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Ethernet Cables

Our ethernet cables cover ready-made patch leads and network cable on the reel. AV:Link patch leads come in Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6a in a spread of lengths, Mercury reels suit installers wiring a building, and the range also holds pre-terminated leads for longer runs. There are unshielded and shielded types, and outdoor-grade cable for runs to a garden office, a garage or a camera outside.

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Why a wired connection still matters

Wi-Fi is convenient, but a wired connection is steadier. It keeps its speed when the house is busy, it does not fade through thick walls, and it holds a low, even delay, which matters for online games, video calls and streaming in high resolution. A single ethernet lead from the router to a TV, a desk or a games console often fixes the room where wireless always struggled.

Wired and wireless work side by side: phones and tablets stay on Wi-Fi while the devices that sit still use a lead. A wired connection also frees the Wi-Fi for the devices that need it, which helps when several people work from home at once, each on a video call.

Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6a: matching the job

Cat5e carries gigabit ethernet, the speed most home broadband and routers use, and it is still a sound choice for a simple home network. Cat6 adds headroom and carries 10 gigabit over shorter runs, so it suits a home office or a new installation. Cat6a carries 10 gigabit over the full length of a standard run, the choice for offices, links between switches and cabling meant to last.

All three use the same RJ45 plug, so they mix freely on one network, and each link runs at the speed its slowest part allows. If you are unsure, choose Cat6 for a new installation: it costs little more than Cat5e and leaves room for faster equipment later.

Patch leads or a reel?

A patch lead comes ready to use, with a plug at each end: it connects a device to a router, a switch or a wall socket. Our AV:Link patch leads cover short leads for a shelf of equipment through to long leads that cross an office. A reel is for fixed wiring: the cable is cut to length on site and terminated into wall sockets or a patch panel, so one reel serves many rooms.

For a handful of connections, patch leads are simpler. For a whole building, a reel costs far less per point. Keep a few spare patch leads in different lengths; they are the part of a network that gets moved, bent and replaced most often.

Wiring a room or a building

Plan the network from a central point: each wall socket gets its own run back to the switch or the patch panel rather than a chain from room to room. Label both ends of every run as you pull it, leave a little spare cable at each end for re-termination, and keep network cable apart from mains cables where you can, crossing at right angles where they must meet.

Test every run before the walls are closed, and keep a simple plan of which socket goes where. It saves hours the first time something needs moving. A simple cable tester confirms that each run is wired correctly, pair by pair, before you rely on it.

Shielded cable for noisy sites

Most homes and offices do well with unshielded cable, where the twist of each pair rejects interference. Shielded types wrap the pairs in foil or braid and suit runs past motors, lift machinery, lighting gear or other sources of electrical noise, and some installations specify them throughout. A shielded run needs shielded plugs and sockets at both ends to work as intended.

Our range covers both, and the product title gives the construction, from U/UTP to S/FTP. On a home job, unshielded cable is the straightforward choice and the easier one to terminate.

Outdoor runs and cameras

A run outside, to a garden office, a garage, an outbuilding or a camera on the wall, needs outdoor-grade cable, because an indoor sheath is not made for sunlight and damp. Our outdoor cable has a tougher sheath for the job. Take the cable through a duct or along a wall where it is out of harm's way, seal the point where it enters the building, and bring it inside to a socket.

Many network cameras take their power over the same cable, so one run serves both the picture and the power. Where the camera or the outbuilding is a long way off, plan the route so the whole link stays within the 100m of a standard run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ethernet cable do I need at home?
A Cat6 patch lead suits most homes and leaves headroom. Cat5e is fine for gigabit broadband and a simple network.

Can I mix Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6a on one network?
Yes. They all use RJ45 plugs, and each link runs at the speed of its slowest part.

Is a longer ethernet lead slower?
No. A standard link keeps its speed up to 100m from switch to device, including the patch leads at each end.

Can I make my own leads from a reel?
Yes, with RJ45 plugs and a crimp tool, or terminate the reel into wall sockets and use short patch leads from there.

Do I need shielded cable?
Rarely at home. Shielded cable is worth it on sites with electrical noise, or where an installation specifies it.

Can I run ethernet cable outside?
Yes, with outdoor-grade cable. An indoor sheath is not made for sunlight and damp, so use outdoor cable for any run outside.

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