[News] CAT5 and CAT6 Network Cables Will Support 5 Gbps Ethernet

[StyM]

http://www.guru3d.com/news-story/cat...-ethernet.html

The Nbase-t alliance passed two new IEEE approved standards, the new IEEE 802.3bz is going to support 2.5 and 5 Gigabit Ethernet speeds over the large installed base of twisted pair copper cabling. That means your current CAT5 or CAT6 LAN cable is going to be able to pass 5x more data compared to your 1 Gbit/s jack.

According to the specs cate5e cables with a length up-to 100 meters will support 2.5 Gbit/s and if you have a really good cable even 5 Gbit/s. All CAT6 cables will be able to push 5 Gbit/s (up-to at least 100 meters).

The new standard offers seamless upgrade of older 1000BASE-T networks?a technology that was introduced nearly 20 years ago?and boosts the speed of many Ethernet networks up to five times with no changes to the cabling infrastructure. Final approval of the standard took place during the IEEE-SA Standards Board meeting held last week.

Established in October 2014, the NBASE-T Alliance has provided an open forum for building consensus around the development of the technology and the standard, and has helped members create specifications to facilitate product development. The NBASE-T specifications are consistent with the baselines adopted for the new IEEE 802.3bz standard and have resulted in the deployment of a variety of products ranging from chips and switches to cabling solutions, test equipment and more. As a result, the alliance has enabled an extensive ecosystem of products and rapid proliferation of the technology in advance of standards approval. Products developed using the NBASE-T specification are expected to be compatible with the IEEE standard via minor software upgrades.

?From proposal to approval, the standards process took less than two years?a remarkably fast progression,? said Peter Jones, chairman, NBASE-T Alliance. ?Seeing the standard approved so quickly has been an enormously satisfying experience, and shows what can be achieved when we work together to develop a compelling solution that offers clear value to the industry.?

?With rapid approval of the standard and more than one million PHY ports already shipped, there is clear industry momentum behind 2.5G and 5GBASE-T Ethernet,? said Kamal Dalmia, president, NBASE-T Alliance.

[Levish]

http://www.guru3d.com/news-story/cat...-ethernet.html

5e not 5, they will support 1Gbps, 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps as long as the equipment does as well.
Certain device combinations already have that support, like some Cisco AP with Switches.

[madcho]

We have to wait for chipsets so

Nice 1Gb/s was far from what it's really need for now. 5Gb/s is more what we need for a much lower price than 10Gb/s.

[Levish]

5Gbps will run over Cat6,
2.5 is what you can see over 5e cable.
Needs end to end support of this new standard, will probably start seeing devices support it in the coming months.