Let’s say you want to play Warcraft with your buddies. A high-speed internet is what you would require for an uninterrupted gaming experience. You can either go for a Wi-Fi networking or a wired network. No doubt, Wi-Fi provides a convenient way to connect the computers at home without any unnecessary hassle of wires. But then, it is also slow and unreliable at times. A wired network, on the contrary, will enable a high-speed network for online gaming, video streaming, file sharing, and much more.
Before opting for a completely wired network for your home, you should know about the different cables available in the market. Knowing which Ethernet cable to use can enhance your gaming experience. There are different kinds of network cords that can solve your purpose. The most popular ones include Cat5, Cat5e Cable and Cat 6 Cable. Each of them has its own specific qualities. However, you must select the one that best fits your purpose. All of these cables might look similar from outside but they are internally different. If you look at the text printed on the cable, you’ll get to know what type it is. Here is a list of what all you need to know to select the perfect cable for your home network.
Cat5 is oldest of all the network cables. It is made to handle 10/100 Mbps speed, which means it is comparatively slow and less responsive. These cables are old and obsolete. You probably won’t find them at a store but if you have an old modem, you might search for one.
ÂCat5e: "Improved and Faster"
It is the most used network cable. Cat5e Cable is better at keeping signals in different circuits or channels from interfering with each other. A much-improved Cat5e is made to handle 1000Mb speed, so it is faster than Cat 5 and provides a better networking experience. It is, currently, the most commonly used cable in new installations.
Cat6: "Even Faster"Next to Cat5e is a Cat6 cable. It is way faster and much improved. This networking cord is made to support 10 Gigabit speed of Ethernet, which is huge. You probably don’t have this high-speed network at your home. This cable would not make much of a difference with the speeds that we get at present. But if you are going for a new one, you might as well go for Cat6 as it is the best of the lot.
Â"So while purchasing, look out for the cable that best matches your networking and data-transfer needs. If you're looking for best possible speed, Cat5e is a good choice. In case you can afford more, Cat6 would be a perfect choice"