Complete Guide on How to Extend Ethernet Cables?
Ethernet cables are widely known for providing strong and uninterrupted internet connection throughout their life. These can be a real solution to all your internet-related issues, as they come in various types, including those providing the least to maximum performance. But, if you don’t know how to extend them to reach your device, it’s of no use.
Sometimes, it may happen that the Ethernet cable that you have bought doesn’t reach your end device, and all you are left with the option is to extend it to make it of full length. So, this article is specially written to guide you through the process.
In this article, you will get to know some basics of an Ethernet cable along with the easiest and simplest way to extend them to take the most performance out of them.
So, let’s begin!
Why you Ever Need an Ethernet Cable?
All internet users, especially the hard-core gamers, get really frustrated with the internet loss, packet loss, interference, and noises. This negatively affects their user experience, and the only great solution for this is an Ethernet cable installation.
These cables are specifically designed to reduce interferences, packet losses, noise, and signal loss and provide a stronger, stable, and speedy internet connection. All of its categories, including from cat5 to onwards very different in performances and prices also, but they are a great solution to any of internet-related issues at one point or the other.
Besides, the greatest use of these Ethernet cables is that despite using them to connect your hardware devices like computers, consoles, or any other to the network connection, you can also use them to connect your telephone line to the modem or Wi-Fi router.
What is the Efficient Distance for an Ethernet Cable?
Before buying a specific length of an Ethernet cable, it is helpful if you measure the total distance between the router and the end device needing an internet connection.
So, for your ease, let us tell you that whatever the distance maybe, if, in your understanding, it reaches almost 100m, then installing any Ethernet cable would be the best choice as these can provide optimal performance up to this distance. If the distance is shorter than this, no need to worry as you can cut the cable short, but if the distance is greater than this, there are chances that the cable doesn’t work for you well enough.
So, by our understanding, we suggest you keep the distance between the device and hardware shorter or equal to 100m in length.
Why do You Need to Extend an Ethernet Cable?
Even if you carefully measure the exact distance between the devices, there still remain some chances that you get mistaken in measuring and buying the exact length of the cable. To cover this mistake up, you have to extend your newly bought Ethernet cable if you do not want to waste your money.
Some Simple Ways to Extend Ethernet Cables at Home
To save you money as well as the time to search out for the best Ethernet cable extending service in the market that could do it for you professionally, we are here with some basic and most simple techniques that you can use to extend your Ethernet cables at home.
To extend your Ethernet cable easily and professionally, you can follow two different methods by using two different devices. Following are the tools that you will need to professionally complete the task:
- RJ45 inline coupler
- Network switch
Extending an Ethernet cable by using an RJ45 inline coupler
It is quite obvious that there is no extension cord available to extend an Ethernet cable, and one of the ways you can use to extend the cable is by using an RJ45 inline coupler.
RJ45 is a device made to connect two Ethernet cables together and have two male end Ethernet ports that are present on both of its ends. These ports act as the keystone jacks.
All you have to do is to follow these two simple steps to extend your cable through this coupler:
- Plug the RJ45 end of one cable into the coupler
- Take the other Ethernet cable and plug it into the other end of the RJ45 connector
By following these two easiest steps, you can effortlessly extend the existing length of your cable. An attractive thing about RJ45 connectors is that they are perfectly easy to use and are low-cost to buy anytime you feel the need. Also, they reach you in ready to use the form, and all you have to do is this plug-In process with the connectors and the cable.
Extending an Ethernet cable by using a Network Switch
A network switch is a device that is used to provide the additional Ethernet connections to your already present network. It is commonly used to expand the internet connections in the areas where there are a large number of people using the internet simultaneously. This network switch works efficiently by switching the packets to successfully receive and forward data to the device that you need to meet with the connection.
Also, you can use this switch to make two connections out of your one LAN port on your device. This switch is handy in extending your internet connection effectively and helps you to enjoy a strong and better internet connection at any time in the day.
So, this network can be easily used to extend the length of your Ethernet cable. For example, if your cable is capable of reaching up to a very little distance to your end device, you can connect it with the switch easily run up to three more cables to reach your end device.
Does Ethernet Cable Extension Affect its Performance?
Adding an Ethernet cable extender doesn’t really affect the performance of your cable. Besides, there still are some things that can make the performance lagging in some areas. These things include; poor quality extender and also the wrong termination that may unplug the cable.
But, if everything is done correctly, there will hardly be any negative effect on the performance of your cable.
If you want your cable to work effectively by providing you a maximum speed and stable signals, we suggest you keep the cable running at a distance of almost 328 feet (100m). At this distance, these cables are highly tested to perform an extreme premium performance.
But still in dire need if you have added an RJ45 connector to your cable, provided that the connections are properly made, there will hardly be any chances of effective signal loss or bad performance.
Final Verdict
We hope that our guide on how to extend an Ethernet cable might have helped you a lot in carrying out the extending procedure easily and more professionally. All the things that we have mentioned here in this guide are based on deep research, and also, the suggestion for the quality connectors is highly tested by the professionals. We are sure that if you carefully follow the steps mentioned, you will not go wrong in extending your cables and will enjoy an unflagging and super-fast internet connection.
