Cat5e vs Cat6 Cable for CCTV: Speed & Distance Guide

Cat5e and Cat6 both carry 1 Gbps to 100 m (90 m of fixed cable plus 10 m of patch leads), so for most CCTV runs the cable category won't change how far you can go. What differs is headroom: Cat6 is rated to 250 MHz against Cat5e's 100 MHz, and it is the only one of the two that supports 10 Gbps, though only to about 55 m (37 m in worst-case conditions). If your cameras and recorder run at gigabit speeds or below, Cat5e is enough. Choose Cat6 if you want a margin for later upgrades on shorter runs.

What actually matters when choosing cat5e vs cat6

Four things separate cat5e from cat6 on a CCTV job: switch port speed, run length, interference exposure and whether you will ever re-cable.

1. Port speed. Both categories carry 1 Gbps over a full 100 m channel. Cat6 (250 MHz, against 100 MHz for Cat5e) only earns its extra headroom if you later move to 10 Gbps over shorter runs. If your NVR and PoE switch ports are gigabit, the cable is not your bottleneck.
2. Run length. The 100 m channel limit is the same for both. Beyond it you need an intermediate switch or fibre, not a higher category.
3. Interference and shielding. Shielded cable helps on long parallel runs or electrically noisy routes, but it needs proper earthing and termination to work. On well-separated routes, unshielded cable performs perfectly well. For pre-made leads, the CAT6 shielded 30m lead has an LSZH jacket.
4. Re-cabling risk. The Alphawire white paper notes that ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 recommends Cat5e or better for all new installations.

If every port is gigabit and the routes are clean, Cat5e carries the load; choose Cat6 for runs your electrician or installer will not reopen.

CAT6 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 30m – Shielded LAN Lead: best for a ready-made CCTV or router run

This is a pre-terminated 30m shielded Cat6 lead, suited to connecting a camera, NVR, router or PC when you want a finished cable rather than terminating your own.

• Shielded Cat6 construction: the extra screening is aimed at electrically noisy routes, such as runs alongside mains cabling.
• Gold-plated RJ45 connectors: fitted at the factory, so there is no crimping or punch-down to get wrong.
• LSZH jacket: low smoke, zero halogen, which is worth having where a building's fire-safety specification asks for it.
• 30m length: this sits comfortably inside the 100m channel limit usually quoted for copper Ethernet, so a single lead can cover many in-building runs.
• Listed uses: CCTV, routers, PCs and high-speed networks.

Trade-off: shielding only helps if it is properly earthed and terminated, and it is not automatically better than unshielded cable. For a short, quiet run to one gigabit camera, plain Cat5e can do the job, since both grades are commonly quoted at up to 1 Gbps. The length is also fixed, so any excess has to be coiled neatly.

Check the product page for specifications before ordering: CAT6 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 30m – Shielded LAN Lead.

CAT6 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 15M – Gold Connectors — best for ready-made CCTV and router links

This is a 15-metre Cat6 patch lead with gold-plated RJ45 connectors, suited to buyers who need a ready-terminated link between a recorder, router or camera and the network, with no crimping.

• Cat6 grade, 15 metres. That sits well inside the 100 m maximum channel distance D3C Electrical quotes for both Cat5e and Cat6.
• Gold-plated RJ45 connectors. This is the connector finish. The cable grade, not the plating, sets the guaranteed performance.
• Listed for CCTV, PS4, routers and home networks, so one lead covers a mixed home and security setup.
• Cat5e or better is recommended for new installs, per the Alpha Wire white paper, so Cat6 gives you headroom over the minimum.

Trade-off: it is a fixed length, and the listing doesn't state shielding or an outdoor rating. Don't assume either, and check the datasheet before routing it outside or past mains cabling.

CAT6 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 15M – Gold Connectors

RJ45 Cat6 Ethernet Cable 1M – Gold-Plated Black: best for short patch links

This is a 1M Cat6 patch lead with gold-plated RJ45 connectors, suited to joining neighbouring kit such as a router, PC, games console or CCTV recorder and its switch.

• Cat6 grade in a 1M length: it is short enough to keep a rack or desk tidy without leaving a loose coil.
• Gold-plated RJ45 connectors: the plating is a contact-surface feature, and it should not be read as a speed upgrade.
• Listed uses: routers, PCs, PS4 and CCTV, so one lead style covers a mixed home or small-office setup.
• Black jacket: it blends in beside most recorders, switches and routers.
• Ready-made lead: it plugs straight in, so no crimping or termination is needed.

Trade-off: at 1M this only bridges adjacent equipment. It is no use for a camera run across a building, and the product data doesn't state shielding or PoE suitability, so check the datasheet before relying on either.

Need a quick, tidy link between two devices? Pick up the RJ45 Cat6 Ethernet Cable 1M – Gold-Plated Black. Orders placed before 4pm are dispatched the same working day.

RJ45 Cat6 Ethernet Cable 2m – Gold-Plated — best for short patch links

This 2m Cat6 patch lead suits anyone connecting a camera, NVR, router or PC to a nearby switch or wall point, such as inside a comms cupboard or behind a desk.

• Cat6 with 250MHz bandwidth, the rating given for this lead.
• Gold-plated RJ45 connectors, as listed for this product.
• U/UTP construction: unshielded twisted pair, described as stable.
• 2m length, black, for CCTV, gaming, routers and home networking.

Trade-off: it's a short lead, not an installation cable. For a long run to a camera, you need a longer length and a proper in-wall or outdoor-rated cable, fitted by your own electrician or installer. Being unshielded, it's also not the pick where you expect heavy electrical interference. A shielded cable may suit that better.

Orders placed before 4pm are dispatched the same working day.

RJ45 Cat6 Ethernet Cable 2m – Gold-Plated

Which one should you buy?

Buy Cat6 for most new CCTV installs; choose Cat5e only when budget is tight or you are matching existing cabling. Which one fits depends on your run length and how far ahead you want to plan.

• Budget: Cat5e. It carries up to 1 Gbps over a 100 m channel, which is the most a gigabit switch or NVR port will use anyway. It suits a small system where every camera sits comfortably inside that limit and you have no plans to upgrade the network.
• Best overall: Cat6. It is specified to 250 MHz against 100 MHz for Cat5e, and D3C Electrical's comparison notes it can reach 10 Gbps over shorter runs. That headroom matters if you may add cameras or swap the switch later.
• Specific use-case: short leads between camera, switch and recorder. The CAT6 RJ45 Ethernet Cable 15M and the 30m shielded LSZH lead cover these. Shielding only pays off if it is earthed and terminated correctly, so leave it out otherwise.

Fixed in-wall runs should be fitted by your own electrician or installer. Shop at https://cctvmaster.co.uk or ask about trade pricing.