Hey Guys,
here some more information to cat7 cabling and connectors.
cat5, cat6, cat7 cables are specifying upward transmitting frequencies (100MHz, 250MHz, 1000MHz). You can use all three of them for 1 Gbit-Networking, but only cat7 for future 10GBit-Networking. For sure 1GBit-data transmission/reliability on a cat 7 cable will be better than on a cat5e.
Connectors is quite a different story. You can find find RJ45-Connectors (standard or ethercon) fitted to all three types of cabling. But they are not able to handle the full speed of the cat7 cabling specifications. For that reason new connectors, with more pin space, are developed. There is a connector type GG45 available which is downward compatible to RJ45. Others like TERA or MMC3000 are not.
Have a look to the new connectors in wiki here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GG45
I myself are running my iLives ( ACE and dante ) with cat7 cables on drums with ethercon RJ45-connectors fitted. They are provided by german company Sommercable, and work reliable for more than a year now.
Cheers
Gunter
Günter Eisbach
dL-Recording
Darmstadt / Germany