Extend from the wall entry point to router

[EmTyler]

Hi! We have had EE broadband fitted and the cable from the wall to router is short. We want to move the tv etc (attached to router) for a new room lay out. Can I buy a longer cable from the wall to the router and does switching (ie removing from wall so temporarily disconnecting router) cause any issues? 

[JimM11]

@EmTyler As long as you need, and switching it out is NOT a problem, Cat5e is all you require spec wise!

[EmTyler]

Thanks is cat5e a cable name? Sorry I’m not very tech aware! 

[JimM11]

@EmTyler Yes, you get Cat5e onwards the higher the number the higher the price, Amazon probably good to get just search Ethernet Cable and you will see various and then the length you need, ie 5M,10M 30M etc!

[EmTyler]

Oh amazing thank you. So just unplug from this box on the wall and use the new cable? I wasn’t sure if I needed to ask EE for an official cable . 

[JimM11]

@EmTyler You have the official EE one, does not get any longer than that for them, and yes just unplug, move your EE Router to where and plug them back in again! 

[EmTyler]

Ah ok so they don’t do a longer one and I need to switch out for the recommended one above? Thanks - when you say the higher the number more expensive do i need a different one if we have a lot of streaming etc. I need it to be the same/better than the Ee one. 

[JimM11 · Accepted solution]

@EmTyler Cat5e is good to 1Gb/s speed for a full 100Metres cable run, just buy what you need, whatever is in stock and a typical 10M = 33foot cable is around £7, if you get a cat higher it does not matter!

[EmTyler]

Thanks this sounds very simple. Cheers! 

[Brian160]

The advice you have been given applies to full fibre where the cable from wall to router is a regular ethernet/network/RJ45 cable. If you have the more common system where the router is connected to a phone socket, you need an RJ11 cable. The safest option might be to take the existing (short) cable into your friendly local computer shop and say you want a longer one of those. Both types come in various different lengths.

So if your wall box is an ONT, you need an ethernet cable. If it's a phone socket, you need RJ11.