Ethernet cable for Streaming

Why not use a wifi extender? Then you can use a shorter run of cable from the extender to streamer. Same cost with easier implementation

+1 artemus_5
Or if you have a node system you can add a node there for <$50. I just got 2 nodes for mine @$80.

I just ran a 50' Cat6 ethernet line under my house from router to laptop and the sound is *much* better than it was on Wi-Fi.  Seems like it's more of everything and smoother at the same time.  I say go for it.

Fluke says max perm. line for Cat8 is 78' but you won't need that speed.  Cat6 is like 300' or thereabouts and will handle a gigabit/sec.

(You can verify all of this with a Google search)

Suggest you might want to consider running fiber optics.  There are relatively inexpensive routers with that capability and there are a number of switches with it should you wish to convert back to copper into streamer.    

WiFi extends WiFi, not hard wire..

Cat 8 is some great stuff. Great terminal ends. Very tight connection and very good individual wire separation. I tore a cable apart and looked. I paid 10.00 usd for the cable.. It was a ribbon, thick insulation, the terminal ends are really well shielded just like the cable.. I went from CAT 5 to Cat 8.. Everything is better with a 14.00 cable change..

Neither cable ever had errors, BUT a serious speed increase though.

I ran one at 10 feet one at 25 feet, one at 50 feet to the back room..

It’s a co-axel to the box.. Router to laptops use Cat 8 now... A 100% increase in download and 50% increase in upload, with all 3 runs . Bidirectional protocol.

Regards

Big difference between WiFi connect at the player and with a device specifically made for it.

Supra Cat8. 50ft is nothing. They run cables a lot longer than that in commercial buildings and likely the cable to your home from the box outside is that or more.

hello there, I would recommend either vertere hf rg45 or Network Acoustic Eno system between sotm se switch. both are awesome.
I will test this week with a normal sotm switch connected with fibre optic to my sotm se switch to see if I get an improuvment. obviously all switches and modem router and streamer are on linear power supply sotm se.

I forgot between the modem router and the switch either vertere or network acoustic rg45 cable.

(1) WI-FI wireless connectivity is REALLY good …. The current Wi-Fi range extenders simply plug into the home wall sockets and use the home electrical wiring as the cable conduits; and now all you need is a MUCH MUCH shorter Ethernet cable plugged into the close proximity extender unit jack, and the other end into the audio gear jack …EZPZ. Now you are down to only a couple of feet length cable instead of a long run cable length with no loss of  transmission quality, and no hassle of trying to hide the cable behind walls or whatever.

(2) There are four caveats in Ethernet cables to consider for audio
- The cable build with better upgraded shielding makes an audio difference IF you have the high-end build audio system gear with the resolution capabilities to discern the differences
- The cable connectors upgraded up to better quality build ones made a difference
- Cable transmission loads have some lesser impact. - see below for category ratings
- If you are going to run ethernet cables ( or ANY cables) behind the walls, there is always the spectre of meeting local fire resistance building codes and choosing those cables that meet that code, or run the risk of voiding your house insurance.

Category rating.

Cat 6a works great , Cat7 or greater is future-proofing BUT with reference to (1) above, eliminates most if not all concerns about cost or re-running new ones .

The easiest way to tell Ethernet cables apart is to look at their category rating. The standards in use today start at category five (known colloquially as Cat 5), which was designed way back in 1999. Cables in this category can handle 100Mbits/sec connections, but they won’t support the full speed of a Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) network. For that, you need Cat 5e, an enhanced version of Cat 5 that has better resistance to interference and crosstalk and can carry Gigabit traffic over a distance of up to 100m. These days, Cat 5e is the absolute minimum recommended buying, and even then, it’s worth paying the small extra for the step up to Cat 6.

Cat 6 provides headroom for 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) connectivity at cable lengths of up to 50m, but it has its own enhanced version, Cat 6a, which uses an updated design to further reduce crosstalk, making it possible to run 10GbE at distances of up to 100m. Cat 6a cables tend to be slightly more expensive than Cat 6 and have thicker shielding and sheathing, which can make them less flexible. If you’re buying a few 2M cables, the difference won’t be huge, but it’s something to bear in mind if you’re planning to wire up your home. See Cat 6 as your basic, tried and tested option, and Cat 6a as the choice for future-proofing.

