Ethernet Cables, Network Switches, Cabinets and Patch Panels...
We've a full range of networking peripherals for your wired Network. From Wall Mountable Network Cabinets (4U upwards), the patch panels and Network Switches to go inside, to a full range of ethernet cables - from Cat5e to Cat6A. kenable have a great range of cable organisers and network adapters.
100mbps or Gigabit or 10GIG: These speeds refer to the transfer speed of the network, with 10GIG being 10x faster than gigabit, which is 10x faster than 100mbps. All network speeds are measured in 'bits' rather than bytes, so are slower than you think - 8 times slower (8 bits = 1 byte). 100mbps is the most common standard at home, but gigabit networks are getting more popular. If you need to copy large files from computer to computer for instance, you'll see a 10x speed increase if you use a gigabit network. 10gig networks are less common, due to their high cost, but offer unbelievable transfer rates.
We recommend:
Use Cat5e for 100mbps networks
Use Cat6 for gigabit networks
Use Cat6A for 10GIG networks
CCA - Copper Clad Aluminium : As copper prices increase, CCA offers a viable and cheaper alternative. Perfect for home and SOHO installations, these cheaper cable offer similar network performance as full copper. CCA Network cables are only suitable for standard networking. Aluminium has different properties than copper and are therefore not suitable for power applications (PoE - Power over Ethernet) or Extenders over Ethernet. Copper offer better performance than CCA but is more expensive. There are some newer materials used in network cables, such as Mag-Alloy but performance can be very poor and although the cheapest solution, it can not be recommended. We label all our network cables, either Copper or CCA so you are fully informed of their quality and suitability.
Difference between Solid and Stranded Cable : Solid network cables are made from single thick cables - so CAT5e cables have 8 (4 pairs) cables, each one a single strand of wire. Stranded cables are made up of lots of thinner wires, stranded together to make a single cable. The benefits of solid cable is that it's cheaper, more rigid so perfect for installations and easily fitted to patch panels and faceplates with a simple punch down. Stranded cables are much more flexible so are great for patch cables or for putting cables through tight angles. Solid and stranded cables can be made from a variety of materials: Copper, CCA (Copper Clad Aluminium) or CCS (Copper Clad Steel).
