Why invest in Ethernet cables when WiFi is everywhere these days? In short, a cable connection is faster, more secure, and far more reliable than spotty wireless. If you’re new to the market, start with Cat5e cables.
Cat5e cables are the upgraded, advanced versions of the old category 5 Ethernet cables. The “e” in Cat5e stands for precisely that: “enhanced.”
Whereas Cat5 cables have a maximum frequency of 100MHz and can transmit at speeds up to 10/100Mbps, Cat5e cables have the same frequency capacity with additional speeds up to 10/100/1000Mbps.
To be sure, there are even more advanced cables out there, like the Cat6 cables, Cat6a, and even Cat7 now. Cat 6a cables have a maximum frequency of 500MHz and speeds of 10/100/1000Mbps and 10Gbps, but they’re also a lot more expensive than Cat5e cables.
Not everyone needs the speed or frequency of Cat6 Ethernet cables, and for a fraction of the price you can still get extremely good quality and use out of Cat5 or Cat5e cables. Here are some common situations where a Cat5 or 5e network Ethernet cable can still do you a world of good.
- Gaming
For enhanced connectivity and minimized lag, a Cat 5e cable can give you serious gaming improvements over standard WiFi. Even if you’re not ready to invest that much money into your video gaming habits, a basic cable system will still give you an edge over your competitors without breaking the bank. - Secure File Transfers
When you have large amounts of data — or even data that you need to protect absolutely — an Ethernet cable is still the way to go. It will both protect your files and make your sharing a lot quicker and easier than WiFi. - Office Settings
When you have a lot of people working on a single Internet connection, multiple Cat5e cables will significantly improve the speed and security of your digital office work. No one likes to have all of their productivity go out the window when the WiFi cuts out, even for a fraction of a second!
Investing in Ethernet cables for a better, faster, and more reliable internet connection doesn’t have to be reserved solely for the geeky rich. You can improve your experience from WiFi simply by making the switch to affordable cabling for all of your work and pleasure needs.
