By the SightShield team · · 3 min read
The short answer
Use Cat6 for most homes, CCTV cameras and ordinary office points. Use Cat6A for Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 access points and anywhere you want 10 gigabit to the full 100 metres. Use fibre for runs longer than 100 metres, between buildings, and for backbones between racks.
Comparison
| Cable | Bandwidth | Practical speed and distance | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat5e | 100 MHz | 1 Gbps to 100 m | Older installations; still fine for most cameras |
| Cat6 | 250 MHz | 1 Gbps to 100 m; 10 Gbps only on short runs (about 55 m at best) | Homes, CCTV, desks, most access points |
| Cat6A | 500 MHz | 10 Gbps to 100 m | Wi-Fi 6E/7 APs, offices built to last, server links |
| Multimode fibre (OM3/OM4) | — | 10 Gbps to about 300 m (OM3) or 400 m (OM4) | Backbones within a campus |
| Single-mode fibre (OS2) | — | 10 Gbps to 10 km and beyond | Long links, gates, separate blocks |
Cat6: the everyday choice
Cat6 handles gigabit speeds comfortably to 100 metres and carries PoE power for cameras and access points. A 4MP IP camera uses only a few megabits per second, so even Cat5e is technically enough for CCTV, but Cat6 gives margin for higher resolutions and higher-power PoE devices. Choose solid pure-copper cable; copper-clad aluminium (CCA) is cheaper but heats up under PoE and fails sooner.
Cat6A: for the next decade
Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 access points can exceed one gigabit, and many now have 2.5 or 5 gigabit ports. Cat6A carries 10 gigabit to the full 100 metres and handles high-power PoE better because its thicker conductors run cooler in bundles. It is thicker, stiffer and more expensive, so it needs larger conduits and more space in the rack.
Fibre: distance and immunity
Fibre carries light, not electricity. That gives it two big advantages: distance, and immunity to electrical interference and lightning-induced surges. In factories, campuses and gated layouts, fibre between buildings avoids the earth-potential differences that destroy switches connected by long copper runs.
Fibre does not carry power, so a camera or AP at the far end still needs a local power supply or a PoE switch with a fibre uplink. Terminating fibre needs specialised splicing equipment.
CCTV for Large Campuses →Indoor, outdoor and armoured
- Indoor cable is for conduits and ceilings inside the building.
- Outdoor cable has a UV-resistant jacket and is gel-filled or water-blocked for underground ducts.
- Armoured cable adds a steel layer for direct burial or areas with rodents.
- Never run indoor cable on a terrace or through an open drain without proper conduit — it fails within a monsoon or two.
How to choose
- Home with cameras and two or three APs: Cat6 throughout.
- New office fit-out: Cat6A to access points, Cat6 or Cat6A to desks, fibre backbone if there are several racks.
- Camera on a gate 150 m away: fibre with media converters, or an outdoor switch midway.
- Factory with several sheds: fibre between sheds, Cat6 inside each.
Quick answers
Is Cat6 enough for CCTV?+
Yes. Cat6 comfortably carries video and PoE power for IP cameras up to 100 metres.
Is Cat7 or Cat8 better?+
For buildings, no. Cat7 is not a recognised category in the TIA standards used for most structured cabling, and Cat8 is meant for very short data-centre links of up to 30 metres. Cat6A is the right top choice for building cabling.
Why is my long Cat6 run slow?+
Runs over 100 metres, CCA cable, poor termination or a run alongside power cables can all reduce speed. A cable tester will usually find the cause.
Can fibre carry PoE?+
No. Fibre carries data only. Devices at the far end need local power, or a PoE switch fed by the fibre link.