Does the length of an Ethernet cable matter?

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We spend most of our days online, so any connection quality issues can put us in total overwork. So after a while everyone starts experimenting with ways to increase download speeds. More often than not, the result of each of these side quests is realizing that for the best quality and reliability, you need to upgrade to old-fashioned wired Ethernet. You might even start to wonder if something in the chain, like the length of the wire, is somehow hindering your connection. Signal degradation with longer cables is a known fact, whether audio cables or HDMI cables longer than 50 feet. Does the same also apply to your Ethernet cable?

The short, no-nonsense answer is yes, cable length plays a role in the strength of your connection. It’s pure physics: as the signal travels through the wires, it slowly degrades as its amplitude decreases with distance. However, in most cases this only affects those who run cables to the extreme. What constitutes extreme is in the eye of the beholder, but with your regular Cat5e and Cat6, you’re fine if your cable length is less than 320 feet.

To be safe, keep the cable about 100 feet away. YouTube creator Landpet tested different lengths of Cat5e Ethernet cables, and while it wasn’t a controlled experiment, the creator noticed the first signs of signal loss after connecting cables longer than 100 feet. Prevention is better than cure, and it’s not like you need cables the span of a Boeing 737, right?

Now that you’ve confirmed that you’re safe because your Ethernet cable is no longer than a football field, what could hypothetically ruin the quality of your connection? First, if your Ethernet cable is something you found in a closet where you store things you swore you’d use later, this might be it. Believe it or not, cable technology has advanced in recent years, with the latest mainstream standard being Cat6. Technically you could get away with a Cat5e, but the newer one has higher bandwidth and much thicker conductors, so it’s more reliable.

You should also check for signs of damage. Even a tiny bit of fraying, say on a table, could cost you megabytes. The same goes for connectors: if they’re bent, it’s time to replace them. Go to the hardware store and ask for an RJ45 connector, or simply replace the entire cable to avoid the hassle of replacing connectors. You can get a high-quality 50-foot Cat6 Ethernet cable on Amazon for just $15.

Other than that, enjoy your Internet. Ethernet connections aren’t complicated, and as long as you don’t push things too far or rely on pretty old-school cables, you’re fine. What’s more important to you: saving $15 by insisting that cable is still good, or having the best Internet possible?