Ethernet cables come in a wide array of types. Two of the prominent types are bare copper and copper-clad aluminum.
In this article, we will discuss the differences between solid copper and CCA ethernet cables in detail.
We will explain what CCA and bare copper conductors are, their benefits, and their disadvantages. Read until the end to also find out about the best ethernet cables in both variants. Let’s dive in.
CCA Ethernet Cable
As the name implies, copper-clad aluminum cables have a layer of pure copper plated over a base of aluminum. Aluminum is not as efficient a conductor as copper and to enhance its performance and longevity, bare copper is plated on top of it.
Ethernet cables that have a CCA conductor are ideal for small-scale business networks and home networks.
Solid Copper Ethernet Cables
Cat6 Solid Copper Ethernet Cables are the most popular of the two. These cables, as the name implies have pure copper conductors. Pure or bare copper conductors are popular due to their high performance in all sorts of environments.
For instance, in extreme weather conditions, these cables not only hold well but also transmit data at unparalleled speeds and quality.
Difference between CCA and Solid Copper Cables: Comparison
Bandwidth: Both CCA and Solid Copper cables have the same bandwidth capacities if they are of the same category. For example, both Cat6 bare copper and Cat6 CCA cables have a bandwidth capacity of 550 MHz. Now, this would not be true for two cables of different categories.
Data transfer: Similar to bandwidth capacity, the data transfer speed of both types of cables is the same if they belong to the same category.
Interference: Different interferences such as electromagnetic interference and crosstalk affect the performance of both CCA cable and bare copper cables. However, the latter is more resilient and effective at resisting interference.
Signal Integrity: Bare copper cables are more efficient at keeping the signal integrity intact as compared to their counterparts.
Applications: All of the applications that run on solid copper can also be run on CCA cables except one. And that is PoE. You can not use CCA cables for a high-performance PoE connection, however, solid copper ethernet cables are perfect for this application.
Cost: It is obvious that for the added features and high quality of copper ethernet cables, you will have to pay a little more. But from an expert’s point of view, it is totally worth it.
CCA Ethernet Cables Types
Ethernet Cables perform far better than they used to back in the day. And to achieve this improvement, the latest generation of ethernet cables do not come with CCA conductors. The following are the types of CCA ethernet cables that you can buy today. Note that we have only listed the ones that are used the most in all sorts of network applications.
- Cat5
- Cat5e
- Cat6
Solid Copper Cables Types
The following are the most commonly used and the most popular solid copper ethernet cable available.
- Cat5
- Cat5e
- Cat6
- Cat6a
- Cat7
- Cat8
Which Cable do I need? CCA or Solid Copper
This question is important and easy to answer. Which cable do you need? If you are buying cables for a home network where you will be using the basic ethernet network applications, you can buy CCA cables to save some capital.
But if you are buying cables for a home office or a regular large-scale business, you should get bare copper cables.
Pro tip: Buy pure copper cables because they last longer and provide unparalleled performance.
In a nutshell: Solid copper vs CCA Ethernet Cables
Both of these cables differentiate on the basis of the conductors they come with. CCA cables are more affordable as compared to their counterparts but solid copper cables are more efficient at data transmission and keeping the signal integrity intact.
