networking - Can I use CAT5e jacks with CAT6 cable?

06
2014-04
  • Solignis

    I was wondering if I can use a CAT5e keystone jack with CAT6 cable. I am refering to the parts that terminate a cable where it comes out of the wall.

    I want to run a 30 ft length of CAT6 but all I have is CAT5e jacks and I don't want to buy any news ones if I don't have to.

    I had read somewhere that CAT5e is 100mhz and CAT6 is 200mhz (though I could have sworn CAT6 was 350mhz).

    Anyhow any assistance would be appreciated.

    • Answers
  • techturtle

    From Wikipedia:

    Category 6 cable, commonly referred to as Cat 6, is a standardized cable for Gigabit Ethernet and other network physical layers that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards.

    You can always use a lower standard cable or jack, but you will be limited by the speeds of the slowest link in the chain.

  • Travis

    Yes. The RJ45 plug is standard and may only have a different coating on the pins to make it a Cat6 compatible vs. Cat5. You probably won't receive the same speed as if you were using a Cat6 compatible jack.

    Doing it this way also denies the ability to call it a Cat6 network though so if you don't care about verbiage technicalities, you are good to go.


    • Related Question

    ethernet - Can Cat6 UTP stranded cable fit regular Cat6 Jacks?
  • Howard May

    I have some stranded Cat6 UTP cable and want to use it to wire an Ethernet connection to a faceplate in a wall. Normally you use Solid rather than Stranded cable for this and I am concerned that the Jacks in the faceplate won't take the stranded cable or the connecting tools won't work properly.

    Will it work? Or do I need to get special Jacks? Or is this just a big No No?

    If I can't do this then could I just put RJ45 connectors on the end and use inline connectors?


    • Related Answers
  • Russell Heilling

    If the faceplate has punch-down contacts requiring a Krone tool you will need to use solid cable. Stranded cable won't stay in place in this type of connector block.

  • Brad Gilbert

    I think you can use some punch-down jacks that have a piece of plastic that holds the wires in place, but I'm fairly certain it won't work as well as solid cable.

    I'm not sure about using CAT6 cable in the plug, but I haven't had any problems with stranded CAT5e cable in a plug.