Cables

Category 5 (CAT5) Cable is made up of eight tightly twisted 24awg wires paired together.  Each pair has a solid and a "dashed" color.  This designates that the wires go together.  CAT5e and CAT6 follow the same concept and are used for high speed networks.  There is nothing wrong with using a higher category cable then you need.  It gives you room to upgrade.

Solid cable should be used for in wall cable.  Stranded cable should be used for  patch cables that are used to connect the faceplate to the network device.

Categories:

Category 1 - Analog Voice
Category 2 - Token Ring Networks
Category 3 - Digital Voice
Category 4 - 16Mbps Token Ring
Category 5 - Ethernet
Category 6 - High Speed Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet

Tips:

• To avoid stretching, pulling tension should not exceed 110N (25 lbƒ) for 4-pair cables.
• Installed bend radii shall not exceed: - 4 times the cable diameter for horizontal UTP cables. - 10 times the cable diameter for multi-pair backbone UTP cables.
• Avoid cable stress, as caused by: - cable twist during pulling or installation - tension in suspended cable runs - tightly cinched cable ties or staples - tight bend radii.
• Horizontal cables should be used with connecting hardware and patch cords (or jumpers) of the same performance category or higher.
• Maximum In-Wall cabling should not exceed 328ft.