Which category of cable is capable of supporting speeds up to 1 Gbps?

Category 5e cable is designed to support data transmission speeds of up to 1 Gbps (Gigabit per second) over distances of up to 100 meters. This improvement over its predecessor, Category 5, is achieved through better insulation and reduced crosstalk, allowing for more reliable data communication.

While Category 6 and Category 7 cables also support higher speeds (with Category 6 supporting up to 10 Gbps at shorter distances and Category 7 supporting even higher performance), the question specifically asks for a category that can support 1 Gbps. Category 5e fits perfectly within this requirement as it is widely utilized for Gigabit Ethernet applications, making it a standard choice for networking environments requiring that level of performance.

In contrast, Category 3 is limited to lower transmission speeds and is not suitable for 1 Gbps, while Category 6 and Category 7, although capable of handling higher speeds, are not necessary for doing so if only 1 Gbps is required. Therefore, Category 5e is the correct choice for this question.