Cat 5e
Ethernet Cables · 9 specs
Direct Answer
Category 5e (Cat 5e, Enhanced) is an Ethernet twisted-pair copper cable standard defined in TIA/EIA-568-B.2. Rated for frequencies up to 100 MHz, it introduced stringent electrical crosstalk specifications, enabling reliable 1000BASE-T (1 Gbps Gigabit Ethernet) transmission up to 100 meters across all four pairs.
Source: ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2 (2001) / IEEE 802.3ab (1000BASE-T) · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Frequency Bandwidth | 100 MHz |
| Max Data Rate (1000BASE-T) | 1 Gbps |
| Max Multi-Gig Rate (802.3bz) | 2.5 Gbps |
| Max Channel Length | 100 m |
| Wire Pairs | 4 pairs |
| Active Pairs (1000BASE-T) | 4 pairs |
| Standard Connector | 8P8C (RJ45) |
| Typical Shielding | U/UTP (Unshielded) or F/UTP |
| Channel Classification | ISO/IEC 11801 Class D |
Enhancements Over Cat 5
Cat 5e ('enhanced') was ratified in 2001 specifically to resolve signal interference issues encountered when running Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) over legacy Cat 5. While operating at the same 100 MHz frequency bandwidth as Cat 5, Cat 5e introduced mandatory testing requirements for Power Sum NEXT (PS-NEXT), Far-End Crosstalk (FEXT), Power Sum ELFEXT (PS-ELFEXT), and Return Loss.
These improvements prevented full-duplex transmission errors when all 4 wire pairs transmit and receive data simultaneously at 250 Mbps per pair.
2.5GBASE-T Multigigabit Support
Under the IEEE 802.3bz standard ratified in 2016, Cat 5e cabling is certified to run 2.5GBASE-T (2.5 Gbps) up to the standard 100-meter channel distance without requiring cable replacement in existing enterprise infrastructure.