Q&A: Is Cheap Ethernet Cable OK to Use?  What is "Cheap"?

Don: Hey there, everybody. Thank you again for attending our Low Voltage Low Down! Today, Dave Harris and I are going to be talking about a question that comes up quite a bit and has to do with cheap Ethernet cables. Are they okay to use? What is cheap? Keep reading to find out more! Alternatively, you can listen to the podcast below.

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Let's get to it, shall we?

How do you Identify a cheap Ethernet cable?

Don: We need to kind of separate what cheap is from inexpensive. When we mean cheap, I'd like to set a couple of ground rules as to what cheap is. When we say cheap, we mean Ethernet cable that does not meet the industry standards, a.k.a  ANSI/TIA-568.2-D. That's a mouthful, but that is an industry standard that sets the performance requirements for Ethernet cable and some boundaries on physical construction as well. It doesn't just tell you how to design an Ethernet cable specifically, but it does give you a very extensive list of performance requirements. So if it doesn't meet the industry standard for construction or performance, then we would call that cheap. If you purchase a patch cord from a large online retailer like Amazon and it has poor terminations on the end, for example, we would consider that to be cheap as well.

This ties in with the next point: if the Ethernet cable receives poor or no quality testing at the factory where it's made, then there's no guarantee that quality will be the same from spool to spool or patch cable to patch cable. This would be a strong indication of poor quality. Lastly, If you have cable that you have properly installed and it won't field certify, for example, on a DSX , then we'd call that cheap too.

But cheap isn't just about the actual product. Cheapness might also include a lack of proper documentation. For example, specification sheets are really important to determine what kind of connection hardware will fit your cable? That's really critical if we're talking about 8P8C or RJ45 connectors and can become even more important when talking about keystones and even ANEXT. A lack of proper documentation surrounding these areas is a real good sign that you've got a cheap cable on your hands.

Another issue is the failure to meet safety regulations, specifically those set by UL or cETLus. These regulations ensure that the voltage and flame resistance of the product are up to standard. Additionally, if the cable used in the product is plenum cable and emits toxic gases, this also violates safety standards. All this to say: if a cable is specifically sold to you as suitable for a particular application, like outdoors, and it falls apart outside, then we'd call that a cheap cable too.

What can inexpensive mean for an Ethernet Cable?

Dave: It doesn't have to do that much with the quality of the cable; it has more to do with the cost, and a cable that costs more isn't necessarily better. A cable that costs more may not be a "better" choice because a cable can be inexpensive and still meet all of the ANSI/TIA-568.2-D standards.

That's all to say, if your cable meets these standards, you're not going to find us calling it cheap. A cable can also be affordable and meet not only those standards but also the specific requirements of the installation. For instance, security cameras usually only require Category 5 cable to meet their performance needs, and Category 5e cable is less expensive. It's more flexible. It weighs less, and you can fit more cables in the same piece of conduit than you can in higher categories. Is it cheap? Is it low quality? No. Because it meets the standards.

What are some common misconceptions about Ethernet cables?

Don: A lot of the information on the internet is not exactly correct. I mean, it may not be flat out wrong, but it's not exactly correct. One of the biggest ones is that shielded cable is better or somehow of higher quality than unshielded. That is absolutely and completely untrue. It is quite possible to have a shielded cable that does not meet what you're looking to do with it and costs more than an unshielded cable that does exactly what you want it to do. It might meet all of your performance requirements. It might be built better, and it might cost less. Shielded cable is designed for certain types of installation environments. It doesn't mean that automatically picking shielded cable is better because shielded cable does not make your cable faster by default.

Most installations don't even require shielded Ethernet cables. In fact, if you improperly install shielded cable, you can actually cause yourself more problems than you were looking to avoid in the first place. Interference, ground loops, you name it: larger bend radius, can't turn it as tight, more difficult to terminate. So yeah, shielded cable has its place in the world. However, it is not accurate to simply claim that it is superior.

