Cat5 vs cat6 ethernet cable

I'm trying to transfer info from a PC to a new Macbook pro using a cat5 ethernet cable.  The two computers can't even find each other.  Do I really need a cat 6 or is something else wrong?

I doubt that a cat 5 ethernet cable is the problem.
Are both comupter able to see the other computer over the network?

Similar Messages

  • Which cat6 ethernet cable should I buy?

    My current project is re-networking our house. Currently I have 2 AE running our wireless network, bridged over wifi. I would like to run ethernet to the second AE so that the bridge is over ethernet not wifi. Hopefully this will allow a stronger signal in our house and push the network outside to our backyard.
    I have read that some cables are rated better to prevent fire hazards. Is this something I should be worried about or can I buy standard cable?

    Cables that are rated for fire are not because the signals running through the cable will cause the cables to catch on fire but it is where the cable is physically routed to prevent that cable from being burnt. These are typically used in plenum spaces in building.
    As far as the cable category, you want at least CAT-5e cable. This cable is capable of 1 Gbps bandwidth. CAT-6 would only be recommended if your were running 10 Gbps+ neworks. We're not quite there yet at the consumer level. However, if you can get CAT-6 cable for at the same or nearly the same price as CAT-5e there shouldn't be any reason not to.
    One important note. Gigabit requires that all four of the twisted pairs of wires in the Ethernet cable are used. If you plan on running land-line phone service (sort of becoming a dinosaur technology today), you want to run an additional Ethernet or dedicated phone cable instead of trying to use a single Ethernet cable run for both services. It was typical in the 90's when a home was offered with Ethernet pre-wired they used the cable runs for both. This limited the Ethernet to 100 Mbps.

  • Why does a Cat5 ethernet cable work and Cat6 doesn't?

    I recently moved into a new office within our building here at work and needed to use a longer ethernet cable than the previous employee since we have different desk configuations and so I purchased a new 30-foot Cat6 ethernet cable and plugged it into my iMac but I can't get onto the Web. BUT, when I use the shorter ethernet cable, which is Cat5, left by the previous employee, I get on the Web without a problem. I can't use the Cat5 cable because it's a tripping hazard (and we can't move the desk around without a LOT of effort).
    I've also tried another brand new Cat6 ethernet cable and it doesn't work either!
    When I have either of the Cat6 cables attached, if I look at [Network] under [System Preferences], the ethernet connection appears to be fine. It's green and it says ethernet is currently active.
    I've re-started my Mac after re-connecting the Cat6 cables and that hasn't made a difference. I've checked the connections, etc., and everything appears to be fine on that front.
    Why would a Cat5 cable work and neither of the Cat6 cables work?
    (on a late-2006 20-inch iMac running 10.7.5)

    Get a Cat5e, you will be lucky to find a new plain Cat5 now.
    You should have no problem buying Cat5e.
    There is better sheilding in the Cat6 and I think the twists per inch is different but on that I could be wrong. The Cat6 is good up to 250Mhz while Cat5e is 100Mhz, note Mhz not Mb/s.

  • What is the best ethernet cable in the Apple Store?  I see they have CaT6 now and gold plated ends.  is this worth buying since my old ethernet is kind of trashed?

    is any one of the Belkin ethernet CAT6 better than the /cAT5 since my ethernet cable is trahed?  Any sugggestions on what ethernet is most like the current ethernet cable that you plug into the MBP and the hotel room? (for example)

