Definition: CAT5 is an Ethernet cable standard defined by the Electronic Industries Association and Telecommunications Industry Association (commonly known as EIA/TIA). CAT5 is the 5th generation of twisted pair Ethernet cabling and the most popular of all twisted pair cables in use today.
CAT5 cable contains four pairs of copper wire and supports Fast (100 Mbps) Ethernet and comparable alternatives such as ATM. CAT5 cable runs are limited to a maximum recommended run rate of 100m (328 feet). CAT5 cable usually contains four pairs of copper wire, Fast Ethernet communications only utilize two pairs.
A new specification for CAT5 cable, CAT5e (enhanced), supports short-run Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps) networking by utilizing all four wire pairs and is backward-compatible with ordinary CAT5.
CAT6 cable contains four pairs of copper wire and unlike CAT5, utilizes all four pairs. It supports Gigabit (1000 Mbps) Ethernet and communications at more than twice the speed of CAT5e, the other popular standard for Gigabit Ethernet cabling. CAT6 cable runs are limited to a maximum recommended run rate of 100m (328 feet).
