Best CAT Ethernet Cable For my internet?

You'll find CAT 6a cables are generally thicker than anything below (including CAT 6).

logo897 said:

Hello all,

I have a at&t u-verse router that is the model NVG589, Motorola

My question is:

I game on my PC a lot and would like to know, what is the best CAT cable to get that my internet box can support?

Cat-5e is sufficient since the WAN to LAN is not that high and majority of equipment that you will be connecting to it through Ethernet will only hit your capped speed when using the Internet. Across the switch you will be lucky to hit between 54-100 mbps burst.

I have the same Gateway but have a Cisco RV320 in DMZ behind it as an edge router. That is because I am using Wireless-ac to a NAS that has the capability of up to 1,000mbps.

You do not need Cat-6 in a home setup. Cat-5e will work fine for 10/100/1000. Even on the setup that I have, I have zero issues with my setup on that Gateway.

Nubble said:

If you're using GE, you want Cat6. Price differential is minor.

No need for the equipment he has. Even with Giga, Cat-5e will work just fine. 6 is total overkill with residential networking since the majority of gear is only going to have a 10/100 Ethernet and Wireless-b/g/n Single channel at most.

Beaupeep said:

Get CAT6 or CAT6a patch cords. You're good for gigabit speeds on your LAN assuming you have a GbE port in your PC.

The OP is not getting Gig for their Internet. They have the 20mbps package with U-Verse. Most likely single pair.

I have Bonded pair and get up to 50mbps down, 6mbps up, even though I can hit 60 down and 20 up if they took the cap off of my cards. A lot of customers will never see Gig with ATT in anyone's lifetime, since there are too many customers that sit too far away from the DSLAM's and CO's.

logo897 said:

Hmm, I understand everyone.

Last question I have though is

I went on the speedtest website and it said my speed is lower on the cat 6 I borrowed from a friend. The speed is fater on a cat 5 (download/upload)

How is this the case?

You got a bum cable.

Mystere said:

"Better" is relative. Cat 6 is typically a higher grade of metal, and it's designed to have less crosstalk and interference, but that's like using Premium gas in your car that is designed to use Regular Unleaded. It doesn't really gain you anything if your equipment isn't designed to use it.

Well I have Cat 6a cable and I keep loosing connectivity, because of a microscopic loose connector problem.
I have ordered Cat 7 cables, they cost the same, but they are heavy duty, I wonder, if anything can damage them.

TairikuOkami said:

Well I have Cat 6a cable and I keep loosing connectivity, because of a microscopic loose connector problem.
I have ordered Cat 7 cables, they cost the same, but they are heavy duty, I wonder, if anything can damage them.

I have frequent disconnections and also have a CAT 6a cable. I might try with a CAT 7.