What is CAT6 Plenum Cable?

CAT6 Plenum Cable is one of the most distinguished and futuristic cables that was introduced in 2002 and took the networking world by surprise by it’s faster than ever data transfer speed and a massive improvement on the lines of the performance frequency.

Category 6 is the sixth generation of networking cable and it is often referred to as the futuristic type of cable since its introduction in 2002. The reason behind that reference is its specifications that provide better quality and experience.

The specifications of Category 6 Standard Plenum Cable includes a data transfer speed of 10 ten times that of its predecessor, a speed of 10 gigabytes for a long haul of 100 meters and a frequency which provides a performance twice as much of up to 550 MHz.

This networking cable contains four pairs of wire and uses all four pairs for the purpose of signaling to obtain a high level of performance. Another important fact to consider is that the end the connector of this networking cable is the same, RJ-45 standard, as the previous generations of Ethernet cable.

Furthermore, the jacket type of networking cable is a very important aspect to focus on as well. There are two types of jackets that are folded onto the networking cable: Plenum and Non-Plenum. There are various other types further along the lines of non-plenum cables such as Riser, PVC, etc but the main jacket type that is taking over at the current moment is the Plenum.

Plenum has a very important task to perform and it is better understood under the shade of a concept known as the plenum space concept. Plenum space is any space inside the building that isn’t for human occupancy and is a breathing zone of heat such as the air vents, the raised floors for wired connections, etc.

These spaces can damage the cable by burning it and hence it can result as a harmful thing for the environment and the people. The reason behind which are the toxic gasses and visible smoke that is produced by the burning of the cable. Breathing in such gasses can make you sick and the fire hazard can corrode the building.

To deal with this problem, plenum jackets on the cables were introduced. This jacket type has fire strict properties to protect the cable from burning. This is the reason why this jacket type is getting more and more common.

Another thing to look into is that you can’t replace plenum cables with non-plenum cables but you can replace non-plenum cables with plenum cables. According to law, you can’t use non-plenum cables in plenum spaces or else you’ll be violating the law. This is because of the very reason of how dangerous it can get.

The uses of CAT6 Cable are a lot as it’s a massive upgrade even if we just compare it to its one down predecessor. This massive speed of 10 gigabytes can offer you a faster sharing of files, as well as a faster LAN connection and it can do much more. It is known as a multimedia cable as well, because of the reason that you can share videos, pictures, audio in a much shorter time.

In short, Category 6 Plenum is a safer, faster, and a better networking cable by a long shot. It is because of this reason why this networking cable is known as one of the top three networking cables in the world.