctions can guide you in choosing which Ethernet cables you need for your upcoming project.
MISUMI carries Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, and Cat7 in a variety of brands and configurations.
To help you choose the right Ethernet cable, here is a comparison of the six types, their basic properties, as well as common usages in automation. As you compare, you may find the latest and fastest version may not be necessary for your application.
1. Cat5
| Maximum Speed | Maximum Distance | Frequency |
| 100 Mbps | 100 meters (for 100 Mbps speed) | 100 MHz |
Cat5 is widely considered outdated, as newer versions have replaced it in recent years. In the early 2000’s, Cat5 was used in home internet and telephone networks. Though outdated, Cat5 is still available and can be used today in automation for the following:
- Basic data transfer in low-speed settings
- PLCs and HMIs
- Simple relay controls
- Communication transfer for legacy hardware
2. Cat5e
| Maximum Speed | Maximum Distance | Frequency |
| 1 Gbps | 100 meters (for 10 Gbps speed) | 250 MHz |
Cat5e (Category 5 enhanced) cables are ideal for home networks. Cat5e can handle speeds up to 1 Gbps and bandwidths of 100 MHz. Cat5e technology has been around for 15 years but is still used.
Uses in Automation:
- Robotic communications
- Data transfer and connecting network devices
3. Cat6
| Maximum Speed | Maximum Distance | Frequency |
| 10 Gbps | 100 meters (for 10 Gbps speed) | 250 MHz |
Cat6 supports speeds up to 10 Gbps at shorter distances, and they are backward compatible with Cat5e cables. Cat6 is commonly used for 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps Ethernet connections.
Uses in Automation:
- Robotic communications
- Data transfer and connecting network devices
- Environmental monitoring
4. Cat6a
| Maximum Speed | Maximum Distance | Frequency |
| 10 Gbps | 100 meters (for 10 Gbps speed) | 500 MHz |
Cat6a (Cat6 augmented) offers improved performance over Cat6, particularly in terms of maximum distance for 10 Gbps speeds. With a higher frequency and better shielding, Cat6a can handle data transmission over longer distances (up to 100 meters) without signal degradation.
Use in Automation:
- Robotic communications
- Data transfer and connecting powerful network devices
- Remote and environmental monitoring
5. Cat7
| Maximum Speed | Maximum Distance | Frequency |
| 10 Gbps | 100 meters (for 10 Gbps speed) | 600 MHz |
Cat7 cables offer superior shielding (shielded twisted pair or STP), which provides better protection against external interference and crosstalk between pairs of wires. This makes them an excellent choice for environments with a lot of electromagnetic interference (EMI), such as larger-scale industrial or settings with harsh environments.
6. Cat8
| Maximum Speed | Maximum Distance | Frequency |
| 40 Gbps | 30 m at 25-40 Gbps, 100 m at 10 Gbps | 2000 MHz |
Cat8, released in 2016, is the latest development in Ethernet technology. Cat8 can transfer data at speeds up to 40 Gbps and bandwidth up to 2 GHz. Cat8 cables support PoE (power over Ethernet) technology. This means that they’re able to save space in server rooms but can be difficult to install, as heavier gauges can be rigid.
The full potential of Cat8 in large-scale automation has yet to be explored, but they are used in high-performance sensors and predictive monitoring systems.
Comparing Ethernet Cable Types
To help you choose the right cable, the chart below summarizes the features, capabilities, and recommended usage of each category listed above.
| Cable Type | Max. Speed | Max. Distance | Frequency | Recommended Uses |
| Cat5 | 100 Mbps | 100 m | 250 MHz | HDMI, digital audio/video, signal transmission. |
| Cat5e | 1 Gbps | 100 m | 250 MHz | Home networks, robotic communications, relay controls, PLCs and HMIs. |
| Cat6 | 1 Gbps | 100 m | 250 MHz | Home networks and small offices, connecting PLCs and HMIs, data acquisition systems, remote monitoring and security systems. |
| Cat6a | 10 Gbps | 100 m | 500 MHz | Larger offices and smaller data centers, ethernet-based communication protocols (EtherCAT/PROFINET), DCS systems, telecommunication devices, environmental monitoring. |
| Cat7 | 40 Gbps | 100 m | 600 MHz | Data centers, ethernet-based communication protocols (EtherCAT/PROFINET), DCS systems, industrial telecommunication, environmental monitoring. |
| Cat8 | 40 Gbps | 30-100 m (30 at 40 Gbps) | 2000 MHz | Large data centers, high-performance sensors, predictive monitoring. |
MISUMI offers a wide range of Ethernet cable types. For more information on the different cables and network cable compatibility, contact MISUMI’s Electrical Team at electrical@misumiusa.com.
