Cables will always have some sort of “maximum signal” rating, depending on the type of the cable. For ethernet cables, it will be the maximum upload/download speed. For HDMI, it will be the maximum resolution of the video. And so on and so forth for other cables. Any type of “maximum” rating should be taken with a grain of salt.
Those ratings are the best possible rating the cable is capable of under theoretical, perfect conditions. For example, modern HDMI cables are all rated for 4k. But if the HDMI cable is running through a coupler, users will almost certainly not get 4k. Each time a signal passes through a connection, even just connecting a cable to something like a TV or computer, the signal quality degrades a little. Using devices like extenders and couplers will make the signal weaker; for example, coupling a 10’ cable to a 5’ cable will result in a weaker signal than just using a single 15’ cable.
Another key factor for signal quality is the distance of the cable. The further a signal has to travel, the more it will degrade by the time it gets from Point A to Point B. Going back to our HDMI example, a 15’ cord will give a clearer image than a 50’ cable. It is possible to get around this issue using an extender/booster. Some cables are also more subject to this issue than others, so doing a little research before running a particularly long cable never hurts.
When using cables with two different ends, the distance limit will be subject to whichever type of connector has the shorter maximum distance. For example, a standalone HDMI cable can go up to 65’ while a standard DisplayPort cable can go up to 15’. Therefore, an HDMI to DisplayPort cable will be stuck at 15’ for its maximum length.
Other factors such as electromagnetic interference or radio wave interference can also come into play. If the cable will be run near electrical cords or in an area near something like a radio tower, these issues can be mitigated by using shielded cables.
With this information in mind, remember that the rest of this article highlights the maximum distance a cable can run and still work. Some of these numbers are not officially acknowledged as industry standards, but real-world experience has taught us what to look for.
Cable Distance Limits - Data
| Cable Type (Data) | Distance Limit (Meter) | Distance Limit (Feet) |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet | 100 M | 328 Feet |
| USB (Passive) | 4.5 M | 15 Feet |
| USB (Passive + Active) | 29 M | 95 Feet |
| USB (Ethernet Extension) | 61 M | 200 Feet |
| Firewire | 72 M | 236 Feet |
| Serial Cable (Standard) | 15 M | 49 Feet |
| Serial Cable (With Signal Degradation) | 60 M | 197 Feet |
| Single-Mode Fiber Optic | No Practical Limit | No Practical Limit |
| OM1 Multimode Fiber Optic | 300 M | 984 Feet |
| OM2 Multimode Fiber Optic | 600 M | 1968 Feet |
| OM3 Multimode Fiber Optic | 300 M | 984 Feet |
| OM4 Multimode Fiber Optic | 550 M | 1804 Feet |
Ethernet
There are a few different versions of ethernet cable, but they all have a maximum distance of 100 meters (328 feet). It should be noted that Cat7 cable has harsher distance limits than Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6a. Cat7 gets advertised for its 100 Gbps speed, but that will only work for distances up to 15 meters (slightly over 49 feet). Beyond that, it drops to the same 10 Gbps speed of Cat6 and Cat6a (although it still retains its superior 850 Mhz bandwidth).
USB
Passive (standard) USB cables have a maximum length of 15’. This limit can be overcome by using active USB extension cables. The active cables contain a microchip repeater that bypasses the normal 15’ limit of passive cables.
When daisy-chaining USB cables, there can be no more than 15’ of passive cable total. If you have a 10’ passive USB cable and try to attach a passive 10’ extension cord to it, the cable will not work. However, using a 5’ passive extension would work because the total amount of passive cable would only be 15’. These passive/active rules hold true for all the different types of USB cables.
An extender balun allows users to use an ethernet cable as an extension for USB. Different extenders have different maximum distance ratings but generally range somewhere from 150’ to 200’.
Firewire
FireWire has a maximum length of 72 meters (236 feet). Individual cables are only manufactured up to 4.5 meters (14.8 feet) long; going further than that means the cables must be daisy-chained together. A maximum of 16 cables can be used in a single chain.