It’s unlikely that you’ll need anything more than that in the foreseeable future, but Cat 7 cables are now widely available, with the capability to run a 40GbE connection at distances of up to 50m, and a 10GbE connection over distances of more than 100m. However, to do so Cat 7 uses a slightly different, but backwards-compatible, GG45 connector, though the more consumer-level cables still use regular RJ45.

(3) REVIEW: What causes audible differences in network cables

https://alpha-audio.net/review/wat-zorgt-voor-hoorbare-verschillen-in-netwerkkabels/

“… Intro

We round off our little investigation into network cables with a listening test and a clear conclusion. As promised we subjected the network plugs to a listening test and listened to three different configurations: shielding fixed on one side, shielding fixed on two sides and double shielded (and both sides connected). Do we hear differences? Well…. yes…!

Let’s clear up one myth: there is NO audible difference in network plugs. There is a difference in build quality, price and ease of installation. In short: it does make sense to invest in a good plug.

But let’s continue with the sound reproduction: as you know, we have installed everything from standard plugs to expensive Telegärtners. We tried all cables on the same switch (with an IFI power supply) and listened to the same system:

We did not notice any difference between the connectors. Sometimes we thought we heard something (think of a louder or sharper S-sound), but when we went back to the other connector, there was no difference. It is sometimes very complex to listen to this properly and to judge it honestly. But after hours of switching back and forth, we dare say that there is no difference in reproduction. In any case, we do not dare to take a bet in a blind test…

But where we do hear immediate differences – and continue to hear differences even when going back and forth – is the method of shielding.

We made three cables for this purpose: one cable with DeLock plugs and shielding fixed at one end. One cable with Delock plugs with the shielding fixed at both ends and finally the double shielded version with the nice sleeve. Also with the shielding on both sides (and Delock plugs).

What we observe almost immediately is that the version with the shielding fixed on both sides focuses better. The version with shielding on one side seems to play a bit larger, but that is not true: the effects in the song Perfect Life by Steven wilson are placed at the same spot in the room, but are more tightly framed with the cable where the shielding is fixed on both sides.

With voices, the same is true: it’s tighter in focus and also more stable between the speakers (if we move our heads back and forth, the voice stays in place better very odd).

Going to the double shielding we make another step. Again a bit more tightly focused, again a bit better framed. And with that a bit more calmness in the reproduction allowing details to surface a bit easier.

ClearlyFor us it is clear where the differences come from: shielding, shielding, shielding.

And that is quite logical if you consider that a network cable is included in a digital chain. A chain that relies on clean energy to keep everything clocked tight. A chain that works with noise-levels of -140dB. A chain where small deviations are immediately audible in staging, focus and smoothness.

This also explains why fiber networks work so well as a first upgrade: you immediately shut out a lot of misery by creating a barrier through which electrical energy cannot pass. And thus no electrical noise (common mode in particular).

To conclude…
Can you hear differences between network cables? Yes… definitely. Our samples have shown that. And about the real cables you can buy at the store… pay particular attention to what the manufacturer has done in terms of shielding. We would still leave the unshielded versions. Especially after this experience. But anyway: try it yourself at home!…”

Thanks to all for the help. I am now considering two options, direct longer cable from router to streamer, or use of a WIfi extender with shorter cable. Either way I am now considering using a Supra CAT8 cable. More expensive but with better shielding and connectors. 

@akg_ca Thanks for the detailed response. You have me rethinking the long cable approach.  What extender can you recommend? With as of yet limited research I identified a RangeXTD which can be purchased for ~$50.  Might there be better options?

CAT 8 has the best shielding and I believe maybe tighter twists - read about it here.You can also make the bulk of your run using fiber for a small cost.  Two converters like these and 45-50 feet of fiber with very short CAT 8 runs at either end.
I run 45 feet of fiber and also have 45 feet of CAT 8 in the same run that I was using before the fiber.  I have compared directly and hear virtually no difference - maybe a touch smoother with the fiber, but I could be imagining it. 

You can also make the bulk of your run using fiber for a small cost.  Two converters like these and 45-50 feet of fiber with very short CAT 8 runs at either

end.

Reading this thread with interest. Especially the post quoted above. 

