Side-by-Side Comparison
Ethernet Cables
Cat 7 vs. Cat 8.1
Comparing 2 standards across 12 specifications. 12 key differences identified.
Comparing:
Cat 7
Cat 8.1
Category 7 (Cat 7) is an ISO/IEC 11801 Class F cable standard ratified in 2002. Operating at frequencies up to 600 MHz, it mandates S/FTP individual pair shielding and was engineered for proprietary GG45 and TERA connectors. Cat 7 is not recognized by the American TIA/EIA standard body.
Category 8.1 (Cat 8.1) is an Ethernet cabling standard defined in ANSI/TIA-568-C.2-1 (Category 8) and ISO/IEC 11801 Class I. Operating at 2000 MHz (2 GHz), it supports 25GBASE-T and 40GBASE-T data rates over a 30-meter channel using backward-compatible 8P8C (RJ45) shielded connectors.
Specification Comparison Table
12 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Frequency Bandwidth
|
600 MHz | 2000 MHz |
|
Max Bandwidth / Data Rate
|
10 Gbps | 40 Gbps |
|
Max Channel Length
|
100 m | 30 m |
|
Shielding Requirement
|
S/FTP (Screened/Foiled Twisted Pair) | Shielded (F/UTP, S/FTP, or F/FTP) |
|
Channel Classification
|
ISO/IEC 11801 Class F | ISO/IEC Class I / ANSI/TIA Category 8 |
|
Native Connectors
|
GG45 (IEC 60603-7-7) / TERA (IEC 61076-3-104) | — |
|
ANSI/TIA Recognition
|
None (Not recognized by TIA) | — |
|
RJ45 Native Compliance
|
No (Limits performance to Cat 6a) | — |
|
Supported Physical Layers
|
— | 25GBASE-T / 40GBASE-T |
|
Permanent Link Max Length
|
— | 24 m |
|
Standard Connector
|
— | 8P8C (RJ45 shielded) |
|
Backward Compatibility
|
— | Cat 6a, Cat 6, Cat 5e RJ45 ports |