Serial Cable
Serial cables primarily consist of DB9, DB15, DB25, and DB37. They are also called RS-232, although that term usually refers to DB9 specifically. All of these have a maximum individual length of 15 meters (slightly over 49 feet). Extension cords can be used but past the 15-meter length, the signal will start to degrade. At 30 meters, the signal will have half the normal strength. At 60 meters, ¼ the normal strength. Going beyond 60 meters is not recommended.
Single-Mode Fiber Optic
Single-mode fiber can run for many kilometers before it stops working. Unless the cable is being lain long-distance for a telecom company, distance limits should never be an issue for single-mode fiber.
OM1 Multimode Fiber Optic
OM1 is the basic version of multi-mode cable, being able to maintain 1GB data speeds for up to 300 meters.
OM2 Multimode Fiber Optic
OM2 has the same data transmission speed as OM1 but doubles its maximum length for 600 meters total.
OM3 Multimode Fiber Optic
OM3 has the same 300-meter distance limit as OM1 but is also capable of transmitting data ten times faster at 10GB.
OM4 Multimode Fiber Optic
OM4 carries a 10GB up to 550 meters, providing a distance upgrade to OM3 (similar to how OM2 has the same speed but a greater maximum length than OM1).
Cable Distance Limits - Audio Only
| Cable Type (Audio Only) | Distance Limit (Meter) | Distance Limit (Feet) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5MM / 3.5MM (Regular) | 45 M | 150 Feet |
| 3.5MM (With Extender) | 76 M | 250 Feet |
| XLR (Official) | 30M | 100 Feet |
| XLR (Theoretical) | 300 M | 1000 Feet |
| Optical Toslink | 15 M | 49 Feet |
| Speaker Wire | See Detailed Table Below | See Detailed Table Below |
2.5MM / 3.5MM
2.5mm, 3.5mm (also called headphone cables), and ¼” audio cables have a maximum distance of 150’ on average. Off-the-shelf, standard audio cables will be rated with 150’ in mind. It is possible to go further by custom-making something using thicker cable than usual. The lower the AWG, the greater the distance you can go.
3.5mm can go up to 250’ by using a balun, which allows ethernet cable to be used as an extension.
XLR
Practically, an XLR cable can run for 100’ before it starts running into problems. Not problems with the signal quality, but problems with having to manage a massive physical cable. XLR is usually used with microphones, amplifiers, or similar equipment. With the right equipment, a boosted and shielded XLR cable could run upwards of 1000’ without losing signal quality. Keep in mind that the further the cable runs, the less likely this will go off without a hitch
Optical Toslink
Toslink signals are just as limited by the equipment they are connected to as the cable itself. Low-quality and older cables may only support optical signals up to 5 or 10 meters. Modern Toslink typically runs 15 meters, although some brand-new electronics (mainly computers and satellite receivers) can use up to 30 meters. If extra distance is needed, do not buy the least expensive Toslink cables you can find (you will get what you pay for).
Speaker Wire
Speaker wire is a bit more complicated than other cables when it comes to distance limits. Depending ohms and AWG of the cable, the maximum distance changes. The chart below provides a simple conversion.
| Wire Gauge | 4 ohms | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 AWG | 6 Feet | 9 Feet | 12 Feet |
| 20 AWG | 10 Feet | 15 Feet | 20 Feet |
| 18 AWG | 16 Feet | 24 Feet | 32 Feet |
| 16 AWG | 24 Feet | 36 Feet | 48 Feet |
| 14 AWG | 40 Feet | 60 Feet | 80 Feet |
| 12 AWG | 60 Feet | 90 Feet | 120 Feet |
| 10 AWG | 100 Feet | 150 Feet | 200 Feet |
Cable Distance Limits - Video Only
| Cable Type (Video Only) | Distance Limit (Meter) | Distance Limit (Feet) |
|---|---|---|
| S-Video | 45 M | 150 Feet |
| S-Video (With Extender) | 198 M | 650 Feet |
| VGA | 45 M | 150 Feet |
| VGA (With Extender) | 198 M | 650 Feet |
| DVI (Digital) | 15 M | 49 Feet |
| DVI (Analog) | 5 M | 16 Feet |
S-Video
S-video is an older type of connection, now considered obsolete. Newer electronics are not built with s-video included, but this older technology had plenty of time to be developed in its heyday. When using an older TV, VCR, or other electronic, 150 feet will be the distance limit.
