Cat6a

The Cat6a Ethernet Category, short for Category 6a, was introduced in 2008. This category is designed to support data transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps at a maximum bandwidth of 500 MHz. This is double the capacity of earlier Cat6Cat6: The Cat6 Ethernet Category, also known as Category 6 or Cat6, is a standard for Gigabit Ethernet introduced in 2002 that is backward compatible with the Category 5 and 5e cable standards. Compared to its predecessors, Cat6 cables uses a wider bandwidth of up to 250 MHz to achieve gigabit speeds (1… cables, which can support up to 250 MHz. In comparison to earlier standards, Cat6a cables offer a significant enhancement in performance. While Cat6 can support up to 10 Gbps, its maximum distance is listed to 55 metres at this speed. Cat6a cables on the other hand can maintain this speed for up to 100 meters, making them more suitable for industrial use where longer cable runs are often required. Physically, Cat6a cables are thicker than their predecessors due to an additional layer of shielding which helps to prevent crosstalk and noise interference. This shielding is typically made of foil or braiding and is a significant factor in Cat6a's ability to deliver superior performance over longer distances.