Which Ethernet cable to buy

• TD

  Tobias Dorian

  2/21/25, 9:59 AM

  Hi everyone! I've been trying to figure out which Ethernet cable to buy for my home for a few days now. I'm planning to upgrade my network as the speed has been a bit lacking for comfortable 4K video streaming and online gaming. I see there are different types of cables - Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and even Cat7. I already had a Cat5e cable but since gigabit internet came out I'm not sure if it's enough. I understand that with each type of cable the maximum data transfer rate also increases?

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• ED

  Evan Duke

  2/22/25, 11:11 AM

  Hello! Many people wonder, How long can and Ethernet Cable be? I recently asked myself this question, so I can share my experience. Indeed, choosing a cable is not as easy as it may seem at first glance. Let me start with the fact that the Cat5e cable is a good budget option for home use if your Internet is up to 1 Gbps. But with the transition to higher speeds, say, 2 Gbps or even 10 Gbps, it may no longer cope. It is simply not designed for higher signal frequencies, and data transmission may not be as stable. In this case, it is worth considering Cat6, which can support speeds of up to 10 Gbps at a distance of up to 55 meters. However, for long sections (for example, if you have a large house), it is better to take Cat6a, since this cable supports 10 Gbps at a distance of up to 100 meters. This is important, because at long distances the signal weakens, and Cat6 simply cannot withstand it. For example, I took Cat6a when I realized that in a few years I would definitely change the tariff to a faster one, and I did not want to change the cable every couple of years. For those who still choose Cat7, this is an even more advanced option with shielding, which helps to avoid interference, but in practice, such a cable may be excessive for home use. The only thing: the price of Cat6 and Cat6a cables may differ slightly, and this is worth considering, especially if you do not need to connect super-fast Internet. It is also worth paying attention to the manufacturers - for example, TP-Link or Ubiquiti often offer good solutions at an adequate price, and I have not encountered any problems with their quality. In general, if you want to be sure of your choice, I would advise not to save money and choose at least Cat6 or even Cat6a, especially if you have plans for the future, such as upgrading the Internet or connecting many devices via Ethernet.

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