Are there any people out there using Cat6 or Cat7 at the moment?

[undiejuice]

Hi,

Just wondering if there are people using Cat6 or Cat 7 now? If so, have there been any remarkable advantages (if you've upgraded from Cat5) when using the internet, file transfer (on local network) or downloading etc...?

Am curious to see if it is common now in NZ homes?

Cheers

[wainuitech]

Cat6 is common now, I usually buy it in 305Mtr Rolls and make up cables to suit.
Cat 7 ----- in theory its better, but like everything else your LAN is only as fast as the weakest point.

Have a read cat7-cable-guide

[pcuser42]

Every new cable I get now is at least Cat6

Once we build I plan to wire up the entire house with Cat6a, to future proof for 10 gigabit Ethernet once it becomes common.

[CliveM]

Every new cable I get now is at least Cat6

Once we build I plan to wire up the entire house with Cat6a, to future proof for 10 gigabit Ethernet once it becomes common.

The same here with anything new. I will not however replace existing Cat 5 cable which is still performing alright.

[Nomad]

Had Cat6 for maybe since 2013 when we had UFB installed. Did some Cat6 cables to the bedtrooms. Was quite affordable with the 100m box.

The same here with anything new. I will not however replace existing Cat 5 cable which is still performing alright.

For the moment, 1Gbps is still just what we have with computers anyway without specifically fitting a 10Gbps ethernet...... We just put in Cat6 because it was affordable and we didn't have any Cat cables before.

[gary67]

Yep our house is wired with Cat6 but since we can only get Wifi broadband and that is likely never going to change it isn't really needed at Cat6

[undiejuice]

Interesting!

By the sounds of it a few of us are still in the dark ages with Cat5e I see.... It was also surprising to note that Cat6e is affordable for a 305m roll; not that I need that much, but don't want to keep ripping out my cables underneath my house every time a new cable spec is needed to keep up with technology, unless it is a priority to do so!


When I installed my cable network I did it so 15 to 18 years ago and took approx 2 months (by myself) for each room of my house and have had no problems with it at all. Not sure whether it would be ideal to start thinking about installing CAT6 now or just wait a few years until Cat7 becomes the norm?

Maybe wait for Cat8 as it is available and apparently is used for datacentres etc.....

[tweak'e]

i think i've still got cat5, not cat5e. but it works, theres no reason to change.

[CliveM]

i think i've still got cat5, not cat5e. but it works, theres no reason to change.

I agree with that. If existing gear is doing the job it is a waste of cash. time and cable to change just for the sake of it. If doing a whole new setup though I would always go for the best I could reasonably afford in the hope of not doing it again to soon.

[dugimodo]

I only have one cable between rooms and it's cat 5 and likely always will be, getting under my house is not for the faint of heart. For short runs and gb speeds there is no advantage you will notice.