Which Ethernet device should you purchase?
Which Ethernet device should you purchase?
I recently switched to a 1Gb internet plan. I was familiar with Ethernet types before but didn’t need them since my speed was only 50Mbps. I’m planning to set up a direct connection from my modem, avoiding the router to prevent any slowdowns, and connect it to my room. What model would you recommend? The cable should be between 30 to 50 feet, just in case it needs to go up a floor. Thanks!
Cat 5e or above is more than enough and remains the standard choice. It’s unlikely you’d need anything worse, so no concern there. For networking equipment such as routers and switches, make sure they list “gigabit” or “1000 Mbit” rather than “fast ethernet” or “100 Mbit.” While fast Ethernet devices exist, they’re probably still available, but your router should likely support gigabit speeds. I’d suggest testing it first before skipping it, as doing so could cause problems like network separation or reduced protection, and it may not be essential.
Cat 7 offers significant improvements over Cat 5e and there are no major concerns about that. While I can't guarantee it meets all true Cat 7 standards personally, it should perform well overall. Startech offers a range of cables and adapters known for their high quality and reliability, often at more affordable prices—though this isn’t guaranteed every time, so explore options. A useful note is that the flat cables tend to be slippery, soft, and flexible, making them easier to thread through holes, hide under carpet, and hang loosely rather than resisting connections.
It’s much wiser to assume you need more than you think. If you end up with 20 or 30 extra feet, you might lose a bit of speed, but it’s unlikely. Even a small shortfall is not as critical as it seems. From my own experience, I’m getting about 110 MB/s over a 200-foot cable, with at least half being surplus.