What are the types of network cables?

What are the types of network cables?

Network cables are classified differently based on various standards. Here are the main classifications:
By electrical performance: including Category 1 (CAT1) to Category 7 (CAT7), with higher numbers indicating more advanced technology, wider bandwidth, and higher prices.
By presence of shielding: divided into shielded twisted pair (STP) and unshielded twisted pair (UTP).
By material: including oxygen-free copper, aluminized copper (CCA), copper-coated steel (CCS), etc. Among them, oxygen-free copper has low conductor resistance and low signal attenuation, making it the preferred material 3.
By structure: including single-strand hard core (Solid) and multi-strand soft core, etc. Single-strand hard core network cables have a harder texture and are suitable for horizontal wiring in walls or racks 3.
Common types of network cables include Category 5 (CAT5), Category 5 Enhanced (CAT5e), Category 6 (CAT6), Category 6A (CAT6A), and Category 7 (CAT7), etc. 125. Each type of network cable has its specific transmission rate, operating frequency, and application scenarios. For example, Category 5e supports a 100 MHz bandwidth and 1 Gbps rate, suitable for most home users; Category 6 increases the bandwidth to 250 MHz, which is the lowest reasonable standard for enterprise comprehensive wiring; Category 7 has a 600 MHz bandwidth, but due to interface and compatibility issues, its practicality is not as good as CAT6A.