100' Monoprice Ethernet Cables: Cat6 (Yellow) $7.65 or Flexboot Cat5e (Blue) Expired

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Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6a are different types of twisted-pair copper cables used in computer networks. They differ in their speed and frequency capabilities, as well as their construction and performance.

Here are the main differences between each cable type:

Cat5: This is an older type of cable that can support speeds of up to 100Mbps and frequencies of up to 100 MHz.

Cat5e: This is an enhanced version of Cat5 cable that can support speeds of up to 1Gbps and frequencies of up to 100 MHz. Cat5e cables are backward-compatible with Cat5 cables and are the most commonly used type of cable in Ethernet networks.

Cat6: This cable can support speeds of up to 10Gbps and frequencies of up to 250 MHz. Cat6 cables have thicker copper wires and a thicker insulation than Cat5 and Cat5e cables, which makes them less susceptible to interference and crosstalk. Cat6 cables are commonly used in high-performance networks that require fast data transfer rates and low latency.

Cat6a: This is an augmented version of Cat6 cable that can support speeds of up to 10Gbps and frequencies of up to 500 MHz. Cat6a cables have even thicker copper wires and a shielding layer that provides extra protection against interference and crosstalk. Cat6a cables are commonly used in data centers and other high-speed networking applications.

Overall, Cat5 and Cat5e cables are suitable for basic networking needs where speed and performance are not critical, while Cat6 and Cat6a cables are preferred for high-performance networks that require fast data transfer rates and low latency.

I stay away from 5e altogether. That aluminum is known to melt with POE

The original deal is dead, but I was browsing around and found a nice multi-colored 5-pack of 50ft Cat6a for $16.92:

Monoprice SlimRun Cat6A Ethernet Patch Cable - Snagless RJ45, Stranded, UTP, Pure Bare Copper Wire, ... [monoprice.com]

I decided to get a multi-colored 10-pack of 10ft Cat6a for $27.49, which got me over the free shipping minimum:

Monoprice SlimRun Cat6A Ethernet Patch Cable - Snagless RJ45, UTP, Pure Bare Copper Wire, 10G, 30AWG... [monoprice.com]

Total was $44.41 + $4.49 tax = $48.90. Not necessarily a slick deal, but will cover anything I need for a long time.

Yikes, those are 30 gauge wires. They should be 24 gauge (thicker).

Yikes, those are 30 gauge wires. They should be 24 gauge (thicker).

Did not think about that. Thanks!

plenum refers to "duct plenum" not issue if running outside of ducting.