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Can I use CAT5e instead of plain CAT5? Are they interchangeable?

Carrie Higbie EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Carrie Higbie

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QUESTION POSED ON: 12 May 2004
Can I use CAT5e instead of plain CAT5? Are they interchangeable?

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Category 5e and even Category 6 are fully backward compatible. The higher rated cables provide headroom and margin over older cabling methods. This is basically a forgiveness factor for things that happen to cabling over it's 10 year lifecycle. Most companies are putting in Category 6 or higher as there is additional protection and available bandwidth that will help assure the longevity of the investment.


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