Ethernet cables connect devices to networks, and couplers join cables to create longer ones without splicing. Couplers have colored wires and notches to ensure correct insertion. Couplers should match cable types and have different maximum lengths, with Cat 6 having a recommended length of 180 feet.
Ethernet cables connect computers, routers, modems, and peripherals such as printers to Ethernet networks and communication cards. Cables carry signals that allow data to be transferred over a local area network or WAN. Ethernet couplers are plastic or metal connectors that sit between two Ethernets. The coupler allows you to join cables and create a longer cable. This computer accessory eliminates the need to open an Ethernet cable and expose the cabling so it can be spliced into a second cable.
A standard Ethernet coupler is a small rectangular box that is open at both ends. The design allows the signal from the cable that plugs into either end to travel to the cable that plugs into the opposite side. Inside each open side of the Ethernet coupler are the appropriate wires that match those in the cable.
An Ethernet coupler has colored wires inside the open end of the coupler case. When you properly insert the end of an Ethernet cable that has connectors covered with a plastic sleeve, the cable can contact the wires inside the coupler housing. A coupling box also has a notch that corresponds to a flexible tab on the cable jacket. This notch allows you to fix the cable and avoid inserting the cable incorrectly. To complete the pairing, you plug the second Ethernet cable into the opposite end of the coupler box.
Before purchasing an Ethernet coupler, you need to determine what type of Ethernet cable it will connect with. The most common classes of Ethernet cables used by consumers are Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6 and Cat 6a. Each of these cables has a different data rate. These cables normally have their rating printed on their outer protective jacket.
Cat 6 cables are backwards compatible with Cat 5 cables but, ideally, you should match cable types and couplers when connecting Ethernet cables. Ethernet coupler vendors have specifications that match Cat 5 or Cat 6 cables. Using an incorrectly rated Ethernet coupler may cause loss or failure of the data transmission signal between the network card and the device at to which it was connected.
The maximum length, including any Ethernet coupler used in the configuration, is different for each class of cable. The upper limit for Cat 5 cables is 328 feet (100 meters). For Cat 6 cables, the recommended maximum cable length is the same; however, the recommended length drops to 180 feet (55 meters) in mixed network cabling configurations.
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