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Choosing the right cable to connect a business' network may seem like a straightforward process, but it's one that requires careful consideration to ensure that a firm ends up with the right technology to meet its needs, without overspending on solutions that aren't necessary.
Selecting the right Ethernet cables requires that small businesses understand what demands will be asked of it, as well as what equipment they will need to support it. Therefore, here's a quick primer on some of the key things you need to consider before making a decision.
Getting the right category
Almost every Ethernet cable on sale comes with a classification, usually 'Cat' followed by a number and sometimes a letter. This identifies the specifications to which the cable has been manufactured. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the more advanced the cable is, being able to support higher bandwidths.
For most purposes today, Cat5e - the e standing for 'enhanced' - is the bare minimum to achieve strong performance. It's the most common type of cable, favoured for its low cost and ability to cope with most day-to-day traffic. They can handle speeds of up to 1Gbps at a bandwidth of 100MHz and cables are typically unshielded.
For more intense activity, there's also Cat6 and Cat6a. Cat6 provides similar speeds to Cat5e over long distances, but better transmission rates over shorter distances and much higher bandwidth. Cat6a, for augmented, boasts twice the bandwidth of Cat6 - 500MHz - and are always shielded, eliminating the problem of crosstalk, where signals can be accidentally transferred between channels. It can also handle speeds of up to 10Gbps.
However, if you have particularly high bandwidth and speed demands, there's also Cat7, which is capable of reaching speeds of up to 100Gbps at a range of 15 metres, and Cat8 cables are also in development.
What's the best option?
As mentioned above, Cat5e cables are the most economical option and will probably be adequate for slower connections of under 100Mbps. For smaller business relying on a standard ADSL or fibre internet connection, such cables should be capable of meeting their requirements.
However, firms must also consider their expected usage requirements. If, for example, you have a need to frequently transfer large files between machines or over the wider internet, or expect to stream high-definition video, a Cat6 or Cat7 with higher bandwidth may be essential.
Small businesses may also need to consider the limitations of other equipment, such as routers. Some cheaper models designed primarily for consumer use can only support speeds of up to 100Mbps, so will need to be upgraded if you intend to use anything beyond Cat5e.
Understanding shielding
The industry standard for Ethernet has for years been twisted pairs (TP), which refers to the way the wires inside the cable are arranged. But there are a few options within this you need to be aware of.
The most basic is unshielded twisted pairs (UTP). As the name suggests, these cables lack any type of shielding to prevent degradation of signal quality and crosstalk. This makes the cables cheaper and more flexible, but does increase the risk of interference.
For applications where a clear signal is a priority, there is also shielded twisted pairs (STP), which uses braided shielding made of copper or another conductive polymer to reduce noise, as well as foiled twisted pairs (FTP), which uses foil shielding to improve connection quality.
Determining which of these options is the most suitable for your deployment is essential if businesses are to ensure their networks can operate as effectively as possible, without overspending for capabilities they do not need or are unable to take advantage of.
