Cat 5e vs cat6

[Michael]

I have every expectation that in a decade somone will have figured out how to put 10gb down Cat5e and if nothing else you can tie 2 or 4 Cat5e together for a trunk line very cheaply.

Exactly, couldn't of put it better myself. Although similar, (but not exactly the same) but who would of thought 24Mbps ADSL2 would of been possible with copper phone lines 10 years ago?

[TheFopp]

I have the same issues at the moment. We are getting a new building and the designers are suggesting Cat6.

But as it costs a lot more (and we are trying to cut costs), is harder to install due to tolerances etc., and the fact that we are putting fibre between all the switches so we can have a 10Gb backbone anyway, I'm leaning toward Cat5e from the switches to the PCs.

I just can't see anything for using Cat6 between the workstations and switches when Cat5e happily copes with 1Gb.

Does this sound reasonable?

[pete]

I have the same issues at the moment. We are getting a new building and the designers are suggesting Cat6.

But as it costs a lot more (and we are trying to cut costs), is harder to install due to tolerances etc., and the fact that we are putting fibre between all the switches so we can have a 10Gb backbone anyway, I'm leaning toward Cat5e from the switches to the PCs.

I just can't see anything for using Cat6 between the workstations and switches when Cat5e happily copes with 1Gb.

Does this sound reasonable?

Yes. Even assuming you may want Gb to the desktop eventually (video editing/imaging pcs) and your backbone is beefy enough to saturate those links, Cat5e would do.

Assuming you have $fixed_budget, the money you save on Cat6 (material cost, plus increased labour cost (time/drop to terminate)) could be plowed into other, more useful areas. Your contracters will hate you less too - Cat6 is an arse to terminate without shredding your hands.

Ask them to show their working, backed up with evidence. See if they weasel and squirm or if they can provide a rational argument.