    Actually, I'm an outstanding researcher in medicine.  I keep people alive.  All you do is spend extra money to keep Monster executives rolling in cash. 
    Evidence:
    CNET
    Crutchfield (who sells this stuff and would like to make more money)
    I could go on.  But you have your own belief, not establish but supporting evidence, and spending money for a marginal difference.  Do you understand the physics behind the gold plating?  Well, I do, and I reject it, based on both the physical chemistry of the metals and, of course, the physics.  Again, if you ran gold from one end to the other, then maybe you could convince me of a marginal difference in conductivity of the electrons, but because the gating material will be the copper/aluminum/steel or whatever is used before the gold plated ends, there will be no difference.  Morever, the quality of signal is dependent on other factors including length of the cable, which impacts resistance (see metals above).  This is basic basic basic Physics 101.
    Now, the worst part of this.  You posted a question, asking for opinions.  I gave one based on evidence provided by others who actually did study this.  They indicated that there was no difference between HDMI cables to use as a proxy for ethernet cable.  I made no value opinion, just here was one piece of data.  You returned with a strawman fallacy based on your opinion.  Further, you wasted our time here by posting a question for which you already had made your own conclusion.  I assume you were looking for validation of said conclusion, instead of being openminded to the potential of being incorrect.
    So, I'm happy that you wasted my time, since it is free.  Good luck with your cable.  And rudeness does not get you far.

  • What is the best ethernet cable in the Apple Store?  I see they have CaT6 now and gold plated ends.

    Is the Belkin 7' Cat6 Ethernet Cable sold in the Apple Store a good ethernet cable to use and replace for my broken CAT5 very old ethernet?
    If you do not beleive they make better ethernet cables now, I do not agree.  If there is somebody who knows the ethernet cables, what is your opinion on the best CAT6 ethernet cable for hooking up my MBP to a ethernet port?

    I hesitate to respond because of your previous postings to others but here goes...
    You know that Ethernet cat 5, cat6, etc are standards. If an Ethernet cable is cat6 for example it will perform as well as any other cat6 cable since it meets the standard.
    If you want to pay more for a cable because it has gold connectors that is up to you. The gold Ethernet cable will not perform any better than non-gold Ethernet cables. The difference is only in appearance, and maybe quality of the shielding and connectors. Performance is the same.

  • I have an old ethernet CAT5 cable. I see they sell ethernet cables in the store.  Will one of these cables they sell in the Apple Store give me  a better connection, especially since my ethernet cable is pretty much destroyed.

    Is the CAT6 ethernet cable they sell good for the regular MBP to ethernet outlet or is buying this a waste of money?  My ethernet CAT5 is really old, broken, and I can't beleive anything can move by the twists and knots it has in the cable. would it be better to purchase one of these tht I see in the store?

    I have a ethernet cable that is at least 10 years old, and I use it all the time.  Nevertheless, if you want to buy one, just order the cheapest one you can find.  I don't think the Apple Store sells ethernet cables that are somehow better than any other ones. 
    Of course, they make the best smartphone out there!

  • I am linking 7 express's to an extreme via ethernet cables in very large estate. Is there a specific "backbone" you recommend for use in such an application? Thank you

    I am linking 7 airport expresses to an airport extreme via ethernet cables in a large estate I maintain. Is there a specific product apple recommends to act as the "backbone" in such an application? Any information would be appreciated. Thank you

    Is there a specific product apple recommends to act as the "backbone" in such an application
    Apple does not recommend a specific product in this regard.
    In general, you would connect an Ethernet cable from one of the LAN <-> ports on the AirPort Exteme to a Gigabit Ethernet switch, then connect as many Ethernet cable runs as you want to use to remote locations around the house.
    Ethernet switches come in 5-port, 8-port, 16-port etc versions, so choose according to your needs.
    I recommend Netgear and Cisco switches, but I am sure that there are other good products from which to choose.
    Be sure to run CAT6 Ethernet cable to allow for the faster speeds coming in the next decade or so.

  • Ethernet cable or Crossover Ethernet cable ???

    Hi,
    When I get my new mac pro, I would like to connect into my airport extreme (older version, dome shaped). But my G5 is already in the ethernet port. So I purchased a D-link Gigabit 5 port switch.
    How do I connect the D-link switch to my airport? Do I need a normal ethernet cable or a crossover ethernet cable?
    Thanks

    Sorry, my question was connecting the D-Link to the (older) airport extreme.
    I was told when you connect 2 switches (D-Link 5 port switch and the airport extreme) you need a crossover cable.
    I will connect my Mac Pro to the D-Link switch via Cat6 ethernet cable.