Another misconception is that plenum cable, which is used in commercial buildings in spaces like the air handling area between a drop ceiling and a raised floor, is automatically of better quality compared to general cable jackets called CMG or CMR (riser). Again, this is misleading. The truth is that the effectiveness of the cable depends on the installation environment. It is possible to invest a significant amount of money in plenum or CMP rated cable and not gain any advantages from it.

Plenum-rated cable can also not be used for outdoor purposes as it is designed for indoor use only. Personally, I've never come across a plenum-rated outdoor cable. Therefore, plenum-rated cable should only be utilized in situations where it is explicitly required, such as for commercial installations. You'll see this in institutions like hospitals, government buildings, and things like that. But if you're using it in a non plenum rated space, you really don't have any benefit from it.

The third point I'd like to address is one of the biggest misconceptions: that you must purchase CAT6A or higher to obtain a high-quality Ethernet cable. However, this is usually not true. There are a few exceptions to this, though. You should buy the cable category that matches your current LAN speed needs, considering future compatibility with Cat8 is not necessary.

Take Cat7, for example, which is not even an official standard set by the Telecommunications Industry Association and is just as impractical as Cat8. The reason for this is that Cat8 is essentially the same as Cat6A, except that at distances shorter than 98 feet, it can transmit data faster. Beyond 98 feet, it reverts back to being Cat6A and performs accordingly. Therefore, it is more logical to focus on Cat6A instead. Unless, of course, your particular situation could utilize a different category of cable. For instance, if you have a wired printer that only requires a connection speed of up to 100 megabits per second, using a Cat5e cable would be more than sufficient.

The last point to consider is the misconception that a thinner Ethernet cable is always of lower quality. While this may be true when comparing cables of the same type and specifications, it is not always the case. Cables can be manufactured with different conductor gauges and may lack certain features, like a spline, depending on their intended category rating. Therefore, the thickness of an Ethernet cable alone does not necessarily indicate its quality.

Thicker cables may include additional components like water blocking tape, which is designed for specific purposes such as direct burial. However, the presence of these components does not make a thicker cable inherently better than a thinner one. It simply means that the cables serve different purposes. 

With these misunderstandings cleared up, let's proceed to discuss some general truths with Dave.

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What are some common truisms about Ethernet cable?

Dave: I have some facts to share about the conductors in Ethernet cables. One thing to be cautious of is copper clad aluminum, often abbreviated as CCA. Unfortunately, CCA can still be found in conductors on the American market. This is concerning because it is a low-quality and inexpensive cable. It is strongly advised not to purchase it, as it will result in a loss of performance during data transmission, voltage loss, and excessive heat generation. Additionally, CCA is not recognized by any American standards body, and in certain jurisdictions, it may even be illegal to install. Therefore, if you are considering buying it (which you shouldn't), it is crucial to consult with your inspector beforehand. Furthermore, if you do end up purchasing a box of cable or unrolling a cable and discover that it weighs only about a third of what you expected, be very cautious: it is likely made predominantly of aluminum.

The second thing to talk about when it comes to conductors is stranded versus solid copper conductors. Both have their place. It's not a question of quality. It's a question of application. Solid copper cable is preferred for permanent installation in structured cabling.

On the other hand, stranded cable or stranded conductors in cable are used where flexibility is required. Like a long, portable rollout reel that gets reeled up and rolled back out on a daily or periodic basis. Solid copper cable won't hold up to that working and reworking over time, but stranded conductors are built for it.

You'll also find stranded conductors in patch cables for the same reason: flexibility. It's not a question of quality. Stranded cable is not higher or lower in quality than solid cable or solid conductors. It's just a difference in application.

Don: Yeah, no problem, Dave. I just wanted to add that, you know, if someone out there decides they want to, you know, play roulette and go grab some copper clad aluminum cable and install it, we stand ready to help you get the right stuff when you decide that, inevitably, you're going to need to replace it.

