Difference between CAT6 and CAT7 connector

[Filingo]

I want to buy this crimper, which is suitable for both CAT6 and CAT7:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003443949961.html

 

From what is shown on the video there, the difference is the connector. The CAT7 has metallic connector (for the ground)

But, if I buy a FTP CAT6 cable, which is also grounded and has metallic connector - will I need to use the CAT7 configuration of the crimper? Or that will not work at all?

 

So the difference is not really "CAT6 vs CAT7" but "grounded(metallic) connector vs non-grounded(regular plastic) connector"?

 

[Oshino Shinobu]

CAT7 uses TERA or GG45 connectors, which are not compatible with the RJ45 sockets used on CAT6a and below equipment. 

 

CAT7 is not a TIA recognised standard and isn't really compatible with the TIA CAT standards (5, 5e, 6, 6a etc.). 

 

I would advise buying a CAT6 crimp tool, or just use the CAT6 part of that tool. Very little of what is marketed as CAT7 actually follows the IEC 61076-3-110 standard so I would avoid it in general. 

 

EDIT: These are the actual connectors for the CAT7 standard:

 

 

 

[Filingo]

6 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

CAT7 uses TERA or GG45 connectors, which are not compatible with the RJ45 sockets used on CAT6a and below equipment. 

 

CAT7 is not a TIA recognised standard and isn't really compatible with the TIA CAT standards (5, 5e, 6, 6a etc.). 

 

I would advise buying a CAT6 crimp tool, just use the CAT6 part of that tool. Very little of what is marketed as CAT7 actually follows the IEC 61076-3-110 standard so I would avoid it in general. 

thank you, I will get the CAT6 tool then. (I already have a CAT6 crimper, but not the one that cuts the end and it's annoying because I bought pass-through RJ45's, and I have to manually cut it's not so straight cut when I do it manually)

 

So the CAT8 will be RJ45 and will be compatible with CAT6 crimping tool?

[Oshino Shinobu]

2 minutes ago, Filingo said:

thank you, I'm just getting the CAT6 tool then. (I already have a CAT6 crimper, but not the one that cuts the end and it's annoying because I bought pass-through RJ45's, and I have to manually cut it's not so straight cut when I do it manually)

 

So the CAT8 will be RJ45 and will be compatible with CAT6 crimping tool?

CAT8 is, yeah. However, it's also designed specifically for very short, high bandwidth runs in datacenters and is not suitable or intended for home or office use. Cat6a is the best bet for most users. 

 

If you need a higher standard than Cat6a for whatever reason, you'd really need to be looking at fibre. 

[Filingo]

4 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

CAT8 is, yeah. However, it's also designed specifically for very short, high bandwidth runs in datacenters and is not suitable or intended for home or office use. Cat6a is the best bet for most users. 

thank you, also as I mentioned in my other post, I can get a FTP CAT6 (150ft) for $26, and since the longest run in the walls will be 40ft, that should also do the trick if I can't get cat6a right? (Just need to properly crimp it with the ground wire)

[Oshino Shinobu]

Just now, Filingo said:

thank you, also as I mentioned in my other post, I can get a FTP CAT6 (150ft) for $26, and since the longest run in the walls will be 40ft, that should also do the trick if I can't get cat6a right? (Just need to properly crimp it with the ground wire)

Yeah that will be fine. 

[Filingo]

4 minutes ago, Oshino Shinobu said:

Yeah that will be fine. 

Haha I just called them.. and wtf?

They told me, it's SOLID, but it's CCA, not pure copper. So I thought CCA has to be stranded. But I guess CCA can also be SOLID? What a scam, they don't mention it unless you ask them. Now I know why it's much cheaper

[Alex Atkin UK]

3 hours ago, Filingo said:

Haha I just called them.. and wtf?

They told me, it's SOLID, but it's CCA, not pure copper. So I thought CCA has to be stranded. But I guess CCA can also be SOLID? What a scam, they don't mention it unless you ask them. Now I know why it's much cheaper

Also watch out for cheap crimping tools, they don't cut the end off cleanly either.  I had to get a more expensive one as I was still having to trim the ends with a craft knife.

[Filingo]

1 hour ago, Alex Atkin UK said:

Also watch out for cheap crimping tools, they don't cut the end off cleanly either.  I had to get a more expensive one as I was still having to trim the ends with a craft knife.

Haha I was just about to order that cheapo from aliexpress (Although it looks good):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003322199830.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.17.60ee5df7a4FU3E

[Alex Atkin UK]

5 hours ago, Filingo said:

Haha I was just about to order that cheapo from aliexpress (Although it looks good):

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003322199830.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.17.60ee5df7a4FU3E

That looks EXACTLY like the one I had.

 

The one I replaced it with looks like this though not this brand:

[Filingo]

I really think that today's cheapos from AliExpress are just the same factory that makes the expensive ones with another label. NOT all of them of course. 

But, look for example at Klein Tools crimper on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pass-Thru-Reliable-Klein-Tools-VDV226-110/dp/B076MGPQZQ/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=klein+tools+crimper&qid=1638768863&sr=8-5

 

And look at a similar from AliExpress:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001586375574.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.14c32151zZvRwB&algo_pvid=85941992-6f86-4c75-9b96-17f26c1c7783&algo_exp_id=85941992-6f86-4c75-9b96-17f26c1c7783-12&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id"%3A"12000016693463998"}

 

They just rebrand it and sell it Amazon.

 

Now that's not the case with less generic sophisticated stuff like PC components so I'd never buy Chinese electrical things though (like PSUs and so on)

 

the crimper I currently have is this from AliExpress:

 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001167077779.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.44827b54976VlR&algo_pvid=818772e7-057c-48c4-8d78-437bad0cb9cf&algo_exp_id=818772e7-057c-48c4-8d78-437bad0cb9cf-1&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id"%3A"10000014987904912"}

 

Which does a decent job, but does not have a blade that cuts the pass-through style connectors