CAT7 Cable

CAT7 Cable Overview

Category 7 Ethernet Cable, or Class F cable is the cable standard for Ethernet and is the seventh generation of twisted pair cable. CAT7 cable is designed with stricter specifications for crosstalk and system noise then Class E. It is also backward compatible with Class D and Class E cable. CAT7 can deliver transmission speeds up to 600 MHz, making it ideal for 10G networks.

CAT7 cable features additional shielding, protecting individual wire pairs, as well as foil shielding over the cable as a whole. The twisting of the wire pairs and the number of turns per unit length further increases the RF shielding, protecting the CAT7 from crosstalk.

CAT7 cable allows for 10 Gigabit Ethernet over 100m of copper cable. CAT7 cable can be terminated with 8P8C compatible G45 connectors, or with TERA connectors. It is quality manufactured to meet and exceed product certifications such as ANSI/TIA 568 B.2-1, ISO/IEC 2nd Edition 11801 Class F Specifications.

Although 10 Gigabit Ethernet can be run with CAT6A cable, network integrity is best maintained with lower crosstalk. At high transmission speeds, elimination of interference is even more critical. Our CAT7 cable can handle the following network applications: 10GBASE-T Ethernet, 1000BASE-Tx Gigabit Ethernet, 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), 10 VG - AnyLAN (IEEE802.12), 550MHz Broadband Video, Voice, T1, ISDN and 155/622 Mbps ATM.

Our CAT7 cable is available in both an indoor CM jacket, and also in a Low Smoke Zero Halogen jacket for either indoor or outdoor applications. It is sold on a wooden spool of 1,000ft.

CAT7 Indoor Cable

Our CAT7 indoor cable for indoor applications includes four pairs of 23 AWG diameter solid bare copper conductors. Each twisted pair is individually shielded with tin-copper braiding, and the cable is coated with a CM rated PVC jacket.

CAT7 Indoor Shielded Ethernet Cable - This indoor CAT7 indoor cable is suitable for: 10G high speed data applications, Gigabit Ethernet, and 550MHz broadband video, just to name a few. The CM solid individually shielded pairs of this cable is quality manufactured to meet or exceed product certifications such as ANSI/TIA 568 B.2-1, ISO/IEC 2nd Edition 11801 Class F Specifications.

CAT7 Outdoor Cable

We also offer CAT7 cable for outdoor applications to suit your high speed data network. The solid bare copper conductors are arranged in foil twisted pairs to minimize crosstalk. The characteristics of this CAT7 outdoor cable are almost identical to those of the indoor CAT7 we offer, only this one has an outdoor rated jacket.

CAT7 Outdoor Shielded Ethernet Cable - This CAT 7 outdoor cable comes coated with a low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) jacket making it durable for outdoor applications while making it safe for indoor installations. This 23 AWG CAT7 outdoor cable meets or exceeds the same ANSI/TIA and ISO/IEC certifications as our indoor CAT7 cable.

CAT7A Cable

CAT7A, or Augmented Class F is the latest officially recognized standard for networking cable ratified by the ISO/IEC in 2010. It is the highest caliber of twisted pair copper cable to be officially supported by a performance standard to date. CAT7A is defined for data transmission frequencies up to 1,000MHz. Simulation results indicate that 40 Gigabit Ethernet may be possible at 50 meters, and 100 Gigabit Ethernet at 15 meters.

CAT7A cable is commonly terminated with GG45 connectors, which are backwards compatible with 8P8C RJ45 connectors used on CAT6 cable. The GG45 connector features four additional conductors, supporting speeds up to 600MHz on CAT 7, and up to 1,000MHz on CAT7A. Another termination option for CAT7A cable is the TERA connector, developed by Siemon.

The crosstalk characteristics of CAT7 and CAT7A cable enable them to support much higher frequency signals than CAT5E and CAT6. Although fiber optic cable also delivers high performance data transfer capabilities, fiber optic cable is not as flexible as twisted pair copper. Fiber optic cable also requires expensive equipment and expertise to install properly.

CAT7A Shielded Ethernet Cable - This shielded four pair, eight conductor foil twisted pair 23 AWG cable is ideal for both indoor and outdoor applications. It has a low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) jacket making it safe for both indoor and outdoor use. The individually shielded twisted pairs allow for excellent attenuation and crosstalk characteristics.

CAT7 Vs CAT7A Cable

Our CAT7 and CAT7A cable exhibit very similar characteristics, and both are viable options for high performance data center applications. This significant difference between the two cables is the diameter. CAT7A cable is slightly thicker than CAT7 due to a slightly higher level of shielding. The extra shielding reduces EMI, and provides for network speeds up to 1,000MHz.

Additional CAT7 Products

Blank Shielded Patch Panel, 24 Port – This snap-in type patch panel provides a flexible modular solution for on site network management. It fits the standardized 19" rack or enclosure and includes built-in rear cable manageme nt to efficiently organize bulk cable.

Shielded RJ45 Connector for CAT6, CAT6A, CAT7 Solid and Stranded Cable – Modular plugs are designed to terminate cable in order to connect your cable to keystone jacks, patch panels, and other RJ45 inserts. These RJ45s are UL listed, and made to accommodate CAT6, CAT6A, and CAT7 cable.

CAT6(A) Wire Crimping Tool, Ratchet Type, for RJ45 Modular Plugs – This is the ideal crimping tool for terminating CAT7 cable to install with our line of shielded RJ45 plugs.

All-In-One Cable Stripper for Data, Coax, Telco, and Fiber – This lightweight, compact, and versatile stripping tool helps save time and money on installation projects. It can strip a wide variety of cable and also has a built in wire cutter and braid comb.