I’m looking to install a wired ethernet connection to the listening room where my main system is situated, before taking the plunge and adding a streamer.
My router is in a different room and to run an ethernet cable internally would be rather problematic, so it looks like running some external grade cable (cat 6 I believe will be used) along the outside of the house from one room to the other will be the most suitable solution, using ethernet wall/face plates as well to keep the job neat.
My question is, as my knowledge on the subject is rather limited, once I’m into the room where my main system is situated, does it really make any difference what ethernet cable I then use to connect up to the streamer seeing as I’ve already introduced “standard” cable into the line. In other words, would there be any benefit in running something more “high end” from the likes of say Chord or Audioquest from the wall plate to the streamer?
Mate there is literally millions and millions of miles of ‘standard’ cable before any so called audiophile ethernet cable. Jesus.
Consider the actual stuff of interest here, i.e. what cable will you use outside, make sure its UV protected or that its encased, use decent quality terminations at each end etc.
Use a good quality patch able on each end, circa a tenner from lindy or Excel.
Marvel at how audiophile companies managed to sell certain people the idea of a directional multiway cable.
Have you looked into a Mesh router? Faced with wifi dropouts when using a single Airport extreme I considered a long run of cable like you are considering. I first tried 2 TP-Link Deco 5’s and that solved the problem. The second one is hard wired to my streamer.
I use the following Ubiquiti UISP-CABLE-PRO 305m CAT5e Shielded Cable its all you need don’t get sucked into expensive cables like Chord or Audioquest for outdoor runs.
Using correct outdoor, preferably double sheath does matter if you want the cable to last more than a couple of years. It’s the UV that causes the damage. I needed to run an outdoor cable one Sunday and no outdoor cable to hand. I used some indoor stuff as a stop gap. As is the norm with these things, the ‘stop gap’ cable was still there 2 years later but all of the external plastic sheathing was gone from the cable. It was just bare inner wires. Still worked though!
On the other hand I installed some correct outdoor cable for a school. 10 years later all the hiatts had rusted away and the cable was hanging from the walls with a couple of bricks lying on it on the roof to stop it sagging. The cable was perfectly fine and still working.