Does It Matter What Color My Ethernet Cable Is?
When starting the purchasing journey for ethernet cable there are many different features to look at.. Maybe your upgrading your existing network or starting from scratch? Out of all the things you want to know such as where is the cable going? What is the surrounding environment? What kind of speeds do I want? The question we come across from time to time is does it matter what color my ethernet cable is? These are all some of the first questions you go through when looking to purchase cable and in this article we will help answer this specific question for you.
The Color Of The Cable
In short, Does is matter what color my ethernet cable is? The answer is no. It does not matter what color my ethernet cable is. The color of the cable does not have any performance characteristics that would make you want to choose a certain color over the other. Some of the cables where you have limited options are is in outdoor cable. You'll find that the majority of this cable is going to have a black jacket color. This is because outdoor ethernet cable can be placed outside facing conditions such as sun, wind and rain. The compounds used to make outdoor cable in addition to PE (Polyethylene) form the color black. This gives the cable the best ability to be UV resistant so you're protected from direct installs outdoors.
Organizing With Different Colors
The importance of the color of your ethernet cable can matter however. With the color having no additional affects on performance the importance of the color comes in the way of Cable Management. Say you have a data center or business who already has a server or server room in place. Chances are the IT or service reps are going to have a color scheme in place. Organizing your cables by color helps your network infrastructure by making it more efficient. It becomes more efficient when divided by color to better troubleshoot problems that can occur down the road. If you have certain areas marked with different colors and then something happens to those rooms then it will be easier to diagnose the problem. A well organized cable setup will save you headaches in the long run. Does this matter for everyone? No. But it doesn't hurt to add extra color cables when you can.
If you're looking to run cable in the walls then the color of the cable you choose won't really matter. For that case you want to make sure you get the right type of cable (Riser, Plenum, Unshielded or Shielded) depending on exactly where the cable will go. You can then simply choose your favorite color. With Infinity Cable Products we stock many different colors so you can always find the right one for you.
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Conclusion
Choosing the right ethernet cable is the first step to a successful network as we say. With all the different questions that come up the one of Does It Matter What Color My Ethernet Cable Is shouldn't make you worry. Simply choose your favorite color or stick to what your network is organized by. Cable management by color is a great way to troubleshoot any problems and can help assist anyone in the future who wants to work on or add on to the network.
