Date First Published: 25th May 2022
Topic: Computer Networking
Subtopic: Data Transmission Technologies
Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions
Difficulty: MediumDifficulty Level: 5/10
Learn more about what Cat 7 is in this article.
Short for Category 7, Cat 7 is a type of Ethernet cable that supports data transmission speeds of up to 10 Gb/s, frequency speeds of up to 600 MHz, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet. It was approved in 2002 as the ISO/IEC 11801 standard and was designed to meet the stricter Class F specifications for crosstalk and data transmission issues. The stricter specifications required shielding to be added to the separate wire pairs and the whole cable.
The cabling of Cat 7 consists of four pairs of twisted copper wires and shielding to cover the entire cable. They end in RJ45 connectors and can be identified by the printed text on the coloured rubber. Cat 7 cables are less common than Cat 5, Cat 5e, or Cat 6, which is what most homes and businesses use. In addition, they are much more expensive. Cat 7 is not supported by TIA/EIA standards.
An enhanced version of Cat 7, called Cat 7a (Category 7 Augmented) was introduced in 2010 with increased frequency transmission speed.
Cat 7 cables are backwards compatible with Cat 5e and Cat 6 cables. They are similar to Cat 6 cables in the way that they have the same four-pair of twisted cables that support 10 Gb/s Ethernet networks and extend up to 100 metres in length. However, the Cat 7 cable provides increased data and frequency transmission speeds as well as enhanced protection against crosstalk and attenuation by requiring that each pair is completely shielded and forms a screen-shielded twisted pair (SSTP) or a screen-foiled twisted pair (SFTP) cabling.
The maximum length of Cat 7 cables is 100 metres. This means that they have the ability to extend to 100 metres between connected devices in both business and home networks. Without the use of a bridge or other network device, exceeding this length could result in network difficulties such as data packet loss and transmission speed reduction.
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