What is printed on the cable, and what it means.
Category, shielding, conductor, jacket and CPR class. How to read a network cable and choose the right one for your installation.
The category sets the bandwidth.
The category (Cat) tells which frequency the cable carries, in MHz. A higher frequency carries more data per second over the channel. A channel is the full link from switch to device: up to 100 m, 30 m for Cat8.
Cat6a is the standard for new installations. It carries 10 Gbit/s over the full 100 m and has headroom for PoE.
| Category | Bandwidth | Speed | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat5e | 100 MHz | 1 Gbit/s | 100 m |
| Cat6 | 250 MHz | 1 Gbit/s (10 Gbit/s up to 55 m) | 100 m |
| Cat6a | 500 MHz | 10 Gbit/s | 100 m |
| Cat7 | 600 MHz | 10 Gbit/s | 100 m |
| Cat8 | 2000 MHz | 25 to 40 Gbit/s | 30 m |
Before the slash: the whole cable. After it: each pair.
The code follows ISO/IEC 11801. The part before the slash tells how the whole cable is shielded, the part after it how each pair is shielded. U means unshielded, F foil, S a braided screen.
Shielding protects against interference from outside, for example next to power cables or machines. A shielded cable needs shielded connectors and an earthed patch panel.
| Code | Whole cable | Per pair |
|---|---|---|
| U/UTP | None | None |
| F/UTP | Foil | None |
| U/FTP | None | Foil |
| SF/UTP | Braid and foil | None |
| S/FTP (PIMF) | Braid | Foil |
100% copper or CCA.
A copper conductor carries the signal better and breaks less easily. CCA (copper-clad aluminium) has an aluminium core with a thin copper layer. That core has a higher resistance.
CCA does not meet the standards for structured cabling (ISO/IEC 11801, TIA-568) and is less suitable for PoE. Use CCA only for short, simple links. Danicom always calls CCA CCA: on the box, in the name and on this site.
A lower AWG number is a thicker wire.
AWG23 is thicker than AWG24 and AWG26. Installation cable on reels is usually AWG23 or AWG24. Patch cables are often AWG26: thinner and more flexible.
PVC, LSZH or PE.
PVC: the common indoor jacket. LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen): little smoke and no halogens in a fire, for example where many people gather or sensitive equipment stands. LSZH is not a CPR class: fire requirements refer to the Euroclass. A PVC cable in Dca-s2 also meets the Dutch minimum. PE: resists moisture and UV light, for outdoor use and underground (in a duct).
Solid for the wall, stranded for the patch.
Solid core: for fixed cabling in walls and trays, and for punch-down terminations. Stranded core: for cables that move, such as patch cables you make yourself. Choose connectors that fit the core.
The Euroclass tells how the cable burns.
Since 1 July 2017, network cable installed permanently in a building falls under the European Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The cable gets a Euroclass from Aca (best fire behaviour) to Fca (no performance determined).
For the classes B1ca to Dca, additional codes add detail: s for smoke production (s1a to s3), d for burning droplets (d0 to d2) and a for the acidity of the smoke (a1 to a3). A lower number is better. Eca and Fca have no additional codes.
National building rules set the class you need. In the Netherlands, the Bbl (art. 4.45a) requires at least Dca-s2 for cable that borders the indoor air in new buildings. Escape routes need more, up to B2ca-s1 in an extra protected escape route. Other countries have their own rules.
So check the smoke class too: Dca-s3 does not meet a Dca-s2 requirement. Eca and Fca do not meet the Dutch rule where the cable borders the indoor air. Danicom cable on reels comes in B2ca, Cca, Dca, Eca and Fca; the full class is in the DoP.
- Aca
- B1ca
- B2ca
- Cca
- Dca
- Eca
- Fca
Marked: the classes in the Danicom range. Dutch new buildings: at least Dca-s2 where the cable borders the indoor air.
The declaration of performance proves the class.
The DoP (Declaration of Performance) is the manufacturer's statement for a CPR class. It names the cable and its class. For the classes Aca to Eca it also names the notified body that established the class. For Fca the manufacturer establishes the class itself (AVCP system 4). No DoP, no CE marking.
Since 8 January 2026 the new Construction Products Regulation (EU 2024/3110) applies. It turns the DoP into the Declaration of Performance and Conformity (DoPC). For cables, the existing harmonised standards still apply for now.
Danicom cable on reels comes with a DoP. You find it on the product page and under Downloads.
Not sure which cable you need?
Call +31 74 760 10 15 on working days, or send your question with the contact form.