Standard indoor Ethernet cables, despite rugged-sounding category names like Cat5e and Cat6, are not built for outdoor use because their PVC jackets degrade under sunlight, heat and rain, exposing internal wiring. Guidance highlights that outdoor runs should use cables rated for exterior exposure, such as direct-burial cables for underground installation, paired with surge protection at both ends. Outdoor-rated fiber optic cable is offered as an alternative that avoids some risks tied to copper conductors.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-26
Standard Ethernet cables contain four twisted pairs of copper wires, with all four pairs active when supporting gigabit internet speeds. The twisting prevents 'cross-talk,' a form of electromagnetic interference between wires carrying separate signals, and each pair is twisted at a different rate so their magnetic fields don't interfere with neighboring pairs.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-24
An explainer on home networking details why flat Ethernet cables underperform compared to round ones: their wire pairs sit side by side instead of twisted together, offering less protection from interference, and they typically use thinner wire gauge, which increases electrical resistance over distance. The report also notes flat cables are often routed under rugs or doors, where bending and compression can damage the thinner wires inside.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-18
Category cables like Cat5e and Cat6, normally used for networking, can carry HDMI signals when paired with HDMI extenders that place a transmitter on one end and a receiver on the other. This setup lets video travel much farther than a standard HDMI cable allows, without actually using Ethernet networking or a local network connection.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-03
Actual network throughput is capped by the weakest link in the chain, whether that's your internet plan, router or switch port, network adapter, cable quality, or cable run length. Cat5e can support 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps per TIA guidance, Cat6 can hit 10Gbps only up to 37-55 meters, and Cat6A is needed for 10Gbps at the full 100-meter distance. Cat8 supports 25-40Gbps but only over 30 meters and was built for data centers, while Cat7 is recognized by ISO but not by TIA in North America.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-29
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