Ethernet can have enormous advantages for businesses and homeowners alike. It improves speed, reduces latency, and ensures everything is reliably connected.
Running the proper type of Ethernet will directly influence your connection speed. Here are some important tips for choosing an Ethernet cable.
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Make Sure It’s Long Enough
Ethernet cables come in all different shapes and sizes, making them perfect for connecting devices throughout the home or office. Whether just a few feet or across the room, you’ll need one long enough for your setup.
Remember, Ethernet cables longer than a few hundred feet will start to slow down. Going too far past this limit could result in connectivity issues. If you want to keep everything hardwired, you’ll need to consider your layout beforehand. If necessary, you can use a network lag switch to combine multiple ports into a single path.
Buy the Right Type
Old or low-quality Ethernet cables can limit the amount of data transferred, slowing down service and potentially causing packet loss. Most users can choose between coaxial, twisted pair, or fiber-optic internet cables. Although twisted pair is currently the
most common type, fiber optics is becoming a popular alternative due to its improved speed and reliability.
Knowing which ethernet cables to buy for your application can be tricky, but with enough knowledge, you’ll have the best connection possible. If you want the best speeds, you’ll need to ensure you’re getting the latest cat 9 cables, capable of up to 40 Gbps.
Use Compatible Devices
Hardware plugged directly into the Ethernet will have a better overall connection. Unfortunately, not all devices are compatible with Ethernet. They need an Ethernet port capable of handling the type of cable you’ve purchased.
Cell phones, modern laptops, and IoT devices don’t usually have a specialized adapter for Ethernet, so you’ll need a good home network to get online. Modems and routers are made to connect directly to Ethernet and provide a wireless connection to the other devices in your home or office.
Make Your Network Work for You
Large networks can be a lot of work to maintain, but connecting your devices over Ethernet can provide the best layout and improve connectivity. These tips for choosing an Ethernet cable will give you an excellent place to start if you’re unsure.
With the correct setup, you’ll have a reliable home network where you can get things done without being distracted by disconnects or slow speeds.
FAQ on Ethernet Cable
Coaxial, twisted pair, and fiber-optic cabling are the three most common cable types used for Ethernet cabling. Twisted pair cabling is the most common type of cabling in today’s LANs, but fiber-optic cabling is becoming more popular, particularly in high-performance networks.
The 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100 GbE) standard allows for data speeds of up to 100 billion bits (gigabits) per second (Gbps).
There are four major types of media in use today: Thickwire for 10BASE5 networks; thin coax for 10BASE2 networks; unshielded twisted pair (UTP) for 10BASE-T networks; and fiber optic for 10BASE-FL or Fiber-Optic Inter-Repeater Link (FOIRL) networks.
An Ethernet connection is generally faster and more reliable than a WiFi connection.
Most Ethernet cables are designed to operate at a maximum speed of 328 feet. A CAT 6 cable, for example, has a theoretical maximum speed of 1 Gbps, while a CAT 6a cable can reach 10 Gbps over 328 feet.
There are several different varieties and categories of Ethernet cable that can be obtained: speed variations, crossover cables, Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat6, Cat 6a, Cat 7etc.