With an extender balun, ethernet cables can be used to extend s-video up to 650’. Keep in mind that a single ethernet cable can only go up to 328’. If extending the S-video past that, ethernet extensions will also be needed.
VGA
VGA is an analog signal and will get weaker over longer distances. For high-quality video, the maximum recommended distance is 25 feet. From 26-100’, mid-level quality video will be received. Past 100’, the video resolution will be low-quality.
Using a balun, ethernet can be used as an extension cable to allow VGA to go up to 650’. Keep in mind that individual ethernet lines can only go 328’, so anything past that will require ethernet extensions as well.
DVI
For maximum signal quality, DVI cables will work up to 5 meters. 5 meters is also the maximum length for DVI-A (analog) cables. The 5-meter limit extends to DVI-I (integrated) since it is capable of analog as well as digital. Any distance from 6 to 15 meters will result in lower signal quality but is available for DVI-D (digital) cables.
Whether a DVI cable is single-link or dual-link does not affect the maximum distance limit. However, dual-link cables have higher bandwidth and will suffer less degradation over longer distances.
Cable Distance Limits - Audio / Video
| Cable Type (Audio / Video) | Distance Limit (Meter) | Distance Limit (Feet) |
|---|---|---|
| Composite RCA | 30 M | 100 Feet |
| Composite RCA (With Extender) | 76 M | 250 Feet |
| Component RCA | 30 M | 100 Feet |
| HDMI (Standard) | 19 M | 65 Feet |
| HDMI (Ethernet Extender) | 114 M | 375 Feet |
| HDMI (Fiber Optic Extender) | 300 M | 1000 Feet |
| Display Port | 7 M | 25 Feet |
| Mini Display Port | 4 M | 15 Feet |
Component RCA
Component RCA (usually just called “component”) is the type of RCA with five cables: red & white for audio and red, blue, and green for video. The quality of the cable makes a big difference in the quality of the image. Well-made component cables can go up to 100’ while retaining HD quality. However, the maximum recommended distance to guarantee HD quality is 16’. Going past 16’ could result in standard definition video, with the odds of lower quality increasing as the cable gets longer.
HDMI
While there are various types of HDMI connections (regular, Mini, Micro), they are all subject to the same distance limits. However, types of HDMI connected to smaller devices like cell phones and tablets are generally only available in shorter lengths since those devices are usually left close to the TV or monitor they are connected to.
The quality of the cable will determine the maximum distance. Basic cables, for example, can only go up to 20’. Mid-grade HDMI goes up to 50’ while the top quality cables go up to 65’. When going beyond 50’ on a single cable, issues with image quality may start to crop up. In these instances, joining two cables together with a booster is the easiest course of action. When trying to maintain a 4k signal, aim at keeping the cable under 16’. Going past that limit can still provide an HD signal, but not necessarily a 4k one.
If a booster is not enough, using a balun extender will allow ethernet cable to be used to extend the HDMI signal. Different baluns have different maximum lengths so be sure to select one that works with your specific set-up.
In extreme cases, multimode LC fiber cable can be used with a special balun that will run the HDMI signal for up to 1000’.
Display Port
Recent innovations have allowed DisplayPort cables to extend to 25’, with the old limitation being 15’. Unless you have a DisplayPort cable that is very new, 15’ is likely the maximum distance on it. For Mini DisplayPort, 15’ is still the hard cap on its distance limit. The 15’ limit also applies to DisplayPort cables that go to other formats (HDMI, DVI, VGA).