General question which cable should I use?

For most home and small office networks, Cat6 is usually the best choice because it offers a good balance of performance, cost, and future-proofing.

• Cat5e: Supports up to 1 Gbps at distances up to 100 meters. It's the most affordable option and works well for basic internet browsing, streaming, and general office tasks. However, it provides less protection against interference and has limited support for higher network speeds.
• Cat6: Supports 1 Gbps up to 100 meters and 10 Gbps up to about 55 meters. It has better insulation, reduced crosstalk, and improved overall performance compared to Cat5e. It's an excellent choice for most modern homes and small businesses.
• Cat6a: Supports 10 Gbps up to 100 meters and offers even better shielding against interference. It's ideal for larger offices, data-intensive applications, or environments with significant electrical noise. The downside is that it's more expensive, thicker, and less flexible, making installation a bit more difficult.

If you're installing new cabling today, I'd recommend Cat6 unless you specifically need 10 Gbps over long cable runs. It provides excellent value, supports current networking equipment, and leaves room for future upgrades without the extra cost and installation complexity of Cat6a.