1 Gang Cat 5 & 6 Ethernet Socket - Navy Blue

A single data point finished in navy blue, this one takes Cat 5 and Cat 6 cable and presents a clean front on a screwless plate. The outer frame clips over the inner plate, so nothing breaks up the face and there are no screwheads to line up. The plate is a standard single gang square at 88mm, with the port set centrally, and the moulding is polycarbonate, so the colour belongs to a hard plastic rather than sitting on the surface as a coat of paint.

Wired networking still beats wireless for anything shifting a lot of data, which makes this the fitting for a desk in a study, a gaming corner, a television wall where a set-top box and a smart set both want a cable, or the spot where the router lives. We would also put one in a hallway or under the stairs to feed an access point on the floor above. It suits anyone decorating in deeper colours who does not want a pale plate interrupting the wall, and it is a low voltage fitting for indoor rooms, intended for data circuits rather than power.

Polycarbonate is a hard, forgiving plastic that takes colour well and copes with the odd knock in a busy corner of a room, which is why we are happy to stock plates moulded from it. Cleaning wants no more than a dry cloth, with a cloth just damp with water for marks; keep solvents and scouring creams away, as both will dull the moulding. It carries a ten year warranty. We think plates like this look best used consistently through a room, so the data point reads as one of a family with everything else on the wall rather than a lone square in a field of colour.

Will this take both Cat 5 and Cat 6 cable?

Yes. It is a data socket made for Cat 5 and Cat 6, so it will serve a standard home or small office network.

What size is the plate?

It is a single gang square, 88mm by 88mm, with a back box depth of 35mm behind it.

Why is it described as screwless?

The visible outer frame clips over an inner plate, so the finished face has no screwheads on show. The colour runs uninterrupted across the front.

Can it be used in a bathroom or outside?

No. It is rated IP20 and intended for indoor, dry rooms only.

How should I clean it without spoiling the navy?

A dry cloth for dust, and a cloth barely damped with water for finger marks. Avoid solvent cleaners, bleach sprays and cream cleaners, which will take the sheen off polycarbonate.

Does it carry mains power?

No. It is a Class 3 low voltage fitting for data circuits, so it should not be wired to a power point.