Too Many Network Cables? Here's How to Find the Right One

Typical price i
9.– to 31.–

Copper cables are made from twisted pairs of copper wires, commonly used for Ethernet connections.

They are cost-effective and suitable for most home networking needs, providing good performance for short to moderate distances.

Typical price i
20.– to 68.–

Fibre optic cables use glass or plastic fibers to transmit data as light signals, enabling high-speed data transfer over long distances.

They offer superior bandwidth and are ideal for environments requiring high-speed internet, such as data centers or for streaming 4K content.

Typical price i
9.– to 29.–

Supports bandwidths up to 250 MHz and speeds of up to 1 Gbps over 100 meters.

Ideal for home or small business networks that require reliable performance for streaming and gaming.

Typical price i
11.– to 27.–

Enhances CAT6 specifications with support for up to 500 MHz and speeds up to 10 Gbps over shorter distances.

Best for environments with high data usage, such as data centers, ensuring faster and more efficient data transmission.

Typical price i
14.– to 43.–

Offers up to 600 MHz bandwidth and supports speeds of 10 Gbps over 100 meters with improved shielding.

Recommended for future-proofing networks, especially in commercial settings requiring high-speed data transfer and minimal interference.

Typical price i
14.– to 43.–

Designed for data centers, supporting bandwidths up to 2000 MHz and speeds of up to 25-40 Gbps over 30 meters.

Essential for ultra-high-speed networking applications, providing the fastest data transfer rates available for demanding environments.

Typical price i
9.– to 29.–

A cost-effective option that supports bandwidths up to 100 MHz and speeds of up to 1 Gbps over 100 meters.

Suitable for basic home networking needs, offering good performance for everyday internet usage and streaming.

Features both an individual foil shield around each pair of wires and an overall shield, offering maximum protection against interference.

Ideal for high-performance applications, such as data centers, where maintaining signal integrity is critical.

Includes a foil shield around each pair of wires but lacks an overall shield, providing good protection against crosstalk and external noise.

Suitable for general networking tasks where moderate protection is needed, such as in office environments.

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables do not have additional shielding, relying on the twisting of pairs to reduce interference.

Most cost-effective option for basic networking needs, like home networks, where electromagnetic interference is minimal.

Features an overall foil shield to protect all pairs from interference while having unshielded pairs inside, balancing shielding and cost.

Great for environments with some electronic noise, making it suitable for small offices or commercial spaces.

Typical price i
9.– to 25.–

Ideal for short distances, this length is perfect for connecting devices located close to each other, such as a router to a computer.

Using a short cable reduces clutter and improves signal integrity, making it suitable for home or small office setups.

Typical price i
11.– to 31.–

This range is versatile, allowing for connections between devices that are moderately spaced apart, like a printer to a desktop in an office.

It provides flexibility for various setups while maintaining a strong signal, making it a common choice for most residential and business environments.

Typical price i
22.– to 51.–

Suitable for larger spaces, this length is effective for connecting devices across rooms or even floors, such as linking a network switch to multiple computers.

Longer cables help maintain a stable connection over greater distances, making them essential for larger networks or setups with separated equipment.

Designed for short-distance data transmission, typically up to 300 meters, using multiple light modes.

Ideal for local area networks (LANs) and data centers, providing cost-effective solutions for high bandwidth applications.

Features a smaller core diameter, allowing only one mode of light to transmit, which enables long-distance communication up to several kilometers.

Best suited for wide area networks (WANs) and telecommunications, offering higher bandwidth and less signal loss over longer distances.