This is especially frustrating when the tool is a means to an end. I'm just trying to do this _one thing_. I don't want to have to become an expert to do this _one thing_, so don't get cute with the API. If the config is slightly more verbose in the end, so be it.

I relate so hard to this...

Ok here's 1 more. Cables have a freaking bend radius and if you go past it, the signal degrades! The amount you can bend depends on 2 factors: the cable's outer diameter and the shielding level. For shielded cables the generic guidance is 8 x OD. For unshielded it's 4 x OD. Don't kink your cables!

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned getting victimized by the bogus cable industry. A while back, I bought Cat 7 cables labeled SSTP. After learning of all the fraud, I cut one open out of curiosity and found that the printed shielding type was a lie! No overall shielding.

10. This is a big one... There are two main types of coaxial cable: RG59 and RG6. If you're running a cable from your ISP to your cable modem, you want RG6. After replacing my RG59 with RG6, I realized the RG59 was costing me around 300 Mbps! 🤯

9. Shielding types are a little more complex. You'll see a lot of U/UTP, F/FTP, F/UTP, etc. I won't list them all here, but the basic format is [overall shielding]/[shielding around each twisted pair]. This is easier to understand with pictures, and there are plenty of good ones out there.

8. For jacket ratings, you'll see things like CM, CMR, and CMP. These represent levels of fire safety. Each level has specific uses. CMP, or "Communications Multipurpose Plenum," offers the highest level of fire safety and is generally only used in places like air ducts or plenum spaces.

7. When shopping for Ethernet cable from legitimate companies, you'll see all kinds of confusing initialisms. These primarily fall into two categories: jacket rating and shielding type.

* Sort of lied here. There are some corner cases where this isn't true, like when dealing with PoE devices.

** The correct way to run a channel is: patch cable -> keystone jack -> solid copper cable -> keystone jack -> patch cable.

6. A "channel" is an end-to-end cable run from a network switch to a client device. Channels are ALWAYS* bookended by patch cables. At one point I was considering running a lengthy patch cable from my switch through a keystone coupler in a wall plate. I now know how wrong that would have been! ** 🤮

5. Patch cables are, by definition, cables that end in two male connectors. This is important because...

Why? Stranded cables are more flexible and can withstand repeated handling, whereas solid copper is more resistant to attenuation (signal loss).

4. There are 2 types of conductors used in Ethernet cables: solid copper and stranded. Solid is best for long runs in a structured cabling system, while stranded is used for short-length patch cables.

3. 100% of Cat 7 cables terminated with RJ45 connectors are counterfeit. They're probably Cat 6 or 6a cables being passed off as Cat 7. I actually fell victim to this a few years ago... more on that in a bit.

2. The cable market is absolutely flooded with counterfeit/garbage cables. Try to buy from reputable brands. A lot of times they'll even have certification/test results for their cables. (Which brings me to my next point...)

1. The male Ethernet connectors we're all familiar with are technically 8P8C, but everyone calls them RJ45.

My source for most of this stuff is truecable.com's excellent cable academy. I highly recommend it if you're interested in upgrading your home network.

Here are a few things I learned...