Category 3 cable (Cat 3 cable) is a type of unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable that is used for voice and data communications in computer and telecommunication networks. It is an Ethernet copper cable defined by the Electronics Industry Alliance (EIA) and Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA).
CAT 3 is nominally rated for 10 Mbps. It may be able to handle 100 Mbps. But it is not officially designed for that, and there are actual differences between CAT 3, CAT 5, CAT 5e, CAT 6, etc. that make the newer cable types able to handle higher speeds.
Cat3 cable features a 10 megabits per second (Mbps) transfer rate, operating at 16 megahertz (MHz). Cat5 cable offers a 100 Mbps transfer rate, operating at 100 MHz, making it effectively 10 times faster than Cat3. However, those are optimal speeds in an ideal setting.
