Cat 8

Cat 8 is a category of twisted-pair ethernet cables and connectors as defined by IEC 11801. It is presently the highest-rated such cable category for use in domestic or small commercial settings.

Standard details

The Cat 8 standard is for frequencies of up to 2GHz and to a maximum cable run of 36m (dependent on cable type).

There are 2 sub-classes of Cat 8 which can apply:

Class I

requires at least U/FTP or F/UTP cable and as such is backwards-compatible with Cat 6_A. This is also represented as Cat 8.1.

Class II

requires at least F/FTP or S/FTP cable and as such is interoperable with Cat 7_A. This is also represented as Cat 8.2.

Further information

Cat 5e and Cat 6 cables are Gigabit-capable and available to purchase online.