Category 6 Augmented For New Networks – Ethernet cables are an essential part of any network regardless of its size. Cat6a Plenum is a category 6 cable. The “a” stands for augmented in Cat6a. This is the latest cable from category 6. Unlike its predecessor, this cable has a lot of distinctive features and qualities.
Cat6a Plenum
If you are building a new network, you should have a basic understanding of Ethernet cables. These cables come in different shapes and sizes. All these Ethernet cables belong to various categories. These categories define their characteristics. As I have mentioned above Cat6a Plenum is a category 6 cable.
You can also differentiate Ethernet cable by their jackets. There are plenum, riser, and PVC jackets in Ethernet cables. This specific cable has a plenum-rated jacket. This jacket has fire retardant qualities. Since it has a plenum jacket, it is ideal to be installed in the plenum spaces of any building.
These spaces have constant air circulation which makes them fire-prone as compared to the other place. Plenum-rated jackets burn slowly with low smoke.
Specifications
Cat6a plenum has powerful specifications. It is a 10-Gigabit Ethernet. Its internal structure is made of 4 twisted pairs. There are two different categories in terms of internal wiring; shielded and unshielded. The shielded twisted pairs are wrapped in a cover, unlike unshielded cable.
In the case of unshielded, all the twists have a cover around them. Its extra twisted pairs give it a better chance against all kinds of cross-talks and electromagnetic interferences.
The data transfer rate of this cable is exceptional. It can transfer data at the speed of 650 MHZ which is ideal for big networks. This cable is thicker as compared to the other cables. This thickness not only saves it from cross-talks but also gives you data integrity. It ensures safe data transfer and less data packet loss.
What makes Cat6a Plenum a pricy Cable?
Cat6a Plenum is a bit expensive as compared to other Ethernet cables. There are a few reasons which make it a bit pricy. It has good specifications and it is a new cable. It has a good jacket and high safety standards.
Good Material Jacket
Cat6a has a jacket made of high-quality plenum-rated material. It uses low-smoke material that has chemical resistant. This cable can work in extreme temperature. The temperature limit of this cable is -25 to 125 degrees Celsius. This jacket is also helpful if the cable is surrounded by a heavy electrical environment.
RELATED: Single Pair Twisted Ethernet
Safety Values
This cable has excellent safety values. In terms of safety, Cat6a is leaps and bounds ahead of other cables. It meets UL910 safety standards. This is the strictest safety standard for any Ethernet cable. This feature increases its demand as well.
Advantages of Cat6a Plenum
Many advantages come when you buy Cat6a Plenum cable. Some of these benefits are listed here:
High Speed – this is one of the major benefits of Cat6a. It gives you 650-750 MHZ data transfer speed. This cable also supports 10-gigabit Ethernet applications. You can use this speed if you are running a giant network.
Compatibility – cat6a is backward compatibility. This feature is greatly helpful if you have any older products. You might not get the desired speed but your devices will surely support this cable.
Works fine for many Industries – many industries use 1000ft Cat6a Plenum cable for better performance. The healthcare industry gets the benefit from the installation of this cable. The education sector is another example that is getting benefits from Cat6a. This cable also increases Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability.
Various Colors – there are many colors available in this cable. If you have a big network where multiple cables are laying around then this feature would help you a lot to identify the faulty cables.
