2 Gang Ethernet Socket - Matt Black

Two data ports sit side by side on a flat plate finished in matt black, ready for Cat 5 and Cat 6 cabling. The screwless plate carries no screw heads on the face, so the front reads as a clean black square with only the port faces breaking it up. It takes the standard double-plate footprint at 88mm square, and the matt finish keeps glare down under downlights and in bright daylight. It is a small piece of hardware doing a quiet job: nothing on show but the plate and the ports themselves.

This is the one we reach for in a home office or study, where a wired connection back to the router holds steadier than wi-fi for video calls, backups and big file transfers. Doubling up at the same position means a desktop and a printer, or a television and a games console, can both be connected without leads trailing across the room. We fit these behind desks, beside media units and inside the hall cupboard where the router tends to live. Homes with structured cabling already run to each room get the most from it. It handles low voltage data circuits only, and it belongs indoors, in dry rooms.

Plate and ports are moulded in ABS, a hard plastic that holds its colour and needs no painting or lacquering. Matt black is kinder to fingerprints than a gloss finish; a wipe with a barely damp cloth and a dry one after keeps it looking right, and sprays or cream cleaners are best kept away from the port openings. It carries a ten year warranty. We stock it in matt black. The flat face sits well against dark paint, brick and exposed timber, and it looks intentional next to black-framed glazing, dark kitchen fronts and black handle and tap hardware.

Will it work with Cat 6 cable, or only Cat 5?

It is made for both. The socket accepts Cat 5 and Cat 6 data cabling, so it suits existing runs as well as newer installations.

How big is the plate?

It is 88mm square, the usual double-plate size, with a depth of 35mm behind the face.

What is it made from?

ABS, a rigid moulded plastic, finished in matt black throughout the plate and port surrounds.

How should I clean it?

A barely damp cloth followed by a dry one is enough. Avoid solvent sprays and cream cleaners, and do not let moisture reach the port openings.

Can I use it in a bathroom or outside?

No. It is rated IP20 and intended for indoor use only, in dry rooms such as offices, bedrooms and living rooms.

Is it a mains socket?

No. It is a data socket for low voltage network circuits, classed as Class 3, and carries no mains power point.