Can I use CAT5e jacks with CAT6 cable?

I was wondering if I can use a CAT5e keystone jack with CAT6 cable. I am refering to the parts that terminate a cable where it comes out of the wall.

I want to run a 30 ft length of CAT6 but all I have is CAT5e jacks and I don't want to buy any news ones if I don't have to.

I had read somewhere that CAT5e is 100mhz and CAT6 is 200mhz (though I could have sworn CAT6 was 350mhz).

Anyhow any assistance would be appreciated.


From Wikipedia:

Category 6 cable, commonly referred to as Cat 6, is a standardized cable for Gigabit Ethernet and other network physical layers that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards.

You can always use a lower standard cable or jack, but you will be limited by the speeds of the slowest link in the chain.


I would use cat 6 connectors which cost more than the 5e, assuring me of better speed. Also the wall modular female jacks should be of cat6, just to be sure. Better spend a few extra as you already have invested in cat6 cable. maybe you could sell off the 5e to friends or use them to build wire connectors for single computers/slow devices. goodluck!