mixed cat 5e and cat 6

Danilo Dy · ‎10-26-2009

I never heard anyone having a problem mixing cat 5e and cat 6 with the scenario below, but I experienced it today troubleshooting a network.

Diagram 1:

Server<-Cat 5e-><-Switch-><-Cat 6->Server

Settings: auto/auto

Negotiated: 1000/full-duplex

Errors/Packet Drops: none

File Size: 300GB

Throughput: 120Mbps max.

Failure: After 90% data transferred

I found out that the cable on the other side of the switch is cat 5e so I change it to cat 6.

Diagram 2:

Server<-Cat 6-><-Switch-><-Cat 6->Server

Settings: auto/auto

Negotiated: 1000/full-duplex

Errors/Packet Drops: none

File Size: 300GB

Throughput: 200Mbps max.

Failure: none

Anyone can explain or have a link that explain why it is not allowed to mixed cat 5e and cat 6 in the above diagram 1? I know for sure that it is not allowed to mixed cat 5e and cat 6 in a patch panel/patch cord.

mmacdonald70 · ‎10-27-2009

I don't see how this issue could be related to using two different cables since there is a switch in between. If the problem was corrected when you switched the cable, I would suspect a bad cable.

Did you check errors on the ports? With the NIC and switchport set to auto, did you verify that both ends negotiated to 1000/F?

Danilo Dy · ‎10-27-2009

Thats what I think also, there is a switch in between.

Your questions is already answered in my post above.

Not bad cable, this doesn't happen only between two servers, but a lot of servers in the same connection as illustrated above.

We try FTP, SFTP, Windows Share and using Cat 6 end-to-end have better throughput.