6 Best Ethernet Cable for Long Runs in 2021 (Reviews and Guide)

 This review will help you choose the best type of Ethernet cables for long runs and the features that make the best of these Ethernet cables.

Cables, Cats, and Megabits. These are all names used to describe Ethernet cables. But they do not represent the same type of Ethernet cables, which means that before you make your purchase, you need to know which type of Ethernet cable will work best for you.

And when it comes down to choosing the best Ethernet cables for long runs, you need to keep in mind that electrical signals will degrade with an increase in distance, especially when working with ultra-thin wires like the ones used in Ethernet cables. The larger the distance you push data through, the higher the data’s sensitivity to degradation.

It’s also worth noting that the Ethernet cables cannot be used in large spaces/ long distances, which is why large corporate campuses often make use of fiber optics as a way of getting around the Ethernet cables. At the end of the day, when it comes down to covering longer distances, fiber is a cheaper option compared to copper.

Does this mean that you should only use fiber to wire your home? Well, not entirely, and doing so would be an overkill. CAT6 or CAT5e cables would work as better alternatives.

You also need to know that the longest recommended length for Ethernet cables is between 90 and 100 Meters. While the Ethernet cables with the longer runs do not necessarily slow you down, there are reasonable limits that you to be aware of; for example, gigabit over the 3-foot run would be the same as Gigabit data over a 300-foot run.

However, choosing to slow down by choosing slower types of Ethernet cables would increase the limits of your run, which means that it would be easier for you to get away with too-long runs at 100-megabit or 10-Megabit speeds.

So, which are the best Ethernet cables for long runs?

Comparison Table: Best Ethernet Cable for Long Runs

Best Ethernet Cable for Long Runs	Best For	Category	Length	Bandwidth/ Speed	Price
Mediabridge FBA_31-299-100B Ethernet Cable	Durable High Bandwidth Networks Cable	Cat 6	100ft	550MHz 10Gbps	Check Price
Mediabridge Part# 31-399-50X Ethernet Cable (50 Feet) –	Best Performance	Cat 6	50ft	550MHz 10Gbps	Check Price
Cables Direct Cat5e Ethernet Cable	Versatile Ethernet Cable	Cat 5e	100ft	350MHz 1Gbps	Check Price
AmazonBasics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Patch Internet Cable	Best Universal Connectivity and Affordable LAN Ethernet Cable	Cat 6	50Ft	250MHz 1Gbps	Check Price
Cables Direct Online Snagless Cat5e	Good Value for Money	Cat 5e	200ft	350MHz 1Gbps	Check Price
Jadaol Cat 7 50Ft. Shielded Ethernet Cable	Premium Performance	Cat 7	50ft	600MHz 10Gbps	Check Price

 

Six Best Ethernet Cables for Long Runs

1. Mediabridge FBA_31-299-100B Ethernet Cable – Durable High Bandwidth Networks Cable

A Cat6 LAN cable designed to deliver best-level performance with high 10Gbps speeds and a bandwidth of 550MHz, this Ethernet cable is one of the best options on the market. And if you are looking for the best Ethernet cable to meet your high-demand streaming capabilities, then this cable will be the right option.

It comes in a variety of lengths ranging from 1.5m, 3m, 4.5m, 7.5m, 15m, and 30m (100ft). This LAN/ Ethernet cable is available in white and gray, and regardless of the selected size, the cable is very durable.

Its durability comes from the 24AWG stranded connectors, as well as the 5.8mm diameter for the PVC shell.

You might also like it because of its substantive, fast, and solid connections, as well as the connection support for Cat 5/ Cat 5e/ Cat6 standards. So, if you are looking for a durable Ethernet cable for the best streaming performance, this Mediabridge cable is what you need.

Pros

• Durable copper wiring
• High-speed Ethernet cable
• Long-lasting design

Cons

• Inflexible

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2. Mediabridge Part# 31-399-50X Ethernet Cable (50 Feet) – Best Performance

This Ethernet cable is easily one of the best 50ft (15m) Ethernet cables on the market, and though it’s regarded as a Cat 6 cable with speeds of 10Gbps and a 500MHz bandwidth, this Ethernet cable falls in the Cat 6a product category, and it supports Cat 6a, Cat 6 and Cat 5e standard ports.

In addition to the cable’s length of 50ft, this cable is made of 4 twisted pairs of 24AWG stranded conductors, each separated by a cross-linked polyethylene for reduced crosstalk.

It also sports gold-plated contacts, a CM-grade PVC jacket, and a free Velcro-strap. All these features work together, allowing for HD video streaming, video surveillance, cloud computing, among other high-traffic applications.

