6 categories of oxygen-free copper wire identification and evaluation guidelines

　　Core definition and technical parameters

　　Category 6 oxygen-free copper cable (CAT6-OFC) is a high-performance network cable compliant with TIA/EIA-568-C.2 standard, using 99.99% oxygen-free copper conductor (oxygen content < 0.0005%), supporting 10Gbps tranSMission rate and 250MHz bandwidth, suitable for gigabit networks, data centers and smart building cabling. Its structural features include:

　　Conductor: single strand diameter 0.57MM, anti-oxidation, low loss.

　　Insulation layer: high density polyethylene (HDPE) to reduce signal attenuation.

　　Sheath: flame retardant PVC material, corrosion resistance, tensile strength.

　　Shielding design: Some models have copper wire braided shielding layer (such as UTP-CAT6A) to enhance anti-interference ability.

　　Second, the identification method (5-step quick judgment)

　　Look at the logo

　　Packaging label: Look for the words "OFC" (oxygen-free copper) or "99.99% pure copper".

　　Cable outer skin: printed with "CAT6" or "CAT6A" logo, shielded type may be marked with "S/FTP".

　　appearance

　　Color and gloss: The outer skin of high-quality oxygen-free copper mesh cable is smooth, shiny, and free of oxidation spots; inferior products may be dull or yellow.

　　Sheath quality: no whitening crease after bending, quick rebound after stretching; inferior sheath is easy to crack.

　　conductor

　　Magnet adsorption: Oxygen-free copper does not contain iron, and magnets do not adsorb cables.

　　Scratch inspection: Scratch the outer skin with a knife and observe the color of the copper core: high-quality oxygen-free copper is bright red, and the impurity copper is dark or black.

　　resistance measurement

　　Tool detection: Use a multimeter to measure the resistance of a single conductor at 100 meters, with high-quality oxygen-free copper resistance ≤ 30Ω (impurity copper resistance > 50Ω).

　　Professional test

　　FLUKE test: Detect attenuation, crosstalk, return loss and other parameters through FLUKE DTX-1800 and other equipment, subject to TIA standards.

　　Key Quality Standards

　　IV. Purchase suggestions

　　scene matching

　　Home gigabit network: choose unshielded CAT6, pay attention to the flame retardant level of the sheath.

　　Data center/computer room: CAT6A shielded type is preferred for stronger anti-interference ability.

　　Brand selection

　　Reliable brands: such as Xundao, AMP, CommScope, etc., provide products that meet national standards.

　　Test report: Manufacturers are required to provide FLUKE test reports and material test reports.

　　Price Alert

　　Low price risk: less than 2 yuan/meter of "CAT6" may be copper-clad aluminum or recycled copper, with high resistance and short life.

　　Reasonable range: The price of oxygen-free copper CAT6 is usually 3-5 yuan/meter (unshielded), and the shielded type is 10% -20% more expensive.

　　V. Practical testing skills

　　Simple test: Use a network tester to check whether the 8 cores are fully connected and observe the order of the indicator lights.

　　Combustion test: ignite the sheath, flame retardant PVC should be self-extinguishing away from the fire, with no open flame residue.

　　Tensile test: Pull the sheath hard, high-quality products are not easy to break, and inferior products are easy to crack.