CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Category 5 (Cat 5) wiring supports data transfer rates of up to 100 Mbps. This type of twisted pair cable was widely used in networking applications for Ethernet connectivity. Specifically, Cat 5 is designed to handle the 100BASE-T Ethernet standard, which enables reliable data transmission over local area networks (LANs) at speeds that meet the demands of many applications, including internet access, file sharing, and other network services.

While Cat 5 can theoretically handle speeds up to 1 Gbps under certain conditions (utilizing techniques like full-duplex mode), its maximum specified operational speed is 100 Mbps. This distinguishes it from higher categories, such as Cat 5e or Cat 6, which are built to support higher data rates, such as gigabit speeds. Understanding the capabilities of Cat 5 cabling is essential for network design and troubleshooting, ensuring that the chosen infrastructure meets the requirements of the applications being used.