Ethernet cables are all around us. From high-tech server rooms to your living room, you will find them everywhere – unless you live under a rock. There are many types of ethernet cables and one of the most widely used ethernet cables is the Cat5e Bare Copper Cable. It has four twisted pairs of conductors that are made from pure copper, also known as bare copper.
This cable is used everywhere because of its performance and cost. Unlike the modern Cat6a and Cat7 ethernet cables, Cat5e Solid copper cable does not cost hefty sums and yet offers almost just as good specifications as them. That is why it is everyone’s choice.
Now let’s look at these reasons in more detail.
Cat5e Cable Performance
The performance of the Cat5e cable is not unparalleled though. At up to 100 meters, the cable can transmit data at speeds of up to 100MBit/s with a 350 MHz bandwidth. When you run the cable at up to 50 meters, you can receive a maximum speed of 1 GBit/s.
Given the cost of the cable, its data transfer speed and bandwidth capacity are fairly decent. They are not exceptional but enough for residential and commercial applications. The cable features 24 AWG twisted pair conductors which relay a single that is reliable and efficient. More on that later.
Cat5e Cable Cost
You can get the Cat5e cable for a much lesser price as compared to other ethernet cables on the market. A 1000ft spool of Cat5e cable with solid pure copper conductors would cost between $100 and $200.
At this price point, you cannot even buy a simple Cat6 cable. This results directly in an increased demand for the 5e cable. It is rather old as well. But do not underestimate its durability because it was invented more than a decade ago.
The cable will require minimum to no maintenance over extended periods.
Solid Conductor
The conductors of this Cat5e cable are solid in nature. What that means is that they are made out of a single piece of metal. And that they are not made from multiple strands of wires.
Solid conductors are better at minimizing EMI (electromagnetic interference). This means that the Cat5e solid bare copper cable will provide you with an efficient and fast connection that is almost entirely immune to interference.
Moreover, when you transmit data over long distances, the solid conductors play a crucial role in maintaining signal integrity.
Easy to Install
Solid conductors are generally a bit tricky to install. You need the relevant expertise to run a solid ethernet cable impeccably. But the wires of the Cat5e Plenum cable have only a 24 AWG size making them quite easy to handle.
Therefore, the cables are easy to install. You can run them quite well even without too much experience or even as a first-time installer. The cables terminate in RJ45 connectors and keystone jacks.
Safe Plenum Jacketing
The cable features a communication multipurpose plenum jacket that is ideal for use in indoor horizontal setups as well as in vertical. The plenum-rated Cat5e pure copper cable can be used best in indoor HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) ducts. It can also be used in other ducts above dropped ceilings and below raised floors.
The plenum jacket of the Cat5e bare copper cable is made from LSZH materials. These low smoke zero halogen materials neither catch flame nor emit toxic smoke in a fire event. This makes these cables highly safe.
Moreover, the plenum jacket also makes them quite durable. You can even use them for directly burying underground. As compared to LLDPE cables, Cat5e plenum cables are more affordable as well.
Should You Buy Cat5e Solid Bare Copper Cable?
Why not? If you are looking for a cable that is easy to install, affordable, fast and reliable, and last but not least, long-lasting, you should definitely get the Cat5e cable. It is most certainly a high-performing cable and can be used in both residential and commercial networks.
At up to 50 meters, it supports gigabit ethernet, and fast ethernet at up to 100 meters. You can use it for online gaming, audio/video streaming, PoE, and other ethernet applications at high speeds.
The cable’s CM-Plenum jacket is also a safe solution that ensures the durability of the cable. You can install it anywhere you want from indoor plenums to outdoors. The cable has a very high threshold of extreme weather tolerance.
Final Verdict
The Cat5e cable is everyone’s choice for wired data networking because it is high-performing, affordable, everlasting, easy to install, safe, and comes with highly ideal, solid bare copper conductors.
