There are few things as frustrating as finding a dead wire in your electrical setup, whether that dead cable connects your TV to an outlet or your computer to the internet. Your cables can break for any number of reasons. Sometimes, the cause can be human error, and at other times, it can be due to the cable’s age. Once you know the common reasons why your cables don’t work, you can take better care of what you have to ensure that it lasts as long as possible.
Cables Are Too Long
Having your cables hardwired to your electronics is the most reliable way to ensure a solid connection. Ethernet cables create stronger connections, achieve faster upload and download speeds, and increase your security far more than wi-fi. But they may not be the most efficient tools to use due to their length limitations.
Know the Limits of Cable Length
Ethernet cables have limited ranges when it comes to length. If they go beyond a certain threshold—typically 328 feet—they lose their reliability. Once your cable breaks that 328-foot barrier, you can expect to see slower internet speeds and a deterioration of quality across the board. Consider wireless connections when necessary.
Bending Cables
Cables can bend around corners to fit the environment you’re installing them in, but depending on the curve of that bend, they may cease functioning effectively. The stress that the wiring inside of a cable experiences can be too great if your bend is significant, causing the wires to snap inside their housing.
Know the Limits of Cable Bend Radius
Cables can have different thresholds when it comes to their bend radius, and it’s beneficial to know what the minimum radius is for general cables. Bending them too sharply or for too long can lead to breakages in the future, and replacements will face the same problem if you don’t correct the issue.
Having a Bad Termination
Ethernet experts call the wiring you see inside the head of an ethernet cable its termination. The wires need to sit in a specific order to facilitate the transfer of data across the cable. If those termination ends are in the wrong order or are overlapping incorrectly, your connection will suffer.
A Difficult Problem To Diagnose
While bad terminations can result in worse performances, it’s hard to pinpoint this problem. Just know that when you’re attempting to troubleshoot issues with your cables and can’t find the root cause, you should consider their terminations. If you’re still unsure if your cables have bad terminations, take them to a specialist to confirm the issue.
Take Care Of Your Wires
Often, a reason why your cables don’t work is a person’s lack of knowledge regarding their limits. Understand that they can be fragile and need a delicate touch to keep them going for longer. Additionally, remember that your cables aren’t indestructible and need care.
