Which category of UTP is most commonly used to achieve 1Gbps transfer speeds?

The category of UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) cable most commonly used to achieve 1Gbps transfer speeds is Cat5e. This enhanced version of Cat5 was designed to support higher frequencies and reduce crosstalk, making it capable of handling gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) connections.

Cat5e cables can maintain the required bandwidth of up to 100MHz, which is sufficient for supporting data transmission rates of 1Gbps over distances of up to 100 meters. This effective performance combined with its widespread availability makes Cat5e the standard choice for many networking environments seeking to run gigabit speeds without requiring more advanced cabling.

While Cat6 and Cat6a do support higher speeds and bandwidths, they are not as commonly deployed as Cat5e for typical 1Gbps applications. Most existing installations and environments still utilize Cat5e for gigabit Ethernet, thus establishing it as the prevalent standard for achieving these transfer speeds.