Cat6 vs Cat6a Cable Guide¶

Compare Cat6 and Cat6a Ethernet cable for UK home installations. This guide covers speed, distance, shielding, cost differences, and which cable type suits your home networking needs with future-proofing for 10Gbps and beyond.

Cat6 vs Cat6a Technical Comparison¶

Cat6 and Cat6a are the two most popular Ethernet cable standards for UK home network installations. Cat6 supports 10Gbps at distances up to 55 metres and 1Gbps at 100 metres. Cat6a supports 10Gbps at the full 100 metres and 25Gbps at shorter distances (30m). The 'a' in Cat6a stands for 'augmented' - Cat6a has tighter specifications for crosstalk and signal-to-noise ratio. Cat6 cable has a typical diameter of 6-7mm while Cat6a is thicker at 7.5-8.5mm. Cat6a requires larger bend radius (50mm vs 25mm for Cat6) making it harder to route through tight spaces. Shielding: Cat6 is available as UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) - most common and cost-effective. Cat6a is available as UTP or STP - STP required for full 10Gbps at 100m in high-EMI environments. For UK homes, Cat6a STP is recommended for new builds where cables will remain in walls for 15+ years. The cost difference: Cat6 cable costs £0.50-£0.80 per metre (100m reel £50-£80), Cat6a costs £0.80-£1.50 per metre (100m reel £80-£150).

Cable Selection Guide for UK Home Installations¶

Cable selection depends on installation type and future needs. For new build homes: Cat6a STP is recommended - the additional cable cost (£70 extra for 100m) is insignificant compared to the re-wiring cost if Cat6 becomes insufficient in 10 years. For existing home retrofit within 55m of the distribution point: Cat6 UTP provides full 10Gbps at typical UK home distances (under 30m average). For external (outdoor) runs: use Cat6a external-grade cable with UV-resistant jacket and gel-filled core for moisture protection. For PoE runs (cameras, access points): Cat6a STP handles higher power delivery more efficiently because of lower resistance per metre. Cat6a STP resistance is 7.5 ohms/100m vs Cat6 UTP 9.4 ohms/100m. For PoE++, which delivers up to 100W, this lower resistance reduces voltage drop. For budget-conscious installations: Cat6 UTP at typical UK home distances (under 30m) delivers 10Gbps even though the official maximum for 10Gbps is 55m. Most UK homes have cable runs under 30m. Always check the specific cable datasheet for 10Gbps distance rating before purchasing.

Specifications and Comparison¶

Feature	Cat6	Cat6a
Maximum Speed	10Gbps at 55m, 1Gbps at 100m	10Gbps at 100m, 25Gbps at 30m
Frequency	250MHz	500MHz
Cable Diameter	6-7mm	7.5-8.5mm
Minimum Bend Radius	25mm	50mm
Cost per Metre	£0.50-£0.80	£0.80-£1.50
Shielding Options	UTP, STP, FTP	UTP, STP, SFTP

FAQ¶


: . For more information see our What Is the Difference Between Cat6 and Cat6a.

Last updated: 2026-05-31.

External Resources¶

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