1 Gang Cat 5 & 6 Ethernet Socket - Strawberry

Wired connections still hold up better than wireless for video calls, large backups and gaming, and this is the neat way to finish a cable run. A single gang data socket, it accepts Cat 5 and Cat 6 cable, which covers most domestic and small office wiring. The screwless plate presents a clean face with no visible screw heads, and the strawberry finish gives that face a soft red tone rather than the usual white plastic. It is a small square plate, sitting in line with the switches and sockets around it.

We would fit this at a desk in a study, behind a television for a set top box or a console, or in the cupboard where the router lives. It keeps a wall tidy where a desk or a television point needs a hard wired feed, and gives the cable a proper end instead of a lead trailing across the floor. It carries data rather than mains, so it is no substitute for a socket and nothing with a plug on it belongs here. Indoor rooms only, and dry ones. It suits anyone redecorating who wants the network to disappear into the fabric of the house.

The plate and body are moulded polycarbonate, a tough plastic that shrugs off the knocks a busy hallway hands out where a painted finish would chip. Keeping it smart takes little effort: a barely damp cloth across the face, then dried off. Kitchen sprays and solvent cleaners dull coloured plastic, so keep those away from it. It carries a ten year warranty. We like it in rooms where the wiring accessories are meant to be seen rather than hidden, and the strawberry reads well against warm neutrals, deep greens and oak.

Will it work with Cat 6 cable?

Yes. The socket is made for Cat 5 and Cat 6 data cable, which covers home broadband, streaming and small office networks.

What size is the plate?

The face is 88mm square, so it matches the footprint of a standard single gang plate.

Can I plug a lamp or an appliance into it?

No. This is a low voltage data circuit only, rated Class 3. Anything with a mains plug needs a socket.

Is it suitable for a bathroom, garage or outdoors?

It is rated IP20 and intended for indoor use in dry rooms, so we would keep it out of bathrooms and away from any exposure to weather.

How should I clean the strawberry finish?

Wipe the face with a barely damp cloth and dry it straight away. Avoid kitchen sprays, bleach and solvent cleaners, which dull coloured plastic.

Is there a warranty?

It carries a ten year warranty from the manufacturer.