Network Cable Extension

Network Cable Extender - Stronger Network Signal over Long Distances

Here on the site, you'll find our selection of network cable extenders, which give you the ability to extend your network cable with mounted connectors, instead of having to replace the entire cable.

A network cable extender is practical if, for example, you have moved around your network installation and the network cable has become too short.

Here you have the option to extend the cable with a network cable extender without losing speed or quality in the signal that runs through the network cable.

There are different models of network cable extenders, so there are some extenders that are suitable for different purposes.

If you are unsure about what to pay attention to when finding the right network cable extender for your needs, read below and find out why it’s not just about the length of the network cable extender.

5 Things You Should Know Before Buying a Network Cable Extender

There are several different models and variants of network cable extenders, and it is important that you find the extender that fits your network setup, and therefore does not degrade the network's speed or quality.

Therefore, we have compiled some things below that you can advantageously pay attention to when choosing your new network cable extender.

#1 - Category of Network Cable Extender

The first thing you should pay attention to is which category of cable the network cable extender should be, as it should preferably match the category of cable that your current cable has.

The category of cable tells you something about transfer speeds and how much data the cable can transmit.

The category is indicated by the designation “cat” and the categories that are most often used for modern installations start at cat 5e.

Cat 5e Cables

Cat 5e cables support speeds of 1 Gbps with a frequency of 100-250 MHz over lengths of up to 100 meters.

You will be able to see on the side of your current network cable which category it is, and if it says Cat 5e on this cable, you should choose a network cable extender in this category or higher.

Cat 6 Cables

Cat 6 network cables support speeds of 10 Gbps at a frequency of up to 250 MHz over lengths of up to 55 meters.

If your current cable is a Cat 6 cable, you should therefore choose a network cable extender in the same category or higher.

Cat 6a Cables

Have the same specifications as cat 6, but with the difference that the speed of 10 Gbps can be achieved at a frequency of up to 500 MHz and over lengths of up to 100 meters.

There are also Cat 7 and Cat 8 network cables, but it is recommended to keep the cable in a single piece, as the speeds in these cables are very high and use a frequency of up to 2000 MHz.

#2 - Shielding in Network Cable Extender

A network cable comes in two versions: Unshielded and Shielded, and if your current cable is shielded, you should also choose a network cable extender that is shielded.

A shield can sit around each of the inner copper conductors (U-FTP) or as an outer shield around all the conductors combined (F-UTP).

When you look at your current network cable, you can see that the cable has a designation of four letters.

The first letter of the four indicates the outer shield and the second part, after the hyphen, describes the inner shield:

• U: An unshielded cable is marked with “U,” which stands for unshielded
• F: A cable with foil shielding is marked with “F,” which stands for foiled
• S: A cable with braid shielding is marked with “S,” which stands for shielded

Therefore, you can find the following designations for the shielding on your network cable:

• F-UTP and S-UTP - Here the network cable has one shield that sits as a combined shield around all the conductors in the cable. F-UTP as a foil shield and S-UTP as a braided shield.
• S-FTP and F-FTP - Here the network cable has double shielding. The cable has both an inner shield around each of the conductors, as well as a combined outer shield around all the conductors. S-FTP with an outer braided shield and F-FTP with an outer foil shield. This type of shielding is suitable for demanding installations where there should be many cables close together without interference occurring.

You can advantageously choose a network cable extender with the same type of shielding as your existing network cable to maintain shielding throughout the installation.

#3 - Length of Network Cable Extender

When you need to extend your network cable, you should pay attention to which category the cable is in, as it tells you which length the cable can maintain speed over.

If the extension of your cable exceeds the length indicated by the category, you should consider replacing the entire cable or adjusting your network setup.

You can get network cable extenders in lengths up to 15 meters and down to a length of 0.5 meters, so you should, without much trouble, be able to find a length that fits your setup.

Network cable extenders are available in the following lengths:

• 0.5 m.
• 1 m.
• 1.5 m.
• 2 m.
• 3 m.
• 5 m.
• 10 m.
• 15 m.

#4 - Connectors on a Network Cable Extender

On a network cable extender, there is a connector at each end, with one end having a female connector and the other a male connector.

The connectors on network cable extenders are of the RJ45 model.

In the end with a female connector, you connect your current network connector together with the network cable extender, and the other end with the male connector is placed in the device that needs to be connected to the network.

As a rule, there is no restriction on how many extenders you can connect in this way, but if you need more extenders, it is recommended that you consider a new and complete cable for the entire length.

#5 - Color of Network Cable Extender

If your network cable is already in a cable cover, the color may not mean much for your choice of network cable extender.

If the network cable is visible and for example has been run along the floor or a panel, you will probably want the same color on the extender as you have on your network cable.

Extenders are primarily available in white and black, but it is also possible to find extenders in gray.