Bulk Cat6 Plenum Cable: Best and Worst Features

When you are on the lookout for the Cat6 plenum cable, you will be told only its best features. No one most probably will tell you its worst features. But to make a wise decision, you need to know both it’s most desirable and the least desirable features.

So to help you buy the perfect Cat6 plenum cable, we will walk you through the best and the worst features of the cable.

Let’s dive right into it.

What is the Cat6 Plenum Cable?

Before we get into the details, let’s take an overview of this 1000ft plenum cable. It is the 6th category of ethernet cables which is integrated with 4 pairs of wires made out of either bare copper or copper-clad aluminum. The pairs of wires are twisted to minimize electromagnetic interference and crosstalk.

The Cat6 Plenum Cable was introduced as an improvement over the category 5 cables. It has a data transfer speed of up to 1 GBit/s and supports a bandwidth of 550 MHz. This is Plenum Cable which means that it is designed for indoor use in plenum spaces and a plenum space is any indoor open space with free airflow. Such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ducts, mostly between raised floors and dropped ceilings.
.
This cable was standardized by EIA/TIA and it follows the T568 A and B wiring scheme. The conductors of the cable 1000ft plenum cable are available in both solid and stranded variants. A solid conductor is made out of a single piece of metal whereas a stranded cable is made out of multiple strands of wire that are bundled together to make one single conductor wire.

Worst Features

We will start by denoting the worst features of the Cat6 plenum cable. But a quick disclaimer before we delve into it: These features are dependent on different factors such as the requirements of the user and the environment where the cable will be deployed. So decide carefully according to your requirements how this cable will be useful or not useful for you.

1. Cost: This plenum cable is hands down the most expensive in its category. It will cost you more than a riser or a PVC cable. However, does that mean it is its worst feature? We believe so. Good networking solutions should be affordable and available for everyone.

2. Installation: Installing the 1000ft plenum cable is a bit more tricky than any other Cat6 cable. The reason is the rather thicker jacket of the cable. Although it would later turn out to be a safe and reliable jacket, installing it comes with its own set of challenges.

Because the plenum cable is thicker, it is rather difficult to pass it through narrow ducts. And it is a bit heavier as well which would require you to gather more strength.

Nonetheless, an expert networking engineer or technician can install the cable smoothly using the appropriate tools but for the first-time installer, this is the most difficult hurdle to overcome if they have to use the Cat6 plenum cable.

Best Features:

1. Ultimate Fire Safety: Ironically, one of the best features of the Cat6 plenum cable overlaps its worst features. That is its ultimate safety protocol. Because the cable has a thick and bulky jacket (alleged disadvantage), the cable is super safe for use in indoor open spaces. The plenum jacket is made out of low smoke zero halogens materials which means that it does not emit toxic smoke in a fire hazard. It is also designed to be fire-retardant with an exclusive coating on the jacket.

This feature makes this cable the best in the market, safety-wise and it is indisputably its best feature.

2. High-Performance: Cat6 1000ft plenum cable is designed for installation in LAN networks with high-performance requirements. Such as in schools, hospitals, offices, residential blocks, etc. So it is one of the fastest and most reliable LAN cables that you can get. Also, it can be used to access all high-speed ethernet applications such as gigabit, PoE, PoE+/++, etc.

3. Everlasting: Cat6 plenum cable, due to its state-of-the-art built quality, is a long-lasting and reliable cable. In fact, it lasts for a minimum of 10 years before you notice the slightest hint of the cable wearing out. Also, you can save a lot in maintenance and possibly on replacement costs by deploying this cable.

Final Thoughts

The 1000ft Cat6 Plenum Cable is the most widely used ethernet cable in business and commercial networks. It comes with both the best and the worst features which are equally important to consider before you buy the cable. We hope this blog helped provide you with realistic expectations of the cable.