Ethernet Cable Splitter

First of all, an Ethernet cable splitter or Ethernet splitter is not a router or Ethernet switch/hub. A network cable splitter is not intended to be used to split an internet connection into two ports or more.

In other words, if you are looking for something that can connect more than two computers or network cables into one single connection to the web, what you need is by no means an Ethernet splitter but an Ethernet switch/hub. So, what on earth is an Ethernet cable splitter and what does it do?

Ethernet and Ethernet cable splitter

Before talking about Ethernet cable splitters, let’s get to know what is Ethernet and what is Ethernet splitter separately first. Ethernet refers to a type of network technology for local area networks, which transfer signals between computers via coaxial cable at a rate of 10 megabits per second. Please note that the network mentioned here is not the internet, which unfortunately a lot of people would mix them up. Actually networks here refer to two computers or two LANs.

An Ethernet splitter is designed for connecting two network devices to an Ethernet switch by a single Ethernet cable wiring like Cat5e patch cable. These devices include personal computers and IP telephone/VoIP ATA and the like. If you want to use a single Ethernet connection for two computers or two LANs, these Ethernet splitters simply won’t split the internet connection for you as you expect a router do. A network cable splitter is an excellent tool that is made to decrease extra Ethernet cable needed when you want to connect two networks. In addition, it can save you the cost of at least a piece of long Ethernet cable besides the labor.

How does an Ethernet splitter work?

The Ethernet patch cable used along with an Ethernet splitter have 8 wires inside. Normally as we know that what use in a regular LAN is a 4-wire Ethernet cable. That is the key where an Ethernet splitter works. They have the double wiring to allow the two signals running through.

Imagine that you encounter the following situation needed to be solved with a simpler way. Presume that you have two LANs in one place and other two in another place. Of course you can also connect them separately but it requires two sets of network cables. That is a waste and not a green approach at all. You need to hook them up through only on single network cable. That is the typical occasion where an Ethernet cable splitter should be used for. All you need is just one long Ethernet cable instead of two and a splitter at either end to save all those Ethernet cable wiring cost and labor.

Using network cable splitter in pairs

Due to fail to read the product description carefully, many customers would claim that network cable splitter sucks and did not work for them at all. As a matter of fact, they just simply neglect the fact that network cable splitter need to be used in pairs. The mechanism is that a splitter is needed to blend the two input signals in one end and then another splitter is needed to split them up again at the other end before the signal reach the final destination. Otherwise the receiving end would be bewildered by the entering data and refuse to work normally.

Ethernet cable splitter is not for internet connection

So, before buying an Ethernet cable splitter, please keep in mind that the Ethernet splitter is only for cable sharing instead of internet connection sharing. Or you might get frustrated that why this cable splitter did not work for you? Use network cable splitter correctly and it is an excellent way to save you good money on any Ethernet cable wiring.