And that's a wrap! Hopefully, by now, you know the difference between cheap and inexpensive Ethernet cables and how to choose the right one for the situation. For more information on Ethernet cables and patch panels, please visit our cable academy at truecable.com. We have close to 200 blogs with embedded videos as well as new patch panels that you'll definitely want to check out. We'll also be putting out more information on how to properly install and use patch panels in future Q&A sessions and podcasts. Thanks for reading, and happy networking!

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For some people, it is not easy to pick the right Ethernet cable for themselves because it is an intricate task. You cannot pick the best quality cable until and unless you do not know what major requirements need to be followed upon. As you will search around, you will find that the category of Ethernet cables is available in great diversity out of which picking the excellent one becomes a tough task.

Choosing the right type of Ethernet hence ensures that the best performance has been achieved at a reasonable cost. Right through this guide, we will be explaining a few of the important factors which you need to consider when buying high-quality Ethernet cables bulk: 

1. Performance

Ethernet cables are available in diverse types in which we have Cat 6, Cat 5, Cat 7 as the few common ones. But the Cat 5 is known to be the oldest standard one whereas CAT 7 is the last networking cable available in the market with great performance. Each one of the cables is having different levels and if they differ in levels then it is obvious that their performance range will be different as well.  Look for the one which matches all your basic requirements. 

2. Compatibility

The next most important point is about compatibility! The best thing about these Ethernet cables is that you will find them interchangeable and even compatible. But as you will choose the older cable type, you will find that it won&#;t support the fastest speed in transfer. 

You can plug the Cat 5 Cable into the router which is having a speed of 10G Ethernet interface. The just issue which comes up is in view that the data transfer speed of the cable will be slow. Therefore, it is always a better option to look for the cable which has been high n flexibility. 

3. Shielded or Non-Shielded

Now the main question which is important to discuss is that why the cable should have the proper shielding! Well, there is a high need of shielding the cable when the data is at high risk of magnetic energy interference and noise. Therefore, to set your Ethernet connection on a high interference environment, you should look for a shielded cable such as Cat6a.

4. Stranded or Solid

Solid and high-quality Ethernet cable makes the use of just one piece of the solid copper for the conductor, while the stranded combines different intertwisted wires. Thus, solid cables have to be used in such places where there has been a lesser or no such movement to avoid breakage. 

Contrary, the standard cables are known to be flexible ad they are capable enough to move around easily. Solid is best to be used for the permanent runs in which we have patch panels to whereas the strand can be utilized for the patch cables to easily bridge some permanent links.

5. Cable length

The next aspect which you need to be careful about is the length of the cable! An Ethernet cable is available in a diversity of lengths about which you should be careful. Some of the people even choose to construct their cables with the help of pre-made cables.

Ethernet cables bulk lengths are available as in the lengths of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 5, 10, 20 meters which are all quite common to achieve. Longer cables are also available in the length of 75 meters which is easy to look for. We recommend you choose longer cables because they are easy to work with. Extra or longer lengths of cable can easily be looped together and hence you can secure them in the cable tie. 

6. Cable Color

Besides, we come up with the feature of cable color which is not so important but still a major factor to consider when it comes to buying Ethernet Cables. As the cables are available in diverse lengths and types, in the same way it is available in diversity of color options too. With the help of a cable, you will be able to connect the cable in the right direction with the larger or smaller router.

7. Suppliers

You can buy Ethernet Cables from different suppliers! Some of them are specialists and some of them are available through the Amazon platform. You have to look for the brand which is delivering you with the cables which are not just reliable and flexible in quality but are affordable too. 

8. Budget 

For buying a high-quality Ethernet cable, you should keep in mind the budget for sure. Finding something superior in quality and best in cost should be your main consideration. This is how you can find the one which is excellent and works best according to your cable requirements. Keep this in mind! 

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