Which is the correct top frequency listing for Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A?

• A. Cat5e 100 MHz; Cat6 250 MHz; Cat6A 500 MHz
• B. Cat5e 50 MHz; Cat6 100 MHz; Cat6A 200 MHz
• C. Cat5e 125 MHz; Cat6 300 MHz; Cat6A 600 MHz
• D. Cat5e 1000 MHz; Cat6 2000 MHz; Cat6A 3000 MHz

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the top frequency is the maximum frequency the copper pair is designed to carry with acceptable signal quality. Higher frequencies correspond to greater bandwidth and better ability to support higher data rates while controlling crosstalk and other impairments. For these copper categories, the standard top frequencies are Cat5e up to 100 MHz, Cat6 up to 250 MHz, and Cat6A up to 500 MHz. So the correct listing is 100 MHz for Cat5e, 250 MHz for Cat6, and 500 MHz for Cat6A. Other options propose frequencies that don’t match the established category ratings (some are too low, some are in the GHz range not applicable to these copper categories).