The Simple Answer:
Cat5E is rated for 100Mhz
Cat6 is rated for 250Mhz
Cat6A is rated for 500Mhz
| Cable Type | Speed | Max Distance |
| Cat5E | 10/100/1000Mbps | 100 meters |
| 10GB | 15 meters | |
| Cat6 | 10/100/1000Mbps | 100 meters |
| 10GB | 30 meters | |
| Cat6A | 10/100/1000Mbps | 100 meters |
| 10GB | 30 meters |
The Detailed Answers:
Cat5E
- The "E" in Cat5E stands for "Enhanced"
- TIA Complaint
- TIA Standard 100Mhz
- 10/100/1000Mbps up to 100m
- 10Gbps up to 15m
- 4 Pair, 100% Copper, 24 AWG
- Ultra Flexible
Cat6
- TIA Complaint
- TIA Standard 500Mhz
- More tightly wound than those of its predecessor
- 10/100/1000Mbps up to 100m
- 10Gbps up to 30m
- 4 Pair, 100% Copper, 24 AWG
- Ultra Flexible
- Skinny 28AWG version also available
Cat6A
- The "A" in Cat6A stands for "Augmented"
- TIA Complaint
- TIA Standard 500Mhz - Twice that of the Cat6
- 10/100/1000Mbps up to 100m
- 10Gbps up to 30m
- Cat6A cables are almost always shielded in addition to their thick sheathing. These together are enough to almost eliminate crosstalk completely
- The thick sheathing makes these less flexible than Cat6 cables
- 4 Pair, 100% Copper, 26AWG
Shielding Options:
The first thing you need to understand is the lingo:
- TP = Twisted Pair
- U = Unshielded
- F = Foil Shield
- S = Screen Shield
This Table explains the different cabling types available:
| Shielding Category | Description | Overall Cable Shielding | Twisted Pair Shielding |
| UTP or U/UTP | Ushielded Twisted Pair | None | None |
| F/UTP | Overall Foil Shield | Foil Shielding | None |
| U/FTP | Each Pair Shielded | None | Foil Shielding |
| S/FTP | Each Pair Shielded + Overall Screen Shield | Screen Shield | Foil Shielding |
| SF/UTP | Overall Foil Shield + Overall Screen Shield | Foil and Screen Shielding | None |
| F/FTP | Overall Foil Shield + Each Pair Shielded | Foil Shield | Foil Shield |
Sample Images:
UTP:
F/UTP:
U/FTP:
S/FTP:
