Quick question that only ethernet cable experts can answer

[JioFunny]

Hello,

 

So I have a very slow internet connection because I live far off the main city. It reaches 12mbps. 

 

And I was wondering. I want to buy an ethernet cable. My modem comes with cat5e. 

 

Here's the question. Would a cat6 or even cat8 ethernet cable actually further reduce my speed? Assuming that cat8 cables are thicker and allow a bigger flow of data.. perhaps if the source is too slow like in my case, could it end up reducing the speed? Kind of have like.. the effect a very long ethernet cable has.. reduce the speed.

 

Some advice would be much appreciated.

[FloRolf]

No. They are all rated for Gigabit or even 10G. 12mbit is nothing. 

[Inception9269]

5 minutes ago, JioFunny said:

Hello,

 

So I have a very slow internet connection because I live far off the main city. It reaches 12mbps. 

 

And I was wondering. I want to buy an ethernet cable. My modem comes with cat5e. 

 

Here's the question. Would a cat6 or even cat8 ethernet cable actually further reduce my speed? Assuming that cat8 cables are thicker and allow a bigger flow of data.. perhaps if the source is too slow like in my case, could it end up reducing the speed? Kind of have like.. the effect a very long ethernet cable has.. reduce the speed.

 

Some advice would be much appreciated.

You're experience isn't going to be degraded by using a higher rated cable, with all ethernet cables being backwards compatible. The performance will be limited by the weakest link in the chain, that being your modem.

[Donut417]

1 hour ago, JioFunny said:

So I have a very slow internet connection because I live far off the main city. It reaches 12mbps. 

 

Sounds like DSL. 

 

1 hour ago, JioFunny said:

Assuming that cat8 cables are thicker and allow a bigger flow of data..

Cat5e is rated for Gigabit at 100 Meters. So a better Ethernet cable wont help. Your speed is determined by the ISP. DSL which is what Im assuming you have is distance limited. The further from the central office or remote box the slower it's going to be. Maybe check in to 5G home internet if thats available  where you live. 

[JioFunny]

28 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Sounds like DSL. 

 

Cat5e is rated for Gigabit at 100 Meters. So a better Ethernet cable wont help. Your speed is determined by the ISP. DSL which is what Im assuming you have is distance limited. The further from the central office or remote box the slower it's going to be. Maybe check in to 5G home internet if thats available  where you live. 

Thank you, it is not available here. There's no phone signal.

 

Yes I know a better cable will not make my speed better. That is not the reason I buy the cable. Just wanted to know if there's any possibility it will do the opposite, decrease my speed. Cause there's no cat5e in stock in my shop near here and it has cat8 available.

[Donut417]

1 hour ago, JioFunny said:

Thank you, it is not available here. There's no phone signal.

 

Yes I know a better cable will not make my speed better. That is not the reason I buy the cable. Just wanted to know if there's any possibility it will do the opposite, decrease my speed. Cause there's no cat5e in stock in my shop near here and it has cat8 available.

Cat8 according to the standard should do up to 40 Gbps in very short distances if equipment existed. So 12 Mbps wont be an issue. Any Cabling Cat5e or above will work. 

[Alex Atkin UK]

1 hour ago, JioFunny said:

Thank you, it is not available here. There's no phone signal.

 

Yes I know a better cable will not make my speed better. That is not the reason I buy the cable. Just wanted to know if there's any possibility it will do the opposite, decrease my speed. Cause there's no cat5e in stock in my shop near here and it has cat8 available.

 

44 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Cat8 according to the standard should do up to 40 Gbps in very short distances if equipment existed. So 12 Mbps wont be an issue. Any Cabling Cat5e or above will work. 

While Cat 8 is more future proof than Cat 5e, I highly doubt its ever going to be properly utilised as 10Gbit is already hugely power inefficient over copper.  Using 40Gbit over copper would be utterly insane when fibre exists.

 

But these crazy vendors keep trying to one-up each other with these stupid standards, seeing some advertising Cat 8.1 now.  It just makes the cable harder to handle due to being so stiff from the extra shielding and larger conductors.

[Lurick]

9 hours ago, Alex Atkin UK said:

 

While Cat 8 is more future proof than Cat 5e, I highly doubt its ever going to be properly utilised as 10Gbit is already hugely power inefficient over copper.  Using 40Gbit over copper would be utterly insane when fibre exists.

 

But these crazy vendors keep trying to one-up each other with these stupid standards, seeing some advertising Cat 8.1 now.  It just makes the cable harder to handle due to being so stiff from the extra shielding and larger conductors.

So 8.1 and 8.2 are actually part of the Cat8 spec

8.1 is designed for use with RJ45

8.2 is designed for use with TERA