> I google,
> and it says cat 6 is just cat 5e made to a higher standard,
Which is a bit like saying a Grade 8 bolt is just a Grade 5 made to a higher
standard. All it really means is that the construction is similar, and Cat 6
still meets all Cat 5E standards.
> on site said it had better shielding.
Not shielded at all ...
> but the older gentleman at his electronics shop (who you'd think
> would know) said cat6 actually carries data faster than 5e
It can, in theory, but only if all your other equipment (NICs and so on) also
implements a signaling standard designed to take advantage of Cat 6 wiring.
> and uses all different blocks.
Wire is wire, using different blocks would be part of the signaling/wiring
standard. I don't know of any current standard that takes advantage of Cat 6,
but I'm admittedly out of date on such things.
> and why else would I want cat 6 if
> it's only better/more stringently made and/or better shielded?
Well, the day may not be far off when Cat 5 looks every bit as obsolete as Cat 3
does today. If you're already wired with Cat 6 ...
Anyone remember when 640K was more than anyone could possibly want ?
> to top it all off, the cat
> 5e the old guy had had 320 mhz on the box, which the guy said was
> good, and seems to be higher than what cat 5e is rated for.
The point is supposed to be that the Cat 5E you were looking at is better than
required by the standard. Which may or may not be true, but what good is the
extra bandwidth, if your signaling equipment doesn't take advantage of it ?
More likely, IMO, it's marketing hype, like "5 hp" air compressors that put out
less air than a "real" 2 hp one does. Or car stereos that put out "200 watts"
but only draw 150 watts.
Plain old house wiring is good to 1 GHz, if you measure just right <G>
Randall
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