Cables have advanced to withstand a broad span of adverse conditions. Even so, there are still factors that can influence your cables’ performance. Distance, internet speed, weather, and more should be considered when selecting the right wires for your system setup.
Ethernet cables are essential to wired networks. Whether they are at home or in-office, learn how temperature affects your Ethernet cables. Understanding how temperature influences cable performance can inform a wired network setup that best safeguards cables from unfavorable environments.
Cables and Temperature
Ethernet cables are manufactured with consideration for varying network environments. Shielded cables are made with special insulation materials so they can still perform well in low and high temperatures.
There are many areas at home or work where cables are found and often affected by the rooms’ warmer temperatures. Mechanical rooms, attics, throughout ceilings, and building wall exteriors commonly run wires and experience higher temperatures.
High temperatures can lead to an interrupted connection if the incorrect wire is used within warmer areas of a wired system—a result of attenuation. To employ an Ethernet cable most successful for your network, consider the highest temperatures it can withstand and how hot the environment will get.
Attenuation and Temperature
Attenuation in networking is the ratio of the output power to the input power measured in decibels. When ratios are imbalanced, attenuation results in a loss of network signal in your Ethernet cables.
The more attenuation in a signal, the worse your connection will be. Noise or unwanted energy on a network declines the connection quality and is a dominant cause of attenuation. Long distance and high temperatures also increase the odds of attenuation for your cables.
How Do the Relationships Affect Cable Performance?
Because attenuation is more likely to occur at higher temperatures, it is best to create an environment that has stable temperatures. If the room your wired network is situated in is susceptible to increasing temperatures, make sure to add insulation materials to the room. Insulation can minimize how temperature affects your Ethernet cables, allowing you to create an optimal network setup for your home or business.
Does your network environment’s temperature pose a restraint on your cable selections? At CableWholesale, we have an expansive variety of wires to accommodate your connection’s requirements. Spanning from our outdoor cat6 cable to our cable wraps and sleeves, our inventory includes all cable accessories necessary for optimal cable management.
