Cat7 Vs. Cat6 Ethernet Cable: Which Is Better For Your Home Network?

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Cat7 looks like the obvious upgrade from Cat6, but its extra capability rarely matters at home.

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Buying an Ethernet cable should be simple, but it gets a little confusing when you compare Cat6 and Cat7 side by side. Cat7 has the larger number, a higher frequency rating and more shielding, so it definitely seems like the obvious upgrade. But there's a lot going on there with the number on the jacket.

Cat6 is still the best option for most home networks. It can carry Gigabit Ethernet over a standard 100-meter (328-foot) channel, and can even support 10Gbps over shorter distances. Although Cat7 is a true ISO cabling standard, it was never recognized by TIA. That may be one of the reasons why it didn't become the obvious next step from Cat6 in US homes.

Cat7 looks faster on paper

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Cat6 is rated to 250 MHz. Cat7...

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