How Long Can an Ethernet Cable Be?
Ethernet cables serve as the physical connection between your computer and the internet or local area network. These cables transmit data packets via copper wires, but signal degradation occurs due to resistance. As a result, all Ethernet cables have a maximum distance limit.
Maximum Length: Regardless of category (Cat-5, Cat-5e, etc.), most Ethernet cables share a maximum length of 100 meters (328 feet) for their rated speed. Higher-category cables have stricter requirements, such as better shielding and thicker wires, which reduce interference and crosstalk.
Exceptions: Cat-6, Cat-7a, and Cat-8 cables deviate from this standard. Cat-6 cables support 1Gbps speeds up to 100 meters but deliver 10Gbps speeds up to 37-55 meters (121-180 feet), depending on alien crosstalk conditions. Cat-7a and Cat-8 cables are less common and used in specialized setups.
Remember that exceeding the cable length limit can lead to connection issues, dropped packets, and reduced performance. If you need to wire your house or extend connectivity, stay within these guidelines!
In regards to your IP CCTV Cameras?
The above 100m maximum length advice is roughly the same, its not an exact science so in general we advise clients that anything under 70m should be fine to run an IP PoE Camera, that might stretch as far as 100m but once you start going over 100m you will most likely need to start using PoE Boosters.
However, with that said, some of the Hikvision / HiLook NVRs have the option to enable “Long PoE” on the NVRs – this then allows one or two channels which can run a camera up to 300m (we have actually done a test in our warehouse and ran one camera over a full reel of 305m) – but do be aware this then has limitations on the maximum bandwidth for those channels.
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