Cat5e vs Cat6 vs Cat6a vs Cat8
Category cable decides how fast your wired network can run. Pick the right one and it lasts for years. Pick wrong and you'll hit the limit sooner than you'd like.
| Type | Speed | Bandwidth | Reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat5e | 1 Gbps | 100 MHz | 100 m |
| Cat6 | 10 Gbps to ~55 m | 250 MHz | 100 m |
| Cat6a | 10 Gbps | 500 MHz | 100 m |
| Cat8 | 25 / 40 Gbps | 2000 MHz | ~30 m |
Cat5e does up to 1 Gbps over a full 100 m run. Fine for a single workstation, a TV, or a camera. Cat6 handles 10 Gbps over short runs and 1 Gbps to 100 m. Cat6a does 10 Gbps to a full 100 m, which is why it's a good default for new runs you don't want to redo. Cat8 is built for short runs inside a server rack.
Whatever you run: solid copper, never CCA.
Wi-Fi bands explained
Modern Wi-Fi runs on three bands. Each trades range for speed differently, and knowing which is which explains most "why is it slow over here" problems.
2.4 GHz
Best range and the best at getting through walls, but the slowest and the most crowded. Every cheap smart plug and old device lives here. Good for distance and low-bandwidth gear.
5 GHz
The workhorse: fast, less crowded, but shorter range and weaker through walls. This is what your laptop and phone should be on in most of the house.
6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E / 7)
A big block of clean spectrum and the top throughput, but the shortest range and the weakest through walls. Best in the same room as the access point for high-bandwidth work.
Why I never use CCA wire
CCA is copper-clad aluminum: an aluminum wire with a thin copper coating. It's cheaper than solid copper, and it's a problem.
- Higher resistance, so it runs hotter, especially under PoE that pushes power down the cable.
- Aluminum is brittle, so terminations crack and fail over time.
- It isn't compliant with TIA or UL for permanent installs.
The result is intermittent drops, dead PoE devices, and a fire risk on longer high-power runs. Cheap installers use it because you can't see it once it's in the wall.
Safe electrical tips for homeowners
Some things are fine to handle yourself. Others aren't worth the risk. A rough line:
- Fine to do: swap a like-for-like light fixture or a smart plug, reset a tripped breaker once, replace batteries in smoke and sensor units.
- Leave it: anything inside the panel, adding circuits, aluminum branch wiring, anything warm to the touch, or a breaker that trips again right after a reset.
A breaker that keeps tripping is doing its job. Don't keep resetting it, find out why. Warm outlets, a burning smell, or scorch marks mean stop and call.
Wiring while other trades are on site
In an open attic or wall, low-voltage data and coax are easy for other trades to nick, crush, or re-route. A few things protect your investment:
- Keep runs labeled at both ends so nobody mistakes a data line for scrap.
- Ask trades not to staple or tightly tuck data the way they would electrical. Data cable is sensitive to crushing.
- If a line has to move, have it moved properly, not folded or stapled to clear a path.
If you're mid-remodel, a quick call before drywall goes up is the cheapest insurance there is.
If your lines get damaged
If a cable run gets cut, crushed, or pulled after it's installed, don't try to splice data or coax yourself. A twisted splice rarely holds a signal and usually causes worse, intermittent problems that are harder to find.
Damaged structured cabling normally needs proper re-termination or a fresh pull. Call for a repair quote. Damage after completion isn't covered by the workmanship warranty, but it's usually a quick fix.
Care guide: the home office
A wired drop to the desk beats Wi-Fi for calls and uploads. Keep the access point off the floor and away from the microwave, and put the router on a small UPS so a flicker doesn't drop a meeting. Full guide coming soon.
Care guide: the home theater
Keep the rack ventilated, label the sources, and leave a little slack so gear can be pulled forward to service. Dust the fans once a season. Full guide coming soon.
Care guide: the smart home
Add devices to a hub that runs locally, name everything clearly, and write down what controls what. The goal is automations that still work in two years, not a pile of apps. Full guide coming soon.