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Questions about Ethernet Cabling

PLEASE READ: This is not a thread about the merits or demerits of audiophile-grade ethernet cables, or any cable for that matter. If you don’t believe in spending extra on expensive cables, I respect your opinion but please don’t turn this into a point of contention.

So before I ask my questions, let me describe how internet connectivity is setup in my house:

- [Home office/study] The modem (AT&T), router (Google Nest/Mesh), and switch ($25 TP-link basic switch) are located in the home office/study. I also have a second system in this room as well as other stuff connected through the switch. In other words, I can’t move the switch to another room.

- [Media room] The main audio system is located in the media room which is in the diagonally opposite side of the house (single story). This room has the ENO ethernet filter connected to the Innuous Zenith MK3 streamer, and so on.

[Long ethernet cable] A very long run of ethernet cable (CAT 6/over 100 foot) runs from the [Home office/study] router and terminates into the [Media room] ethernet jack/wall plate. This was done by the builder and it runs through the attic.

- [Media room] From the [Media room] ethernet wall plate, I then use another 6 foot ethernet cable (also CAT 6) that goes into an ENO filter and then on to the Innuos Zenith MK3 streamer.

 

So here are my questions:

1. Is it worth upgrading only the so-called last-mile ethernet cable, i.e. the one between the [Media room] ethernet wall plate and Eno filter while I continue using the long CAT 6 cable [Study >> Media room]? It is going to be difficult, if not impossible, to replace the long-run CAT 6 cable as it goes through the attic where several spots are not reachable without tearing down some sheetrock.

2. Is it worth adding a second audiophile-grade switch (e.g. uptone) in the media room while leaving the one in the study as is? Or is it better to upgrade the switch in the study first and place the cheaper switch in the media room? Or do I need to replace both switches (not prefered as it adds to the cost)?

 

128x128arafiq

Showing 5 responses by cakyol

cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

I work for Broadcom as a senior software engineer and deal with this stuff almost daily.

As long as your ethernet wire is rated for the correct bit rate and length, and you do not live in an extremely noisy (electrically) environment like a factory floor, there is ABSOLUTELY NO BENEFIT in spending any more on exaggerated and false claims on audiophile data wires.

If you can use fiber optic, even better. But the standard cat5, cat6 or higher wires are also perfectly fine too.

 

 

 

cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara, please read my post above :-)

cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

In its simplest explanation, analog noise does not matter in digital modulation techniques. They are mostly filtered out simply by the clever modulation methods. All the system needs to do is be able to distinguish between a one and a zero. It is worse in wifi (read about 256 or 1024 QAM). Furthermore, error correction techniques like Viterbi decoding and convolıtional codes take care of most errors without even you knowing about it.

There is obviously a limit. If you detonate a nuclear device, the EMP pulse cannot be filtered out but in 99% of homes and even noisy factories, this is not the case 😄. 

cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara,

I acknowledge your concern regarding power supplies but 99% of network switches and bridges use a walwart as a power supply which is pretty far away from where the analog circuits are (usually). The noise transmitted is at worst negligible, at best undetectable.. unless you place your DAC converters right next to the PSU, which most of time is not the case.

And obviously, if fibre is available, it is best to use it in the entirety of the connections if possible to do so.

 

cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

@arafiq

Use a netgear GS305 self learning bridge:

I have about 4 of these in my house daisy-chained and they work perfectly. Use at least a cat6 cable and you will be fine.

 

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