Which category is described as an improvement over Cat6, with higher interference resistance and capable of 10 Gbps up to 100 meters?

Which category is described as an improvement over Cat6, with higher interference resistance and capable of 10 Gbps up to 100 meters?

• A. Cat6
• B. Cat6a
• C. Cat5e
• D. Cat7

Answer: (B)

Categories of Ethernet cables define not just speed, but how far that speed can travel reliably and how well the cable resists interference. The description points to an upgrade over Cat6 with better interference resistance and the ability to carry 10 Gbps over the full 100-meter Ethernet channel. That’s exactly what Cat6a is designed to do: it tightens shielding and reduces crosstalk so 10 Gbps can run across the full 100 meters. Cat6 can support 10 Gbps, but only reliably up to about 55 meters, and Cat5e is much slower. Cat7 has its own shielding approach and connector styles that aren’t as standard for typical Ethernet use. So the category described is Cat6a.

Categories of Ethernet cables define not just speed, but how far that speed can travel reliably and how well the cable resists interference. The description points to an upgrade over Cat6 with better interference resistance and the ability to carry 10 Gbps over the full 100-meter Ethernet channel. That’s exactly what Cat6a is designed to do: it tightens shielding and reduces crosstalk so 10 Gbps can run across the full 100 meters. Cat6 can support 10 Gbps, but only reliably up to about 55 meters, and Cat5e is much slower. Cat7 has its own shielding approach and connector styles that aren’t as standard for typical Ethernet use. So the category described is Cat6a.