Buying the best Ethernet cables your budget will allow might not be the most obvious investment a photographer can make - but it's definitely worth considering.
Ethernet cables have fallen out of fashion somewhat since the rise of Wi-Fi. A wireless internet connection is more convenient for many people, and thanks to modern Wi-Fi technology, you don't have to sacrifice too much in the way of speeds.
However, there are a lot of things Ethernet connections still do well. They still offer the fastest network speeds - and they are more consistent as well. Wi-Fi performance can be affected by a wide range of factors, such as the distance between a device and the Wi-Fi router, objects - such as walls - that are in the way, and interference from other devices.
An Ethernet cable doesn't suffer from that. Distance isn't an issue, nor are walls if you run the cable between rooms - you'll get the same fast data transfer speeds, without any drops.
Why is this important? Well, if you are a keen photographer, you'll likely have a huge amount of photographs to work on, and if you want to quickly access, copy and backup those photographs onto various computers, or a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device, then you'll want the fastest and most dependable network connection possible - and that's where the best Ethernet cables come in.
The best Ethernet cables in 2024
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AmazonBasic cables are often near or at the top of our various cable buying guides thanks to their affordable prices and dependable build quality, and the AmazonBasics RJ45 Cat 6 Ethernet Patch Cable is no different.
This is a no-frills Ethernet cable that gets the job done, with speeds up to 1Gpbs, which while not the fastest, will be plenty for most people, even when transferring lots of large files throughout a network - not to mention, that 1Gpbs is a lot faster than the vast majority of broadband connections currently, so your internet speeds won't get throttled.
It comes in a range of lengths, depending on your needs, and you can buy them in multipacks which makes them even better value for money. For most people, these will be the only Ethernet cables you need.
If you're looking for premium Ethernet cable that is fast and durable, then the DbillionDa CAT8 Ethernet Cable is an excellent choice. As a Cat 8 cable, you get 40Gbps transfer speeds, which could make a huge impact on your home network, especially if you're transferring large amounts of files and data between PCs, cameras and NAS devices.
The durable design is also weatherproof and UV resistant, so you can even use it outdoors. It'll certainly last a long time, and comes in 6ft - 35ft lengths. It's not the cheapest, but the quality and dependability is well worth the extra expense.
If you're looking for Ethernet cables that will transmit a lot of data quickly and reliably over long distances, then this is a great choice. Offering Cat 8 speeds of up to 40Gbps and a range of lengths from 20ft to a huge 200ft, this is an excellent choice for professionals and businesses.
The longer a network cable is, the more unreliable it can be, but the fast and durable design of this cable means even at its longest length, data remains fast and secure. It's weatherproof, so can be used outside, as well as run inside walls.
The only issue is that the shortest length is still very long (20ft), so this won't be the right cable for home users who don't need Ethernet cables that stretch this far.
If you're after a long Ethernet cable that doesn't cost a fortune, then the Amazon Basics - RJ45 Cat 7 Ethernet Patch 10Gpbs High-Speed Cable is an excellent choice. With a length of up to 15.2m (50ft), this is a great choice for delivering solid and dependable network traffic over long distances - and all for not much money.
Data speeds are decent as well, offering 10Gpbs thanks to its Cat 7 certification, and it's double shielded as well, which should minimize interference from other devices.
One thing to note is that due to this being a budget cable, it doesn't have the durability of more expensive, premium, Ethernet cables, so it's not suitable for outdoor use. Cat 7 is also slower than Cat 8, so if you want the absolute fastest network speeds, you're going to want to look elsewhere.
There are lots of benefits to buying flat Ethernet cables. For a start, it makes unobtrusively installing them a lot easier, as you can run them underneath carpets (check to make sure they have passed safety requirements), under doors and around skirting boards without standing out. For busy studios, it also means less risk of someone tripping over it if it's taped or secured to the floor.
That's why we recommend the Veetop Flat CAT7 High Speed 8Gbps RJ45 Cat 7 Ethernet cables. It comes in a range of lengths up to 50 metres, and you can choose between black and white cables, which helps if you want to install it somewhere it won't stand out.
It also offers Cat 7 speeds of up to 8Gbps, and while that's not the very fastest, it should still mean transferring lots of large files, such as RAW images, is relatively quick. On the downside, 50m may be too short for some needs, and this isn't suitable for outdoor use.
If you want to connect up a number of different devices via Ethernet cables, then the Cable Matters 5-Color Combo 10Gbps Snagless Cat6 Ethernet Cable is a great value pick. It gives you five differently coloured Ethernet cables in an affordable pack - and because they are coloured, it means it's easy to know which cable is connected to what device - which can be very useful if you have a growing collection of devices that all need wired access to your network and Internet connection.
These are Cat 6 Ethernet cables, so you're not getting the fastest speeds, but they are dependable, and will do a good enough job for most use cases. The maximum length you can buy this pack in is 4.2m, so take that into consideration if you're looking for Ethernet cables that need to trail across long distances - as these probably won't be long enough. However, they offer excellent value compared to buying the cables separately.
