1 Gang Cat 5 & 6 Ethernet Socket - Sky Blue

Sky blue is not a colour you see often on a data plate, and that is rather the point: this single gang unit reads instantly as the network position rather than the power one. The front is screwless, so the face stays clean and unbroken, and the module behind it accepts Cat 5 and 6 cabling for a wired link back to a router, switch or patch panel. It measures 88mm square, the usual footprint for a single plate, so it sits happily in a line with the rest of the wiring accessories on a wall.

We reach for a coloured data socket where one wall carries several services and somebody needs to tell them apart at a glance: home offices, studies, media walls, workshops and utility rooms where a printer or an access point lives. It suits anyone running cable rather than leaning on wireless, and it will feed a desktop machine, a smart television, a games console or a ceiling mounted access point without fuss. It handles low voltage data circuits only, and it is meant for indoor rooms that stay dry.

The plate and body are moulded polycarbonate, coloured right through rather than sprayed on the surface, so a knock or a scuff will not show a paler shade underneath. To keep it looking right, wipe the face with a soft cloth, barely damp if there are fingerprints to shift, and keep cleaning sprays and solvents off the plastic entirely. It carries a ten year warranty. Set against white or matt black accessories the blue does its job as a marker, while a whole run of these across a study wall turns the network into a deliberate bit of colour rather than something to hide.

Will it work with Cat 6 cable as well as Cat 5?

Yes. The module is rated for both Cat 5 and Cat 6 data cabling, so it suits gigabit home networking as well as older runs.

What size is the plate?

It is 88mm by 88mm, the standard single plate footprint, with a depth of 35mm behind the face.

What is it made from, and is the colour painted on?

Moulded polycarbonate in sky blue, coloured through the material rather than finished with a surface paint.

Can I use it in a garage, garden room or outbuilding?

Only where the space is indoors and dry. It is not made for exposed positions or anywhere subject to splashing.

How many connections does it give me?

One. It is a single gang socket with a single data position, so allow one plate per device you want to hard wire.

How should I clean it?

A soft cloth, damp at most, and nothing stronger. Solvents and household cleaning sprays can dull or craze the plastic.