Cat 8 Ethernet cable is ideal for switch to switch communications in data centers and server rooms, where 25GBase‑T and 40GBase‑T networks are common.
Will Cat8 Work with My Router? Yes, but for most home applications Cat6a is more than sufficient. Most home network equipment cannot operate at Cat 8 speed, so a Cat 8 cable is overkill. Because it's much faster than most people need, Cat8 cables are best suited for data centre applications.
Cat8 Ethernet is used in data centers and server rooms for switch- to- switch communications. They're especially useful when upgrading networks without needing a complete equipment overhaul because the RJ45 ends are standardized.
CAT6A is recommended for higher performance and 10 Gigabit Ethernet over the full distance distance. CAT8 supports 45 Gigabit Ethernet but it's short range for those speeds makes it best suited for connections inside of one room.
Cons – They are a bit expensive. They require 40 to 60% more space to contain the cable and different connections. Their testing is trickier and requires modern test equipment.
One of the great things about Cat8 cable is the backwards compatibility it provides. Just like Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, and Cat7 cabling, Cat8 Ethernet Cable uses RJ45 connectors making it fully backward compatible.
Category 8 has a maximum Permanent Link Length of 24m (78') and a maximum Channel length of 30m (100') when supporting 25Gbps and 40Gbps speeds. Category 8 cabling can support data speeds of 10Gbps and lower at a full 100m (328') Channel configuration.
Cat8 supports a bandwidth of over 2000 Mbps, which is double the frequency supported by Cat7 cables. This means a faster transfer of data and improved performance for applications that require high bandwidth, such as data centers, gaming, and streaming high-definition videos.
It's a dead standard that isn't going to see any further adoption and its benefits are easily matched and outweighed by competitor cables, like Cat 6A, or the latest and greatest, Cat8. In the vast majority of cases, if your network is less than 10Gbps then Cat6A cable is going to be all you need.
Yes, gaming ethernet cables are different from regular ethernet cables. This is because they need to provide super-fast speeds and incredibly high bandwidth. The best type of ethernet cable for gaming is a Cat 8 cable. A Cat 8 cable offers a speed of up to 40 Gbps and a bandwidth of up to 2000 MHz.
Speed and Frequency
Cat 8 cables have a faster download speed of up to 40 Gbps for a max distance of 30 meters, while Cat 7 offers a speed of 40 Gbps for a distance of up to 10 meters. When it comes to frequency, we have a clear winner. Cat 8 cables work at a higher frequency of 2000MHz, or 2GHZ.
Although there are no official standards or specifications for CAT 9 and CAT 10 Ethernet cables as of September 2021, researchers and manufacturers are likely exploring the development of higher category cables to address the growing demand for faster data transfer speeds and higher bandwidth capacities.
Cat8 cables are designed to work with routers that support the latest 802.11ac Wave 2 standard. However, not all routers are compatible with Cat8 cables. Before purchasing a Cat8 cable, be sure to check the router's specifications to make sure it is compatible.
To put it simply, the data transmission speed of ethernet network cables remains constant as long as they are run at their specified lengths. However, running cables longer than their recommended lengths reduce the data transmission speeds.
Connector Pairs — Cat7 has four twisted copper wire pairs, Cat8 comes with two twisted pairs. Cat 7 has excellent advantages in noise assistance. Bandwidth — Cat7 is defined up to 600 MHz, while Cat8 supports a transmission frequency of 2000 MHz.
There is no de facto best Ethernet cable for streaming, but there are ones that will be right for you. If you need the absolute greatest data rate possible, then a high-quality Cat 8 Ethernet cable will see you right. It can support speeds up to 40 Gbps and has some of the best shielding of any Ethernet cable type.
Cat8 is the fastest Ethernet cable yet. Its data transfer speed of up to 40 Gbps is four times faster than Cat6a, while its support of bandwidth up to 2 GHz (four times more than standard Cat6a bandwidth) reduces latency for superior signal quality.
Although Cat5e does support Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps) over short distances it's a good idea to use Cat6 instead as this is designed to carry more data and you're less likely to get any issues with it.
A CAT5 cable can transmit 100 million signals per second, while a CAT8 ethernet cable speed can transmit 2 billion signals per second. And a CAT8 data transfer rate can be 250-400 times faster than CAT5. From the table, you can see how CAT8 is significantly more powerful than even the CAT7.
Check the cable's connectors
These connectors have eight contacts that touch eight contacts inside the Ethernet port. If they're dirty, corroded, or damaged, you won't have a good connection, which causes slower speeds.
No, using an ethernet cable does not slow down WiFi for others connected to your network. It might even speed up your WiFi connection as it will have to service one less device. However, if your wired device is using lots of bandwidth for file sharing or downloading you may experience slower speeds.
Speed and performance: Ethernet wins by far
In Wi-Fi vs Ethernet speed, there is no doubt a hardwired connection has the advantage. Cat 8 Ethernet cables can transmit up to 40Gbps. Meanwhile, the latest and greatest Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E standard lags behind at a max 9.6Gbps.
Category 8 is similar to previous standards Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6a in that they use the same RJ45 connector and are fully backward compatible. The internal features of Cat8 and performance attributes are what set this new cable apart from the others.
A single run of Ethernet cable is designed to work at a maximum of 328 feet or 100 meters. It's entirely possible to exceed the manufacturer's specification and still maintain network connectivity. However, this greatly increases the chances of connectivity issues, reduced speeds, and lower reliability.