Difference between internet speed and cable specification speed??

[xoxo9931]

Hello! I am new to this forum and the world of networking and I am super confused. I know that there are many categories for a copper wire. The most popular categories right now are 5, 5e and 6. However, I am confused about the specification of those categories. For example, 1000Base T Ethernet is generally used for over category 5 or high UTP cable.

Questions
1) Does 1000Base T mean that the UTP cable will send and receive data at a speed of 1GBPS?
2) If my internet access plan offers a speed of 500mbps download speed and 500mbps upload speed, is there any need to have a cable that supports 1GBPS? How are the isp and the cable specification (1000Base T) link together?
3) What do you mean by ethernet? Is it a cable or a protocol?
4) Ethernet switches come in 10/100 or 10/100/1000 models. What do you mean by " 10/100 " "100/1000"?

 

[CaptainSTX]

Why don't you goto Wikipedia and read the short article on Ethernet then come back to the forum with any remaining questions.

 

[degrub]

wiki read and then you should be buying Gbit only for that service level.

1) yes
2) yes, you would have to use at least 5E rated local cables for all links on your lan. Include switches as full duplex gigbit, autonegotiate typically. All lan devices should be Gbit.
3) yes to both. It is a physical specification of the connections and hardware interface to devices -OSI layer 1
4) to support your 500mbit service always buy 10/100/1000 devices

 

[sfx2000]

For the LAN - 1GB is perfectly fine with CAT5E in most homes - unless it's a really big home..

Questions
1) Does 1000Base T mean that the UTP cable will send and receive data at a speed of 1GBPS?
2) If my internet access plan offers a speed of 500mbps download speed and 500mbps upload speed, is there any need to have a cable that supports 1GBPS? How are the isp and the cable specification (1000Base T) link together?
3) What do you mean by ethernet? Is it a cable or a protocol?
4) Ethernet switches come in 10/100 or 10/100/1000 models. What do you mean by " 10/100 " "100/1000"?

1) 1000BaseT (GBe) - that is a spec that defines how many bits go between two end points
2) Yes, as the steps are 100BaseT and 1000BaseT
3) Ethernet is a protocol that is carried over a wire - the Wires are qualified by electrical performance of that wire - that's why we have 1 Gigabit Ethernet over a Category 5E cable
4) Fast Ethernet, Gigiabit Ethernet, yadda yadda - that's the ports they support, and performance across the ports. - for most these days in 2017, a 5 or 8 port gigabit switch is more than good enough.

 

[Bilby]

1) yes
2) yes, cat5 10Mb/s 100Mb/s
cat5e 10Mb/s 100Mb/s 1GbE
cat6 10Mb/s 100Mb/s 1GbE 10GbE
They all RJ45 connectors and some of them are UTP made.
3) Ethernet is a protocol.
4) 10/100/1000 devices are available to your requirement.