To choose Ethernet patch cables, match the category to the speed you need (Cat 6 for gigabit desks today, Cat 6A if you want 10 Gbps or are wiring for the next decade), buy the length that reaches with a little slack and no more, use unshielded cable unless the environment is electrically noisy, and pick a jacket rating that suits where the cable runs. Then choose a colour scheme and stick to it, because a labelled, colour-coded rack is far easier to support than a tidy-looking one.
Category: Cat 5e, Cat 6 or Cat 6A
The category sets the speed the cable will carry over a given distance. Cat 5e supports 1 Gbps to 100 metres and remains adequate for existing gigabit desks. Cat 6 also supports 1 Gbps to 100 metres and can carry 10 Gbps over shorter runs, typically up to about 55 metres in a clean environment. Cat 6A supports 10 Gbps to the full 100 metres and is the standard for new installations that should not need re-cabling. For an office, Cat 6A is the practical ceiling.
A patch cable is only one link in the chain. Speed is set by the lowest-rated part between the switch and the device, so a Cat 6A patch cable into Cat 5e wall wiring runs at Cat 5e limits. For desk-to-wall and rack patching in an office with gigabit switches, Cat 6 is the sensible default; buy Cat 6A where you are connecting multi-gigabit access points, 10 Gbps uplinks between switches, or servers and storage.
| Category | Speed and distance | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Cat 5e | 1 Gbps to 100 m | Existing gigabit desks, legacy patching |
| Cat 6 | 1 Gbps to 100 m; 10 Gbps to about 55 m | Standard office patching today |
| Cat 6A | 10 Gbps to 100 m | New installs, access points, uplinks, servers |
Length: enough slack and no more
Measure the run and add a small allowance for routing and strain relief. Excess cable coiled in a rack blocks airflow and makes tracing faults harder. Stocked lengths run from 0.15 m and 0.3 m for patching within a rack, through 1 to 5 m for desks, up to 10 to 30 m for longer runs. For a rack, buy several short lengths rather than one long size for everything. Remember the 100 m limit for copper Ethernet includes the patch cables at both ends, not only the cable in the wall.
Shielded or unshielded
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) is the standard for offices and is what most patch cables are. Shielded cable (marked F/UTP, S/FTP or similar) adds foil or braid to resist interference from motors, fluorescent ballasts, welders or heavy power cabling, and is common in factories, workshops and some medical settings. Shielding only works when the whole channel is shielded and grounded at the patch panel, so mixing a shielded patch cable into an unshielded run gains nothing. Cat 6A is often sold shielded, but unshielded Cat 6A also exists and is fine for offices.
Jacket, plenum and where the cable runs
The jacket rating matters when cable runs through spaces used to move air, such as above suspended ceilings or in ducts. Plenum-rated (CMP) cable uses a low-smoke jacket for those spaces; riser-rated (CMR) is for runs between floors; general-purpose (CM) is for patching in a rack or along a desk. Canadian building and electrical codes govern what is acceptable in air-handling spaces; patch cables that stay in the room or rack are almost always general-purpose. Look for snagless boots that protect the clip on the connector; a broken clip is the most common reason a cable stops staying in the port. Solid-conductor cable is for in-wall runs; stranded is for patch cables that get flexed.
Colours, labels and stocking
Colour is the least technical decision and the one that saves the most support time. Pick a scheme and write it down: for example blue for desks, yellow for phones, red for uplinks and servers, green for cameras, and grey for temporary patches. Keep it consistent across sites. Colour does not replace labels; put a printed label at both ends of every rack patch. Keep a small stock of common lengths in each colour so a move or add does not wait for a delivery, and use cable management bars in the rack so patches do not sag across fan intakes.
Quick checklist
- Cat 6 for gigabit desks; Cat 6A for 10 Gbps, access points, uplinks and new builds.
- Measure, add a little slack, and buy that length; short leads for racks.
- Unshielded unless the environment is electrically noisy and the whole channel is shielded.
- Plenum or riser rating for air spaces and between floors; general-purpose for in-room patching.
- Snagless boots, stranded conductors, and a written colour scheme with labels at both ends.
- Stock spare lengths in each colour.
Choose lengths and colours in patch cables, and for a full office or rack build, ask NetraHub for a volume quote.
Common questions
Is Cat 6 or Cat 6A better for a small office?
Cat 6 is enough for desks connected to gigabit switches and is the common choice for patch cables today. Cat 6A carries 10 Gbps to 100 metres and costs a little more per cable, so it makes sense for uplinks between switches, multi-gigabit wireless access points, servers and any wiring you expect to keep for ten years. Many offices use Cat 6 at desks and Cat 6A in the rack.
Does a longer Ethernet cable slow down the connection?
Not within its rated distance. A 30 metre Cat 6 cable performs the same as a 1 metre one at gigabit speeds. Copper Ethernet is rated to 100 metres including the patch cables at each end; beyond that, the link may drop to a lower speed or fail. For 10 Gbps, Cat 6 is limited to shorter runs and Cat 6A reaches the full 100 metres.
Do I need shielded Ethernet cables?
Not in a typical office. Shielded cable is for environments with heavy electrical interference such as workshops, plant floors and areas near large motors or power distribution. Shielding only helps when the entire run, including patch panels and jacks, is shielded and grounded. In an ordinary office, unshielded cable is standard, less expensive and easier to route.
What is plenum-rated cable and when is it required?
Plenum-rated cable has a jacket that produces less smoke and flame when it burns, and it is required for cable that runs through spaces used to move air, such as above some suspended ceilings and in ducts. Building and electrical codes in Canada set the requirements, and installers will specify the right rating. Patch cables that stay within a room or rack do not need it.
What colours should I use for patch cables?
Any scheme works as long as it is written down and applied consistently. A common approach is one colour for desks, one for phones, one for servers and uplinks, one for cameras or building systems, and a distinct colour for temporary or guest connections. Colour helps at a glance, but printed labels at both ends are what let you trace a cable with confidence.