Which cable type offers higher bandwidth and performance over longer distances?

The choice of CAT6 cable as the correct answer is based on its design and specifications, which provide greater bandwidth and performance capabilities compared to the other options.

CAT6 cables are capable of supporting data rates up to 10 Gbps (Gigabits per second) over distances of up to 55 meters, and they can handle frequencies up to 250 MHz. This makes them suitable for high-speed data transmission in environments that require significant bandwidth, such as data centers and enterprise networks.

The construction of CAT6 cables includes tighter twists and improved insulation compared to earlier cable types, reducing crosstalk and adherence to performance standards. This design enhancement allows CAT6 to maintain high performance even in more demanding networking applications.

While CAT5 and CAT5e cables offer lower performance specifications—up to 100 Mbps for CAT5 and up to 1 Gbps for CAT5e—CAT6 surpasses these limitations, catering to modern networking needs. CAT7, although it offers higher performance with support for data rates up to 10 Gbps over longer distances (up to 100 meters) and higher frequencies (up to 600 MHz), is not as commonplace and is generally more expensive and complex, thus making CAT6 a better option for many