  • Wifi Extender vs Ethernet Cable

    Hi im new here and appologise if this question has been asked before but im a bit miffed...
    I got bt youview activated last week then called up and ordered an extra box
    which was delivered and activated today, i originally wanted three youview+
    boxes in total but BT says they can only provide me with a maximum of two,
    even if i pay upfront, i would need to buy the additional box for my
    kids room from a retailler which i did and plugged in on saturday there.
    I also purchased two Wifi Extenders (not the BT ones) and they seemed to be
    working fine on my upstairs boxes, great signal and pulling netflix and all the
    other on demand content through fine, however on my second bt subscription box sold by BT that was activated today, the extra channels on my package were not pulling through. Ended up calling BT for advice on how to fix the issue with the box not pulling through
    the extra channels and the advisor talked me through various tests etc then said
    to restart my home hub and box then she would call me back but after restarting the box
    and home hub it still didnt pull through the channels so i had a 25m cat6a ethernet cable lying around which i decided to try so i plugged in and it pulled the channels through fine to my second BT subscription box.
    I bought the extenders to save me from having to run a cable upstairs, which i have now had to do. I thought it would just be a matter of running a short cable from each extender to each of the youview+ boxes but my question is, if the extra channels are streamed down the internet, why do they not pull through using wifi extenders but netflix and all the other on demand content does, which again is streamed?
    Solved!
    Go to Solution.

    Yeah have always preferred using ethernet cables from cat 5e upwards but now they have cat 7, it's always changing but safe to say even when gfast comes into play cat 6a wil still serve me well.
    I had originally planned to run the cable through the wall, up the outside of the house behind the pipe then into the front bedroom upstairs but the brickwork this house is built with seriously is the hardest thing ever known to man, the walls are solid and about a foot thick so drilling it was a complete nightmare. That's where the extenders had come in. All internal walls to where the hub is, is also made from brick so couldn't even drop the cable down a cavity. I Have had to run the cable neatly all the way on the skirting and it looks good but the main thing is, the wife hasn't complained, so all is well :-)

  • I'd to lengthen my USB cable with Cat5e or Cat6.  What are the restrictions?

    I'd to lengthen my USB cable with Cat5e or Cat6.  What are the restrictions?  My iPad will live in my office upstairs and my computer is in a rack down stairs (about 50 feet away).  Will the iPad and computer connect at this distance?  If I use a powered balun will it help?

    USB has a maximum limit of about 5 meters. To go longer than that, you will need multiple intervening self-powered hubs, though that can be problematical. Using the simple Cat-5/6 "baluns" may not work because they can cause signal timing problems. There are some USB extender products that can successfully use Cat-5 cabling over significant distances, but they're not cheap.
    Regards.

  • Can I extend my network by connecting one of my airport express devices to my airport extreme via an ethernet cable? I have CAT5 cable throughout my house but have a wireless network w/ 3 airport expresses

    Can I extend my wireless network by connecting one of my airport express devices to my airport extreme via an ethernet cable?  I have a wireless network with 3 airport expresses and 1 airport extreme functioning as the base station. I have CAT5 throughout my house.

    Welcome to the discussions, mib88!
    Can I extend the network a second time with another Airport Express...
    The short answer would be no. If you want more details, please continue to the next paragraph.
    Apple's "extend a wireless network" works just like the hub and spokes of a wheel. Your main hub is either the Time Capsule or the AirPort Extreme and the AirPort Express is at the end of a spoke. You can add more devices at the ends of other spokes, but these devices will communicate directly to the hub, not to another device at the end of a spoke.
    Apple does offer an option which is is known as a "static WDS", which can consist of a "main", "relay" and "remote" device. The problem here is that this type of setup has two huge drawbacks:
    1) All of your faster "n" devices will drop down to much slower "g" speeds
    2) The bandwidth or speed capability on the network will drop down to only 25% of the original bandwidth with a "main", "relay" and "remote" on the network.
    Don't think you want this on your network. Your best option is to connect the new AirPort Express to the "hub" using an ethernet connection. If you can't run the ethernet cable, take a look at a pair of ethernet powerline adapters to accomplish the same task by sending the ethernet signal over the AC powerline in your home.

