The XS505M and XS508M come with copper Ethernet 5-speed ports that provide either FastEthernet, 1-Gigabit, 2.5-Gigabit, 5-Gigabit or 10-Gigabit connectivity, as well as 1 SFP+ Fiber port with 1-Gigabit or 10-Gigabit connectivity.
Each port automatically detects which speed is needed by the connected device and provides the adequate speed. As opposed to regular 10-Gigabit switches that will only provide 1-Gigabit connectivity to any device that require less than 10-Gigabit, the XS505M or XS508M give the exact speed required, no downgrade. Also, the new NETGEAR 5-speed switch ports can be connected with regular Cat5E Ethernet cables, without the need to upgrade to Cat6 wiring, therefore reducing wiring costs and hassle
The following paragraph describes the network cables that you can use for the switch connections and the speeds that these cables can support, up to 100 meters (328 feet).
Note: For speeds of 10 Gbps, if the cable length is shorter than 45 meters (148 feet), you can use a Cat 5e cable.