Coax vs Category 5/6

Here is a little different perspective - MTs great response is a comparison of two cable types when connected point to point.  How do the electrical properties compare? Perhaps, the following perspective includes what went into the higher authorities decision.

COAX is not generally used point-to-point. Coax uses splitters, diplexers, barrel connecctors. Each connection must be excellent(i.e. compression fittings) in order not to cause problems in U-verse application. The COAX network is defined by HPNA to make all the individual pieces one big cloud. The result is that COAX is more complicated physically & virtually. A problem anywhere in the network will bring the whole network down.

As opposed to cat cable, where a is leg is pretty much isolated.

So, why was COAX even used? Because it was there & people were familiar with it. It helped the rollout & mostly worked - Mine still does - works fine.

The other problem is reusing existing COAX. Big unknown. Hidden barrel connectors or splitters can negatively impact the service.

Perhaps, the worst wire in the circuit is the copper loop. But, not using it, means no service offering. It will gradually be replaced with fiber or over the air. DirectTV opens the market to both non-franchise areas and insufficient copper areas.

In summary, I believe the use of COAX was expeditious, just as using the copper loop is. The recommendation for cat cable is  to minimize problems and look forward to even faster services. It is much more known today, than it was ten years ago.

I hope asking this here doesn't step on any toes. Since Coax and Cat 5/6 was mentioned I thought it would be ok.

What does it mean in the moden settings when in the modem settings it says your connected by RJ-11?

@JadedPixie - Category numbers on the cable describe characteristic standards for the cable.

RJ-11 does the same for the end of the cable. Rj-11 is a standard tel cable connecting two pair. One in the middle & one outer.

RJ-45 is the standard for a cat data cable. It has four pair.

You can google each & get pictures of the color code/wire connection for each.

An rj-11 will fit in an Rj-45 & carry the  signal on the two pair. U-verse does have such a cable.

I have been told that an RJ-11 connector would be 100 mega (bit/byte) capable & a full rj-45/cat cable is giga (bit/byte).

Perhaps the giga capable modem uses the RJ-11 setting to limit the bandwidth to the mega capability.