  • Mixing Cat5 & Cat6 LAN cables

    What happens when we mix cat5 and cat6 cables? For example from the desktop to patch panel it's cat5 (100mbps) and from the patch panel to the switch cat6 which supports gbps. Is it going to create any issues?

    Bryan Hefner wrote:Darren,Check out this site.  http://www.lkj.net/2008/02/cat-5e-or-cat-6-cables-for-server-gigabit-speeds/.  This is of course assuming that he was talking about CAT5e and not just CAT5, but the difference over short distances is negligible.
    Bryan.
    The OP didn't mention Cat5e - only Cat5 - and there is significant difference in capabilities between Cat5 and Cat6 - meaning that any data path which includes Cat5 will *only* run at the maximum Cat5 capabilities - I.E. 100 Mb/s maximum on a 100 Mhz maximum bandwidth- Cat6 is capable of up to 10000 Mb/s (10 gig) over short enough cable runs at up to 250 Mhz maximum bandwidth.
    Cat6 also *really* minimises NEXT (near end cross talk) by using a separator between the individual pairs in the cable.
    This article gives a good quickie reference - http://cableorganizer.com/articles/cat5-cat5e-cat6.htm
    Cheers.

  • Will any Cat5 Ethernet cables work equally well for Gigabit ethernet ports?

    I'm almost embarrassed to ask this, but I must. Are some Cat 5 Ethernet cables designed for Gigabit Ethernet? The Airport Extreme Base Station(b/g) uses Gigabit Ethernet for its LAN and WAN ports. I think my Comcast modem's single Ethernet port does, also. Currently, I use a Cat 5 100Mbs cable to connect the modem to the AEBS. So, I'm wondering if I can get faster throughput with a Cat 5 1000Mbs cable (if such a thing exists).

    In addition to Bob's comments, it's important to understand that Gigabit Ethernet requires using all four pairs of wires inside the cable ... regardless of whether that cable is CAT-5, CAT-5e, or CAT-6 certified. The real difference of the categories is how high of a frequency can they support. For example CAT-6 is rated for 10 Gigabit traffic. It's not that CAT-5 won't work, but it's not guaranteed to do so.
    If you have any Ethernet runs in home that is supplying connections for both data & phone lines on the same cable, you will NOT achieve Gigabit speeds on those cables as the installer used at least one of the necessary pairs for the phone line.

  • Question re. Ethernet cable going from HH3 to Mode...

    Guys,
    Do any of you know whether you can use any Cat5e ethernet cable from the Red Infinity socket on the HH3 to the LAN1 port on the Openreach modem as opposed to the one with the red terminals provided by BT? I only ask as like most of you I'm sure, my HH3 and modem are no more than about 20cm apart so I'd prefer to use a much shorter cable than the one supplied.
    And does that also apply to the RJ11 going from the Master Socket to the DSL port on the modem (i.e. will any RJ11 do)?
    Cheers in advance. 
    You won't get to ride the racehorse...until you've ridden the mule.... - RogerB 13/04/2010

    from the homehub to modem, any decent cat5/cat5a/cat6 cable will do. as for the rj11 cable to phone socket, if you know a good i.t. guru, he could knock you up a cat5 cable with rj11 connectors at each end to your specific length, or, if you don't know an i.t. guru, you could scout the net for the cable. I use such a cable and it is far superior to the one supplied by bt.
    Also, if you feel competent & have the tools,you could do it yourself. i posted howto do this previously, so a quick search with my moniker should find it
    free your computer, use opensource
    i'm a linux user & very happy about it

  • Ethernet cable used to connect BT Infinity router ...

    Any help appreciated on the following.
    I'm moving the BT Infinity router (HH3) 10 metres from the Openreach modem and I require a longer Ethernet cable
    Do I require a crossover cable?
    Should I choose CAT5e or Cat 6
    And is a shielded cable recommended?
    Thanks,
    Iain

    Either a Cat5e or Cat6 would do. Cat6 is the newer standard and can carry faster connections. You require a straight through or patch cable not a crossover. The shielding on normal cables is usually sufficient unless you are laying the cable along side electrical cable or appliances.

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