Pros

• Cat 6a
• Excellent performance
• Reduced crosstalk
• High bandwidth and High-speed data transfers
• 10X higher speeds
• Support for Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6, and Cat 6a app0lications
• Excellent flex rating
• Excellent shielding
• Free Velcro strap for easy storage and organization
• Reliable RJ45 Computer networking cord system

Cons

• Not rated for outdoor use
• The plastic bit isn’t durable

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3. Cables Direct Online Snagless Cat5e Ethernet Network Patch Cable Blue 100 Feet – Versatile Ethernet Cable

This 100ft Cat 5e Cables Direct Ethernet cable is one of the best long run cables that boasts the EIA/TIA-568B compliance standard for Cat 5e Ethernet cables.

This Ethernet cable works best with laptops, desktops, modems, routers, Hub, Switch, Xbox, DSL, PS2/3, etc. with its connectivity and performance enhanced by the single male RJ45 connector present on both sides of the cable.

For the best data transmissions, the router features four pairs of high-quality stranded twisted pair of network cables that are effective for data transmission at high bandwidth speeds of up to 350MHz.

And you can rely on these cables for long-term use because this 100FT Cat5e cable is made of copper-clad aluminum conductors (CCA) with gold-plated conductors which offer the cleanest and the clearest transmissions.

Pros

• Works well with pretty much all devices
• It supports Gigabit speeds (1Gbps)
• Well-priced
• Long enough for most installations
• Reliable make RJ45 connector
• No signal issues

Cons

• The cable’s construction is rather flimsy, and it will bend fast

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4. AmazonBasics RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Patch Internet Cable – Best Universal Connectivity andAffordable LAN Ethernet Cable

This Ethernet cable is one of the best Cat 6 Ethernet Patch cables on the market for wired home or office networks. You can use it to connect your computers to the network components in the wired LAN, and the best part is that it comes with RJ45 connectors designed to ensure universal connectivity to a maximum bandwidth of 250MHz.

Regarding speeds, this cable will transmit data speeds at high speeds of up to 1000Mbps/ 1Gbps, and it covers a distance of 50ft.

Pros

• Cat 6 Ethernet patch cable
• High transmission speeds of 1Gbps
• Easy device connectivity
• Secure and reliable connections
• Affordable
• Well-built cables

Cons

• The speeds aren’t as high as you may like
• Design flaw with the cable cover preventing the cable from clicking into place.

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5. Cables Direct Online SnaglessCat5e Ethernet Network Patch Cable Blue 200 Feet – Good Value for Money

Cables Direct Online brings you yet another long and reliable Cat5e Ethernet cable that runs up to 200ft at a reasonable price. Like the 100FT cable by this company, this router is quite versatile and connects to pretty much every device in your home, thanks to the male RJ45 connector on each end.

The cable features four pairs of stranded twisted cables that carry data at speeds of up to 350MHz (bandwidth). These cables are made of Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA) conductors with gold-plated connectors for clear and clean transmissions.

Pros

• Clear transmissions
• Reliable connectors
• Suitable for 10 Base-T as well as 100 Base T networks
• Works with Xbox and PS2/3
• Supports Gigabit speeds for users with Gigabit Ethernet adapters and routers

Cons

• Not shielded
• The quality could be better

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6. Jadaol Cat 7 50Ft. Shielded Ethernet Cable – Premium Performance

If you are looking for a LAN cable that guarantees best-level performance, then this Cat 7 might be exactly what you need. It promises nothing other than super-fast internet speeds, best of its class build quality, and remarkable overall durability.

As a top-of-the-class solution, this router is backward compatible with Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6, as well as Cat 6a Ethernet cable standards, and it boasts the highest bandwidth range at 600MHz. The other feature of the cable is its flat design, which makes the cable an excellent option for home network connections to routers, modems, Ethernet Switches, and all other network equipment.

It’smade with four twisted pairs of 30AWG conductors covered by layers of PVC, aluminum foil, GND, and a third HDPE jacket. These layers cover the bare copper conductors.

It’s only available in white but comes with a lifetime warranty, and the best build system from copper wires, gold-plated contacts, as well as premium shielding.

Pros

• Excellent shielding
• Superb and solid performance
• The flat design allows for cleaner and safe installations
• Versatile and it works for all devices
• RJ45 connectors
• High speeds of 10Gbps and Bandwidth of 600MHz
• Good value for money
• Durable construction

Cons

• Loosens with constant unplugging, plugging, and moving

View Price on Amazon

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Choosing the best Ethernet Cables

For the right Ethernet cables, you need to understand the technical and functional elements of the different kinds of cables.

The market is riddled with numerous options of Ethernet cables, and we’ll help you understand the significance/ features of each one of these cables.

