Every week someone asks us the same question at the counter: CAT6 or CAT6A? The honest answer starts with a different question — how long will this cable stay in the wall?
The ten-year test
Structured cabling is not replaced when the switch is. It stays for 10 to 15 years, through two or three generations of equipment. CAT6 carries 1G. CAT6A carries 10G — ten times the bandwidth on 23 AWG conductors with tighter twisting. If there is any chance the building will want 10G, WiFi 6 access points on PoE, or cameras at 200 m in that time, CAT6A today avoids pulling everything out tomorrow.
When CAT6 is the right call
Homes, small offices and cost-led jobs where 1G is plenty. That is exactly what our Spark Series is for, in pure copper or hybrid CCAM.
The connector question
A proper CAT6 RJ-45 fits and works on CAT6A cable — it is backward compatible. For the full 10G, use CAT6A-rated connectors. Nothing else changes for the installer.
Not sure which rung you are on? Ask WI-MAN in the Cable Finder — three questions and you have a part code.