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About a week ago, I made the decision to stop purchasing Ethernet cables once and for all.
If you’re anything like me, you probably have a box or drawer stuffed with various cables. While some have particular connections—like USB-C—my wired network consists of an assortment of colored Ethernet cables, each with tiny markings indicating their capabilities. Honestly, I had no clue about their data transfer rates, which is quite concerning.
I’d never paid much attention to the specific Ethernet cables connecting my cable modem, router, Xbox, and desktop PC. Even though I had run speed tests multiple times, I often worried that my network seemed slower than it should be. I realized that the performance of my network could only be as fast as its slowest link.
If any of my Ethernet cables were outdated and transferring data at lower speeds than my router or gateway, I was essentially squandering money. There was no need to dive into research on the fastest mesh routers or the best Internet gateways if my cables were holding me back. I had stumbled upon an old Cat5 cable connected to my Xbox—an obsolete standard that’s been virtually extinct for nearly two decades. Yikes!
Mark Hachman / Foundry
So Category 8 is the newest standard? Fine. Just how much do these cables cost? Surprisingly affordable! I stumbled upon a pack of five vibrant, nylon-braided Category 8 Ethernet cables for only $35.99 on Amazon.
Internet service speeds are continuously escalating, and cable modems are evolving too. However, even the fastest modems and broadband plans typically offer a few gigabits per second, while this Cat8 cable boasts an impressive maximum speed of 40 gigabits per second.
Mark Hachman / Foundry
Making the switch was a no-brainer for me. I ordered the cables from Amazon, quickly replaced my old cables with the colorful new ones, and firmly decided to never worry about my Ethernet cables again.
Grab a five-pack of colorful, nylon-braided Cat8 Ethernet cables for just $35.99
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