
I'm not 100% sure on this yet, but I think ALL the Cat 6 cables I ordered from Cable Matters about 3 years ago may not be properly terminated. None of the cables failed, but after some research I found out that there is an obvious difference between the Cat 5 and Cat 6 end ends (plugs). All wires in a Cat 5 connector go straight in, but wires in a Cat 6 connector must be offset or zigzag. In 2018 I ordered a bundle of Cat 6 patch cords through Cable Matters and Tripp Lite. All of the wires in the Category 6 cables I've ordered from Tripp Lite have a zigzag pattern, but NONE of the cables I've ordered from Cable Matters have this pattern. A foot of Cat 6 cable with a Cat 6 connector on one end and a Cat 5 connector on the other end, but this makes the entire cable behave as a Cat 5 cable. I'm still investigating this issue, but everything I've seen so far says I'm right about what I said above.<<<<< ##EDIT ## >>>>> Maybe was I wrong? I terminated some Cat 6 cables myself a while ago and still have some of the perfect Cat 6 RJ45 8p8c ends and the wires go straight in like the ones I got from Cable Matters. The connectors are designed so that the wires can be passed through, so that when the ends are crimped, the wires are also severed.