Are Cat6 and Cat6a keystone jacks the same? Want to know the answer?

Key Differences Between Cat6 and Cat6a Keystone Jacks

▸ Performance Support

• Cat6 Keystone Jack: Primarily designed to support network speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps). It can handle signal frequencies up to 250 MHz.
• Cat6a Keystone Jack: Designed for higher performance standards. It can support network speeds up to 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps) and increases signal frequency handling capabilities to 500 MHz.
• Simple Analogy: If Cat6 is a regular highway in the city, then Cat6a is a superhighway that allows for much faster speeds.

▸ Internal Structure and Design

• Cat6 Keystone Jack: Due to the lower supported frequency, its internal structure is relatively simple, and the requirements for controlling crosstalk (signal interference) between components are relatively less stringent.
• Cat6a Keystone Jack: To achieve higher frequencies and faster speeds, its design focuses more on interference resistance.
It typically uses more complex internal wiring or a thicker plastic casing to reduce internal signal crosstalk.
Many Cat6a Keystone Jacks are **shielded**, meaning they have a metal casing to protect internal signals from external electromagnetic interference (EMI).

▸ Size and Volume

• Cat6a Keystone Jacks are usually **larger and heavier** than Cat6 Keystone Jacks.
• This is because they need to accommodate more complex anti-interference structures (such as shielding layers or more precise internal components), so Cat6a modules may occupy more space during installation.