All three carry gigabit Ethernet up to about 100 m. Cat6 has more bandwidth (250 MHz vs 100 MHz for Cat5e) and can carry 10 Gbps over shorter runs (roughly up to 55 m). Cat6A (500 MHz) carries 10 Gbps over the full 100 m. For most CCTV and office networks, Cat6 is the common choice today.
Key takeaways
- All: gigabit to ~100 m.
- Cat6: 10 Gbps on shorter runs (up to ~55 m).
- Cat6A: 10 Gbps to 100 m, thicker and costlier.
- Quality of the cable (pure copper) matters as much as the category.
- Cabling outlasts the equipment: choose for the future.
01Comparison
| Cat5e | Cat6 | Cat6A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | 100 MHz | 250 MHz | 500 MHz |
| 1 Gbps | Up to 100 m | Up to 100 m | Up to 100 m |
| 10 Gbps | Not specified | Up to ~55 m | Up to 100 m |
| Size / flexibility | Thinnest | Thicker | Thickest |
| Typical use today | Existing installs | CCTV, offices, most new work | Data centres, backbones, future-proofing |
02Copper matters
03What we recommend
Cat6 pure copper for most CCTV, access control and office cabling. Cat6A for backbones and where 10 Gbps to the desk may be needed. See structured cabling and PoE explained.
04Frequently asked questions
Is Cat6 better than Cat5e for CCTV?
Cat6 has more headroom and is the common choice; good-quality Cat5e also works for most cameras within 100 m.
Can I run network cable longer than 100 m?
Not as a single copper Ethernet link. Use a switch in between, fibre or a wireless bridge.
What is CCA cable?
Copper-clad aluminium: cheaper cable with poorer performance, especially for PoE. Avoid it.
