To browse the Internet we can connect to the router wirelessly through Wi-Fi or use a Ethernet cable. We can say that this last option is more stable and, on paper, it should offer us greater speed. However, sometimes problems arise. The cable may be damaged and you have limited speed. For this reason, in this article we will tell you how you can know if it is OK or if you need to buy another one.
How to tell if the ethernet cable is working fine
It is possible that you have connected a computer or a television to the Internet by cable with the objective that the speed be better that by Wi-Fi. However, you are not sure if it is really like that or you even notice that something is not right. You suspect that this cable may be defective, old, or even that there is a problem with the router.
The first thing you should do is make sure that the cable you are using is compatible with the current internet speeds. It is essential that it be Gigabit Ethernet, since otherwise it will be limited to Fast Ethernet, which does not work beyond 100 Mbps. You can easily find this out, since it is normal for the category to come on the cable itself. You will see CAT 5e, CAT 6, etc. It must be at least CAT 5e to work up to 1 Gbps.
The next point, once you have verified that the cable is compatible with gigabit ethernet, is to see if it can be damaged. What could you do? The easiest thing is to check the synchronization speed with the router. You can also do a speed test and see how much it reaches you.
For example, if you have a 500 Mbps fiber optic contract, you should receive a speed like that or very close to it by cable. If you receive much less, there is something wrong. If you notice that the speed you are getting is around 100 Mbps, that means there is something wrong with the network cable or adapter you are using. If you encounter this problem, you already have a possible clue that the network cable is damaged.
In a computer with a Gigabit card, when I did a speed test I saw that it was limited to 99 Mbps for both download and upload. Obviously something was wrong and it was not the adapter, but the cable. The problem was that it was damaged and the connector had some loose pins. It was working fine, but limited to Fast Ethernet.
Verifying this with another computer and with another cable will help you solve the doubt. As simple as connecting that cable to another computer or putting another cable on the PC where you have had problems. So you can know if you get a higher speed and rule out problems.
Having a good network cable is important
But having a network cable in good condition is not only important to have good speed, but also to ensure that the connection goes further No problem. That’s where the cable category will come into play. If you can, choose a CAT 7 cable if you are going to do a home installation to take the connection to other places in the house.
A higher category cable will limit the connection less when you take it very far. You can reach several tens of meters guaranteeing 1 Gbps or more with CAT 7, while with CAT 5e you will have more problems. Therefore, always choose very well which cable to use.
As you can see, detecting if an Ethernet cable is damaged is a simple process. You will be able to do a speed test and see if it is limited to 100 Mbps or not. In addition, choosing a good cable will also make the connection more stable and go further.
