- If you need to make a longer Ethernet cable, we show you all the options we have to achieve this.
- There are many alternatives and devices that, depending on our needs, can be adapted to what we want to achieve.
It's not that we hate Wi-Fi, although we trust a little more in the stability that an Ethernet cable can provide us , although sometimes we need to make it longer . Luckily, Ethernet cables can have an optimal signal up to 100 meters. Do you need more length? Don't worry, there are ways to achieve this without losing signal..
Make a longer Ethernet cable
Ethernet cables use copper wiring to send a data signal from one end to another. However, the further the electrical signal must travel, the more it is lost. For this reason, Ethernet cables have a maximum length; a longer cable would end up generating a loss of performance or a total loss of connection.
As for the maximum length, the ideal is 100 meters for almost all categories. There are some exceptions such as category 6 (Cat-6) cables that can only support speeds of 10 Gbps for up to 55 meters. Although it will continue to work with 100 meter cables, the maximum speed will be 1 Gbps beyond 55 meters. Another example comes with Cat-8 cables that have a maximum length of about 30 meters..
However, we are not limited by these meters. It is also possible to use a network switch and a media converter to overcome the 100 meter barrier.
The best solution: network switches
One way to avoid the 100 meter limit is with a network switch. Generally, they are used to provide additional Ethernet connections to a network, although we can also use them to extend the length..
Standard switches are very simple to use. The only thing we will have to do is connect the incoming Ethernet cable to one port and the outgoing one to another. The only downside is that we will need to have it connected to the electrical current.
But the positive thing is that each of the switches can extend the limit of the Ethernet cable to another 100 meters, which means we could reach a maximum of 200 meters. Although we will have to be sure that the network switch has the same data transfer speed as the Ethernet cable.
Media converters
A media converter is another device that we can use to extend our Ethernet cable. Generally, it has two ports: one for the Ethernet cable and the other for the fiber optics. The device manages to convert the Ethernet signal into a fiber signal at one end and reverse the fiber signal into the Ethernet signal at the other end.
We must keep in mind that multimode fiber cables have a range of about 550 meters and single-mode fibers can travel several kilometers.
Ethernet couplers
To extend a short cable, an Ethernet coupler would be best. It is the easiest way to join two cables and obtain a longer one. It is a device that has two female RJ45 connectors to connect one end of each cable.
The only drawback is that it is only useful when the combined length of the two cables is less than 100 meters. Another thing we must clarify is that using several of these devices to join different cables is not a very good idea. The more couplers connected, the greater the possibility of a connection loss.
Something else we have to take into account is the type of cable we are using. It is best to combine cables of the same category. If the cables are shielded, we will have to get a shielded coupler.