Category Cable Comparison Chart

Category Cable Application Matrix

Category 3Category 5eCategory 6Category 6ACategory 7 and 7A
Voice
T1 Fractional
IBM Type 3 - 1 Mbps
4/16 Mbps Token Ring
10BASE-T Ethernet
100BASE-T4 Fast Ethernet
25.6 Mbps ATM
100 VG - Any LAN
All other applications developed to operate over Category 3 or Class C cabling
100 Mbps TP-PMD
155 Mbps ATM
270 Mbps digital video
Broadband video
100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet
1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet
All other applications developed to operate over Category 5e or class D cabling
2.5 Gbase-T Ethernet
5.0 GBase-T Ethernet
1000 Mbps ATM (CBIG)
All other applications developed to operate over Category 6 or Class E cabling
10GBASE-T Ethernet
All other applications developed to operate over Category 6A or Class EA cabling
All other applications developed to operate over Category 7 or 7A or Class C or CA cabling

Copper Conductor Colors

Pair Number Copper Conductor Color Combinations
1White/Blue - Blue/White
2White/Orange - Orange/White
3White/Green - Green/White
4White/Brown - Brown/White
5White/Gray - Gray/White
6Red/Blue - Blue/Red
7Red/Orange - Orange/Red
8Red/Green - Green/Red
9Red/Brown - Brown/Red
10Red/Gray - Gray/Red
11Black/Blue - Blue/Black
12Black/Orange - Orange/Black
13Black/Green - Green/Black
14Black/Brown - Brown/Black
15Black/Gray - Gray/Black
16Yellow/Blue - Blue/Yellow
17Yellow/Orange - Orange/Yellow
18Yellow/Green - Green/Yellow
19Yellow/Brown - Brown/Yellow
20Yellow/Gray - Gray/Yellow
21Violet/Blue - Blue/Violet
22Violet/Orange - Orange/Violet
23Violet/Green - Green/Violet
24Violet/Brown - Brown/Violet
25Violet/Gray - Gray/Violet