Gigabit LAN - Category 5e vs Category 6 wiring

[JamminR]

Anyone here have any experience with gigabit ethernet running on both Cat 5e and Cat6?

The contractor for my new house used Cat 5e in the wiring of 6 rooms for ethernet instead of the cat 6 we placed in our sales contract.
Rather than request they tear out all the sheetrock (put up last week) and redo the wiring, which we'd expect they'd do a shoddy job of putting back up, we're probably going to ask to have the cost of the wiring refunded to us. That in itself will be a fight. (We hate other little things our builder, or his realtor, have had to fight with about)

[Megiddo]

Nope

[spbogie]

Cat5e will fully support Gigabit ethernet, and everything that today's hardware can throw at it, as long as you're staying within the specifications for length and such (shouldn't be a problem in a residential setting). Cat6 is really just more future proof. It's the new standard designed to support the next generation of networking technologies.

Cat5, Cat5e, and Cat6 are all just minimum specifications as well. In order to claim to be of a standard, it must support at least the specifications given for it. Most Cat5e cable is likely to excede the standard by some margin, and it is entirely possible (though not as likely or it would be rated as such) to have Cat5e cable which exceeds even the Cat6 standard.

I would definitally persue a refund of the difference in price, but don't worry too much about it being only Cat5e cable.

[JamminR]

We used Cat6 in the contract so that it would be more future proof.
I've done some google research that indicates Cat6 is better for streaming applications not yet used widely across the US. (Video over IP to TV set-top boxes, etc)
Found a switch roundup while doing gigabit switch research in which the tester tried both cat5e and cat6.
Though I no longer have the link, the cat6 clearly showed less packet error and faster transmition speeds (by average of 100mbps or more).
The tests showed one switch he was testing with Cat5e at 750mbps, 3% loss. Cat6, 899mbps, 1% loss. I forget his testing methodology, but seemed reasonable, large files, mutiple tests, etc.

I'm just frustrated with the opposing realtor/builder team.

[spbogie]

Yeah, it definitally sucks, especially when you specifically put in the order for the Cat6.

Was it the same guy who you talked to that one day that actually ended up doing the wiring, or did they go with someone different? Suppose you probably don't know. From you description he seemed pretty enthusiastic about hearing what you wanted to do with it, so I'd be supprised if he would knowingly have put in the wrong thing.

[JamminR]

It was the same guy. Works with his brother on wiring the neighborhood.
He's a subcontractor for the builder.
I'm betting wording got lost between our contract and subcontractor.
Much like wording got lost in speaker wiring for "wiring for rear and side" (7.1) speakers got turned into "front and rear".
Though I now have nice wall wiring for the front left and right plus rear left and rightspeakers (5.1), that isn't what I wanted... front hides well enough as it is behind entertainment centers.

I don't blame the subcontractor. I blame his boss telling him what to do (or in some cases, what not to do)

Wife and I had a showing today. During that we went to the house and took a shot of the wiring for evidence and battle ahead.