CAT 5, CAT 6, CAT 7?

We are trying to decided if it is a good idea to install a CAT 6 line in our new home. The walls are still open so it wouldn't be too much of a problem. But a lot of people are saying to me that you don't need it anymore because everything is going to move to wireless. Any thoughts? Thanks.

I disagree. Wireless has many advantages, but it will never be as reliable as wired, simply because it's inherently more complex, and there are too many opportunities for disruption. Also, wireless is always going to be at least a few years behind wired in terms of capabilities, and is always going to cost more for the same level of performance.

That said, I think wireless has its place. It's perfect for sending stereo audio to a set of remote speakers, for example. And that's the basic wireless success scenario: applications that aren't too technically demanding, where running wire is difficult or impossible (or just too expensive).

The price of CAT 6 cable is now close enough to that of CAT 5e that it probably makes the most sense. CAT 7 is still pretty much pie-in-the-sky. The key is to run the wire in a way that makes it possible to replace it later. Usually, that means running it in plastic conduit, except where you can get to it via a crawlspace, etc.

-Steve

How does CAT 6 differ from CAT 5? I just bought CAT 5 to put in my walls that will be closed in with drywall in a few days.

CAT 6 has slightly better electrical characteristics, and thus slightly higher bandwidth (400 MHz vs. 350 MHz). It's specifically intended for broadband applications such as streaming video. It costs around 40-50% more than CAT 5e.

-Steve

wired is more secure too

try a little fiber. optical always works best. and, they take up much less room. of course, you'd probably need a mux, so unless you have several 10s of thousands of dollars, i guess that's out.