1.What is Cat8 Ethernet cable?

Cat8 is a new generation of double-shielded (SFTP) network patch cord. It has two signal pairs, can support 2000MHz bandwidth, and the transmission rate is up to 40Gb/s, but its                  transmission distance is only 30m, so it is generally used for short-distance data center servers, switches, patch panels and other equipment connections.

2.Cat8 network cable standards

The relevant standards for Category 8 network cables were officially released by the TR-43 Committee of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) in 2016. The specific standards are as follows:

1.Comply with the IEEE 802.3bq 25G/40GBASE-T standard, which specifies the minimum transmission rate of Category 8 network cables and can support 25 Gbps and 40 Gbps network cabling.

2.Comply with the ANSI/TIA-568-C.2-1 standard, which specifies the channels and permanent links of Category 8 network cables, and includes restrictions on resistance unbalance, TCL and ELTCTL.

3.Comply with the ANSI/TIA-1152-A standard, which specifies the measurement and accuracy requirements of Category 8 network cable field testers.

4.Comply with the ISO/IEC-11801 standard, which specifies the channels and permanent links of Category I/II Category 8 network cables.

3.Characteristics and uses of Cat8 network cable

Transmission speed: Cat8 cables support data transmission speeds of up to 40Gbps, making it one of the fastest Ethernet cables on the market today.

Frequency range: Cat8 cables are capable of transmission in a frequency range of 2000MHz, which is much larger than the frequency range of previous Ethernet standards such as Cat6 and Cat7.

Distance: Typically, the transmission distance of Cat8 cables is within 30 meters, which is the range that guarantees its high-speed transmission and stability.

Shielding: Cat8 cables usually adopt a fully shielded (S/FTP) structure, that is, each pair of wires has a metal shield, and the entire cable also has an overall shielding layer, which helps to reduce external interference.

Future technology preparation: Due to its high speed and large bandwidth characteristics, Cat8 cables are considered to be designed to meet the needs of future network applications, such as providing higher-speed connections in data centers, enterprise networks, and home networks.

Cost: Due to its high performance and advanced technology, Cat8 cables are more expensive than other Ethernet cables such as Cat6, Cat6a, and Cat7.

Compatibility: Although Cat8 network cables are compatible with lower-level Ethernet devices (such as 10GBASE-T), to maximize their performance, they need to be used with devices that support the Cat8 standard.

Application: Cat8 network cables are suitable for environments with high network speed requirements, such as large data centers, enterprise networks, high-definition video transmission, online games, etc.

4.Ethernet speed comparison

5.Application scenarios of Category 8 network cables

Category 8 network cables are generally used in scenarios with high-speed transmission and high bandwidth requirements, such as video conferencing, streaming media broadcasting, network-based voice calls, grid computing and storage networks; they are generally used to connect servers, switches, patch panels and other devices in short-distance data centers. Due to the super shielding function of Category 8 cables, they are very suitable for wiring in shielded computer rooms and confidential networks.