Cat-5e are inline, CAT-6 are staggered to place the pairs closer together and maintain the amount of twist of data pairs as much as possible. This increases its ability to reject adjacent interference and also increases its ability to handle higher frequency data transmissions.
CAT-6 on your left, CAT-5e on your right.
Then there are also shielded RJ-45's for STP cable.
It's a grey area for RJ-45 connectors for cat5e and cat6. Technically, if using cat5e cable you buy cat5e connectors. If using cat6, use cat6 connectors. We have used various manufacturers. Some cat5e connectors look identical to cat6 connectors (flat and straight pin channels). Some cat6 connectors are striped part of copper pair UP and solid part of copper pair down by 0.5 millimeter or so (depending on manufacturer...striped could be down), like a zigzag.
At work, we 100% just use the zigzag looking cat6 RJ-45 connectors for everything. It all passes cat6 certification.
But that's work and we do this all day.
I like Tony's explanation better. Follow his advice
Technically, no, there are some differences in wire gauge and other aspects. Practically, you'll probably be OK in most cases if you had to. Also differences in those for stranded vs solid wire. Best to use what's supposed to go where it's supposed to go.
But in any case best not to be putting RJ-45s on the ends of your runs of solid riser-type cable. Can be done but better to terminate into a patch panel and then use stranded patch cables over to your switch. Much more flexible and you can just buy a bunch pre-terminated and save yourself the time and trouble.
Is it possible for someone to link me to a post showing someone placing their cables behind their vinyl siding? I wanted to see if they just threw it behind there, or put a clip every feet or something. I tried to search the forums but didn't come up with much. Sorry for being such an inconvenience!
