You know how few people know the difference between cat 5 e and cat 6, by the suppliers response when you ask for cat 6 RJ45.

You get the "it the same thing answer", knowing everyone who buys from those suppliers dont have clue what they are, chances are they using CCA cable because they dont know you get solid copper network cables.

Surely if you pay R1.00 for a cat 5e and R7.50 for a cat 6, its not just because the suppliers is ripping you off, its because the cat 6 RJ 45 connector is different.

What is the big deal, why not just use cat 5e it works, have a look at the speeds on lan/wan networks, look at the bit rates, frame rates, ping speeds and all the traffic on network as we upgrade our appliances, electronic devices, CCTV etc.

If your installer is still using cat 5e CCA network cables, I would suggest its time to consider the network cabling.


It seems not only the solar industry is ripping off customers.

If you getting a CCTV installation done and the installer suggest cat 6, makes sure they show you the RJ 45 connectors.

Request a piece of cable and check the cable end and the makings on the cable, if the cable has no writing on it or it has CCA, dont waste your money.

A customer asked me to check a CCTV installation which was completed by a so called specialist, paid over R50 000 for the install, what did I find.

It is a cheap 2 MP kit installation worth around R5000, the cabling is CCA, there are no junction boxes in the roof, the power for the beams in the garden are connected at the camera power supplies which causes the beam to trigger there is load shedding. You cant tell the difference between the alarm, the electrical and the CCTV, it all just an absolute mess.

What is the big deal, well the cost, to strip and dump all the old scrap cables, power suppliers and replace, is going to cost a lot more.