One of the most important components of an ethernet cable is its conductors. The conductors are the component that transfers your data in the form of an electrical signal from one device to another in the network. The better the conductors, the better will be the data transfer speeds. When it comes to Ethernet cables, conductors — also known as wires — come in two types of materials: bare copper (also known as solid copper and pure copper) and copper-clad aluminum (CCA). Cat6 Plenum Bare Copper, Cat6 Riser Copper, Cat5e Plenum Copper, and Cat5e Riser Copper are some widely available pure copper ethernet cables in the market.
You want pure copper cables for networking cables like Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A, and so on. Copper-wrapped aluminum is merely a low-cost substitute that benefits only the producer. Furthermore, CCA cable does not comply with building codes. So what may save you money upfront may cost you in the long run if you have to reinstall or if the performance isn’t up to par.
Dealers frequently list Ethernet cables as CCA ethernet cables. In such Ethernet cables, CCA conductors replace pure copper conductors; the former is relatively cheaper but does not come even closer to the performance of the latter.
Excellent Crosstalk & EMI Characteristics
The first characteristic that makes bare copper cables superior to CCA cables is their excellent crosstalk and EMI characteristics. These two elements mess with your signal and compromise overall network performance. But bare copper cables have excellent resistance against crosstalk (be it alien-crosstalk or next-generation crosstalk) and prevent EMI. The end result is that you enjoy superior signal strength and seamless connectivity.
Less Attenuation
Attenuation is the loss of signal strength. Pure copper cables such as Cat6 Riser Copper have as much as 55% less attenuation when compared to the CCA cables. Due to attenuation, your network witnesses a greater loss of data as the cable retransmits more data packets back to the source. And in case you are installing longer runs, the problem is only servers.
Another factor that makes pure copper cables superior to CCA cables is that the latter has higher DC resistance — sometimes as high as 55%. Due to much higher DC resistance, conductors (or 8 individual wires) transfer more energy or data packets into heat. This results in a greater decrease in power transfer and hence, poor connectivity.
Now taking into consideration these two hits of CCA cables on your network, ask yourself if it is really worth saving a few bucks?
Bare Copper Cables & Data Transfer Rates
The data transfer rates of pure copper cables depend solely on a single factor: the category of the cable being used.
The data transfer rates of Cat5e pure copper Ethernet cables such as Cat6 Riser Copper stand at 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps over lengths of up to 100 meters and 50 meters, respectively. All Category 5 cables come with a bandwidth capacity of 350 MHz.
The data transfer rates of Category 6 ethernet cables such as Cat6 Plenum Bare Copper stands at 1Gbps and 10 Gbps over lengths of up to 100 meters and 50 meters, respectively. All Category 6 ethernet cables come with a bandwidth capacity of 550 MHz.
The data transfer rates of augmented Category 6 ethernet cables such as Cat6a Plenum Bare copper stands at 10 Gbps over lengths of up to 100 meters. All augmented Category 6 cables come with an enhanced bandwidth capacity of up to 750 MHz.
The data transfer rates of Category 7 ethernet cables such as Cat7 Plenum or Cat7 Riser stand at a mammoth 40 Gbps over the length of up to 50 meters. These cables are supported by a bandwidth capacity of 1000 MHz.
Bare Copper Cables & Cost Factor
As pure copper cables have far superior crosstalk & EMI characteristics, far less attenuation & DC resistance, and are much easier to run, they are relatively much more expensive than their CCA counterparts. But to be honest, the cost is worth it.
When you use pure copper cables in your network, you enjoy seamless connectivity with no outside interference with your signal quality. Even in harsh conditions — places where EMI and crosstalk are extremely high –, a Cat6 cable delivers top-notch performance.
Places of Installation
You will install a plenum-rated bare copper cable such as Cat6 Plenum Bare Copper Cable in the plenum or horizontal spaces of the buildings. It is because jackets of such ethernet cable are CMP-rated and have fire-retardant properties. It means when exposed to fire, these cables halt fire progression and emit no toxic elements or smoke during the burning process. You can also use this cable for installation in the riser and outdoor spaces. However, it can’t be reversed.
You will run a riser-rated ethernet cable such as Cat6 Riser Bare Copper Cable in riser or vertical spaces of the buildings. These cables also halt fire progression and have extremely low toxicity. You can use riser-rated cables in the outdoor spaces too; however, it cannot be reversed.
