Most of the fiber optic connections that we can contract today reach speeds of 1 Gbps. However, since 2021, it is already possible to contract 10 Gbps fiber , a speed that will become increasingly normal in 2022. Currently it is only offered by Digi in some areas of the Community of Madrid, and Orange in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza. However, to fully enjoy that connection you need more than just hiring it.
Most of today’s devices have Gigabit Ethernet ports. These connectors have been the most widely used in the last decade in desktop and laptop computers. There are even older laptops with 100M Ethernet ports, and most Smart TVs (even 4K ones) only equip 100M Ethernet ports. Only 8K and some higher-end models are equipped with Gigabit Ethernet.
Ethernet Cat.6 or higher: required for more than 1 Gbps
Therefore, the first thing is to know if you are going to be able to enjoy a speed of 10 Gbps per cable . If you do not have a compatible device at home, you do not have to hire that speed, unless, for example, there are several people in the house taking all the performance out of those ports. For example, if there are four computers downloading non-stop at home with Gigabit Ethernet ports, then it will be worth hiring 10 Gbps.
Beyond that, to get the most out of a connection of this type with a single device it is necessary to have a 10G Ethernet port. Most motherboards on the market only have Gigabit Ethernet or 2.5G Ethernet , although 10G Ethernet is increasingly common in the higher range. If your computer doesn’t have it, you can always add a PCIe network card for 80 euros.
As for cables, if you have one Cat.5e or lower, you will have to change it . The type of cable is usually written on the plastic that covers the cables, so it is very easy to identify it. For a connection of more than 1 Gbps, it is essential to have a Cat.6 cable or higher. These cables are prepared to offer better signal stability, with an internal separation between the four twisted pairs that are inside each Ethernet cable by means of a plastic. Also, the copper wires used indoors are thicker.
Cat.6: up to 55 meters of cable for 10 Gbps
With Cat.6 Ethernet cables, we can reach distances of up to 55 meters if we have favorable crosstalk. In the event that crosstalk is not favorable, we can only use cables of up to 37 meters to enjoy 10 Gbps. If we want to guarantee that we will not have speed problems in any distance, then we will have to use a Cat.6a cable, which offers 10 Gbps at distances of up to 100 meters.
Using cables is the best option to enjoy a stable and fast signal. With WiFi 6 it is possible to achieve real speeds of between 1.5 and 2 Gbps, which can be more than enough for a normal computer. In addition, to download at maximum speed (around 1 GB / s), it is necessary to have an NVMe SSD, since a hard disk or a SATA SSD does not reach those speeds of writing or reading.
