Long Ethernet Cables
Moulded and tested Ethernet cables (patch leads) from 15m to 50m, for linking rooms and floors, reaching ceiling-mounted access points and cameras, and patching across larger comms rooms. We list 312 long leads in CAT5e, CAT6 and CAT6A, including shielded and outdoor versions, with 277 in stock for next working day delivery.
Choose a length
What we stock in each length
| Length | CAT5e | CAT6 | CAT6A | CAT8 | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15m | 40 | 38 | 19 | 4 | £4.56 |
| 20m | 46 | 44 | 21 | 4 | £6.53 |
| 25m | 11 | 10 | 4 | – | £7.51 |
| 30m | 20 | 20 | 4 | – | £8.57 |
| 40m | 4 | 4 | 2 | – | £10.49 |
| 50m | 5 | – | 2 | – | £17.64 |
Most ordered long leads
Planning a long run
Measure along the route the lead will actually take, round corners, up walls and through ceiling voids, rather than the straight distance between the two points, and add a metre or two of slack at each end so the plugs are not under strain. Keep the lead away from mains cables and fluorescent fittings where you can, cross power cables at right angles rather than running alongside them, and avoid crushing it under cable clips or kinking it round tight corners.
The 100 metre limit
Copper Ethernet is specified for a channel of up to 100m between the switch port and the device, normally made up of a fixed link of up to 90m with patch leads at each end. A single lead of 50m or less is comfortably inside that. Beyond 100m, add a switch part way, or use fibre optic cable between buildings and for long backbone links.
CAT6A for 10 gigabit and the latest access points
CAT5e and CAT6 run gigabit at every length on this page. If the link needs 10 gigabit over more than about 55m, or it feeds a Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 access point with a 2.5 or 5 gigabit uplink, choose CAT6A, which carries 10 gigabit over the full 100m. We list 52 long CAT6A leads, and our CAT6A range runs from short patch leads upwards.
PoE over long leads
Power over Ethernet cameras, access points and phones draw their power down the lead, and some of that is lost as heat in the copper. Over long runs, and where many PoE leads are bundled together, 24 AWG leads with their thicker conductors lose less power and stay cooler than 26 AWG. 161 of our long leads are 24 AWG.
Shielded leads
Unshielded U/UTP is right for most offices. In plant rooms, workshops, lift motor rooms, or anywhere a lead shares a route with heavy power cables, a shielded lead (F/UTP, U/FTP or S/FTP) gives the signal extra protection. Shielding works best end to end, with shielded patch panels, sockets and equipment earthed in the normal way. We list 312 shielded long leads.
Outside and between buildings
Standard leads are for indoor use. For a garden office, an outbuilding or a camera on an outside wall, use our outdoor network cables, which have a black PE jacket made for outdoor use, in 15m, 20m, 25m, 30m, 40m and 50m lengths. Between separate buildings, fibre also removes any risk from differences in earth potential.
Patch lead or a cable reel?
A long patch lead is quick: no tools, no termination, and every lead is tested. For permanent cabling in walls and ceilings, run solid core cable from a network cable reel and terminate it at faceplates and a patch panel, then use short patch leads at each end. If you prefer to make your own leads, we also stock RJ45 plugs and network tools.
Buying for a project
Our patch leads have quantity discounts that start at 10 leads, shown on each product page, and many are also sold in patch lead packs. For larger orders or a mix of lengths, call us on 0207 100 6326.