Types of Ethernet cables

The common types of Ethernet cables have a Cat labeled followed by the numbers 5, 5e, 6, 6a, 7, or 7a. For you to choose the best type of Ethernet cable matching your needs, an understanding of the cable’s capabilities is crucial.

Note that Cat stands for Category while the number next to it is indicative of the version supported by that cable. Higher numbers mean faster speeds plus higher frequencies (MHz).

1. Cat5 is hard to find and outdated, and it will only support internet speeds of 100Mbps, with a maximum bandwidth of 100MHz.
2. Cat 5e or Cat 5 Enhanced – this is the current market standard for Ethernet cables. It’s affordable and supports Gigabit internet. It supports internet speeds up to 1000Mbps, reduces crosstalk, and supports a maximum bandwidth of 100MHz.
3. Cat 6– this Ethernet cable boasts a higher bandwidth with a ‘shielded’ option for reduced crosstalk, as well as signal interference. Its high bandwidth lowers the download and the upload times. This cable boasts speeds of 1Gbps and bandwidth of at least 250MHz. Shielding is the other feature of this cable, a thin barrier in the Ethernet cable that prevents crosstalk and interference. Since not all Cat 6 cables come with the shield feature, look out for the cables labeled STP (shielded Twisted Pair).
4. Cat 6a – This Ethernet cable boasts 10X the Cat 6 speeds, and double the bandwidth. It’s also called Cat 6 Augmented, and it supports high speeds up to 10,000Mbps and a maximum bandwidth of 500MHz. All Cat 6a (and higher) cables feature shielding, hence the elimination of crosstalk, at almost 100%. It boasts super-fast and reliable internet connections.
5. Cat 7– You’ll enjoy the best performance with this Ethernet cable if you need something that supports significantly higher bandwidth at the same price as Ct 6a Ethernet cables. Cat 7 Ethernet cables are the latest-gen of Ethernet cables, and they support a high speed of up to 10000Mbps, with a maximum bandwidth of 600MHz. Thanks to the higher bandwidth frequency, you get to enjoy higher-speed data transfers.
6. Cat 7a – also called Cat 7 augmented, these are the highest-performance Ethernet cables with 1000MHz bandwidth and high internet speeds reaching 10000Mbps. This is an ideal option for anyone looking for top-of-the-line internet connection.

Now that you know about the different types of Ethernet cables let’s take a look at the main considerations for choosing the best Ethernet cables for long runs.

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Choosing the right Ethernet Cable

• Range and Performance

First, determine what your needs are, then using the information or numbers, look for the Ethernet cable that will meet your needs easily. For example, you first need to consider the speed of your home’s internet connection.

So, if yours is a Gigabit Internet (1Gbps), you should avoid older Ethernet cables because they will only hold you back. But for slower connections, like 10 or 20Mbps, Cat 5 cables would work okay. Otherwise, you need cat 5e, Cat 6, or higher-level Ethernet cables. If you don’t know your actual internet speed, run a speed test.

• Speed Needed

If you intend to move large files between computers or if you will be streaming high bandwidth videos, it would be a good idea to choose the highest-quality Ethernet cables.

• Router Support

While cheaper router support Ethernet cables with speeds up to 100Mbps, which means a bottleneck for cables above Cat 5, the most advanced routers on the market today will support Gigabit Ethernet, meaning you need Cat 5e or Cat 6 Ethernet cables.

Very few routers have Ethernet ports that support speeds above 1 gigabit, which means that the Cat 6a and Cat 7 routers are not as reasonable in today’s market.

• Distance

Longer Ethernet cables have lower transmission speeds, and in most cases, cables for home/ personal use aren’t longer than 100M. However, the most common length of Ethernet cables ranges from 0.5 to 20m, while the maximum length of these cables is about 75m. Don’t overdo it, though.

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FAQs

What is crosstalk, and why is its elimination important?

Crosstalk refers to the signal transfers between communication channels. All Ethernet Cable standards from Cat 5e are designed to prevent crosstalk between channels.

What is Cat 8?

Cat 8 Ethernet cables refer to the cables which are part of the emerging technologies, and they promise very high frequencies of 2000MHz, and super-high speeds of 40Gbps at a range of 100FT or 30M.

All Cat 8 cables are shielded because of the high-frequency transmissions, and they support two connectors, allowing for 3 connected cables at a time at 30m.

What is STP/ SSTP in Ethernet Cables?

Also called Shield Twisted Pairs, STP, or SSTP is the braided shielding system in the cables that protects the cables. Shielding improves the quality of the connections and reduces noise. The shielding is made of copper or some other conductive polymers.

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Conclusion

This guide looks at the best Ethernet cables for long runs, and we hope that you now have all the answers to the tough questions you’ve been seeking answers for as you look for the best Ethernet Cables for your home office’s upgrade.