Industrial Grade Ethernet Cable Story: Cat6a Plenum Cable

Bulk Cat6a Plenum Cable — the symbol of 10GBASE-T (Future Ethernet) is the augmented category cable and is more advanced than its predecessors (Cat6 Cable). It is said that “Cat6a Plenum cable is overkill for house use” Is this statement technically true? To find out we need to dissect the cable's internal structure and why it is graded as the 10 Gbps rated cable.

This blog will provide you with the maximum knowledge regarding the category of cable. Later on, put some light on the plenum jacket to understand its potential use. The Cat6a Plenum 1000ft bulk cable is expensive to know the cause. Read this blog to the end. 

Internal Anatomy of Cat 6a Plenum Cable

The internal structure of the cat6a plenum 1000ft cable is not the same as that of the Cat6 cable. But you will witness some improved manufacturing art in the augmented Bulk Cat6a Plenum Cable.

The outer jacket of the cable is rated as Plenum (CMP) and Riser (CMR) to fulfill the designated installation spaces within the buildings. The outer jacket comes in various colors like gray, blue, black, yellow, green, white, etc to manage the cable assembly while installing. The multiple colors of the cable create little confusion to identify the cable jacket. Well, let’s discuss it ahead in depth.

First, you just take the cutter and cut open the jacket of the cable very smoothly without damaging the conductors. You will see 6-7 twists per inch of tight twisted pairs. These zigzag patterns of the conductor help out in overcoming the stray signals to overlap causing crosstalk and signal attenuation.

The tightly twisted pair also fights against the EMI or RFI to fluctuate the signal quality and therefore is the best to serve for longer runs while maintaining the 10 Gbps speed throughout the cable length.

Now let’s talk about the speed of the Cat 6a plenum cable and why it supports 10 Gbps speed. The reason is quite simple: the bulk cat6a plenum cable has an improved twisted pair design and there is a small amount of data loss compared to its previous cables. The highest bandwidth of 750 MHz and the 23 AWG conductor size make this cable a need for speed for networking devices.

The next part of the cable is the spline, a plastic material that separates the twisted pairs. This enables the smooth transmission of electrical signals without pair crosstalk. 

Why Cat6a Best For Commercial and Industrial Setups

We might see the difference between the residential server speed specs and the commercial/industrial server speed specs. They mostly allow gigabit speeds of almost 50 Gbps or higher to facilitate each of the buildings with maximum networking speed.

The cat6a shows the same similarities and supports the higher data transmission rates and is thus suitable for commercial and industrial applications. But when we take Cat 6a plenum cable to use for the residential needs then the first thing we need to upgrade is the speed of our server. The Bulk Cat6a Plenum cable is backward compatible but if you want to utilize the full potential of the Cat6a Plenum 1000ft cable your server and network equipment should match the speed ratings of the cable.

For industrial usage, the Cat 6a Plenum Cable can support fast ethernet applications like

• 100/1000/10GBASE-T

• PoE/+/++ and 4PPoE up to 100 watts

• 2.5 GHz Ethernet

• 5 GHz Ethernet

• Audio and video streaming 4K and 8K High resolution

• Gaming purposes

• IoT devices

• Surveillance IP cameras

• Data centers

• Network closets

What Do You Mean By Plenum (CMP)

To identify Plenum most manufacturers use acronyms like CMP, PLM, PL printed as Cat6a CMP 750 MHz 1000ft Solid Copper 23 AWG. But what is the purpose of plenum cables and where to install these types of cables?

To be very precise, the plenum name refers to places that are highly supplemented with the maximum air supply and oxygen. Now oxygen is the best source to ignite the fire and flames to the maximum. This is the reason bulk Cat6a plenum cables are used to install at the horizontal spaces of the buildings.

Now why plenum is expensive because of its material FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Polymer), a highly fire-resistant jacket to halt flame progression. It also possesses LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogens) to emit non-toxic smoke. The Cat 6a Plenum Cable with a Solid copper conductor is the ultimate bundle for your gigabit networking.

This is not done with the bulk cat6a plenum cable but the plenum is an indoor jacket that can only be used for indoor installation. The cable can bear harsh climate conditions but lacks waterproofing properties.

To run this cable outside you cannot bury the cable without a conduit and the conduit size may vary and this is not a cost-effective choice for every installer. 

Is Cat6a Cable Best For House Networking Needs

Genuinely speaking, if you have a 10 Gbps speed or more offered by your ISP you might need the Cat6a Plenum 1000ft cable. There are a few points that consumers avoid installing this cable

• The price of the cable is high

• Difficult installation

• Bulky and heavy cable

• Less bending radius of 2.5 cm than the riser cable

• Need a cable expert means extra cost

• Higher cost to maintain 20 Gbps connection

The above points may be the reason that this cable is not commonly practiced within residential needs. But if you are not having a problem with the budget then you may buy Bulk Cat6a Plenum cable. 

Final Words

Bulk Cat6a Cable is a name for fast data transmission and reliability, and a reason for secure networking. The Cat 6a plenum cable is in the utmost demand for every network to boost the speed.

If you are confused about which cable to choose simply ask the ISP about the speed specs and choose the cable accordingly. Do not invest in the wrong type of cable. If your server and network equipment support Bulk Cat6a Plenum cable, buy now and have a happy network.