My listening room adjoins the room where my ISP router (modem) sits, feeding my TP Link Archer router. My router feeds a TP Link switch feeding a lot of items such as TV, Sonos speakers, Phillips Hue Bridge, Blu-ray player TV box. So, a few noisy walk warts, and other electrical noise potential. 

I've taken a direct feed/run of 15m of shielded Cat6a from my router, in to the adjoining listening room to feed my Bluesound Node; would it be beneficial to cut out any electric/RF noise from the TV room etc, by breaking the run of Cat6a, doing as suggested above and introduce a short length of Optic cable between 2 converters, and reintroducing a short run of regular ethernet cable, probably Cat8? 

Thanks for reading

That is how I started, with a short run of fiber at the end.  Consider the CAT cables are susceptible to picking up EMI/RFI and the fiber is not.  Why not just run the whole 15M as fiber with a very short CAT cable of your choosing from the second converter to your streamer/server?  That is how I ended up - with the long run in fiber.  Consider buying a LPS for (at least) the last converter instead of using the wall wart.  Some report benefits from using LPSs on both converters and the router, which is what I have done. Also, make sure you purchase the correct fiber cable that matches the connections on whichever converters you purchase.  Good luck.

Well, I decided to install the Monoprice CAT8 50' cable. Seems to be well constructed, having Al foil shield around each of the 4 wire pairs and a braided shield around these. Quality terminations.

 If any issues arise I will go the WiFi extender route.

Thanks for all the advice. 

@mitch2 thanks very much for the advice. I went with a short run of optical fibre between a pair of TP Link converters you linked in one of your previous posts above. My Cat6a feeding in to the first converter, and a short run of Supra Cat8 terminated in Telegartner connectors. 

I suspected there was some noise coming from the Cat6a as it is plugged in to my router, which lives with the TV etc as described previously, but this new set up surpassed my expectations. 

It feels like the stream to my Bluesound Node has been given a good clean on the way in 😊, everything sounds crystal clear. In comparison, I now realise the stream I was receiving was a tad grainy. I've swapped back and forth a few times, from Cat6a direct and the converters/Optic fibre/Cat8, and it's quite a significant improvement. 

Thanks again, a great improvement, for relatively little expense👍😊

Best 14.00 dollars I ever spent.. Cat 5 to Cat 8.

Regards

With all the Cat 8 cables that I’ve tested, I can confidently say that DEEGO’s network line is among the fastest ethernet cable available in the market. This cable product comes with five distinct length options (6 ft, 50ft, ft, 75 ft, 100 ft, 150 ft.) that buyers can select from.

Going Cat8 has major benefits as Oldhvymec points out. My best experience has been wit Onti Cat8 on Aliexpress. Superb quality and sonices

WiFi extends WiFi, not hard wire..

Bingo!

WI-FI wireless connectivity is REALLY good …. The current Wi-Fi range extenders simply plug into the home wall sockets and use the home electrical wiring as the cable conduits

Yeah, but home wall wiring is EXTREMELY noisy, which is the enemy of good digital sound.  I went through training at Magnolia from uber geeks who really know their sh*t, and they were NOT fans of going through a home’s noisy electrical network, and that makes a lot of logical sense to me given all the other appliances, etc. that run through it.  Their advice was to run wired from the router for best sound.  I’m definitely gonna run a CAT8 cable with an optical conversion at some point.  My main question is, would it be better to run a long CAT8 or optical fiber run?  My instinct is to run optical longer as it’s more immune to infusing noise, but I don’t know and would love to hear more experienced people’s thoughts on this. 

Well, I am not the one to provide an opinion on optical vs. CAT8 but based on info from other threads on this site I believe a long optical cable with ethernet/optical converter for each end of a long run may be best. 

Shortly after initiating this thread I installed a long CAT8 cable prior to installation of drywall. Not going back at this time. 

Here is a very interesting reply from Blue Jeans cable when I asked about Cat8 cable.

Begin forwarded message:
 

From: Blue Jeans Cable <[email protected]>
Date: February 25, 2022 at 10:09:12 AM PST
To: 
Subject: Re: Cat 8 Cables ?
 

There is CAT8 bulk cable, and a spec for using it in BaseT applications, but no spec for ethernet patch cords. So one could buy the bulk wire and put RJ45 connectors, but wouldn't be able to certify it to any spec or confirm that it passes any more information than CAT6A.

-- Jeff
 Blue Jeans Cable
 [email protected]