Cat6a Ethernet Cable for CCTV: 2026 UK Guide

Cat6a is the 500MHz-rated upgrade to Cat6's 250MHz, built to carry full 10GBASE-T across the entire 100m channel. It comes in both shielded (F/FTP, S/FTP, F/FTD) and unshielded (U/UTP) constructions.

For CCTV that headroom matters because PoE++ under IEEE 802.3bt can supply up to 90W at the port — around 71W at the camera for Type 4. Bundled cable in containment heats up under that load, and heat is what de-rates a copper channel.

The qualification: you don't need it for a single 1080p camera on a short run. For 4K multi-sensor heads, long backbone links, or dense PoE++ bundles, it's the margin between a stable install and a marginal one.

What actually matters when choosing ethernet cable cat 6a

The choice comes down to 4 things: shielding, conductor type, sheath rating for the install location, and confirmed 10GBASE-T performance to 100 metres. Get those right and everything else is cosmetic.

Shielded vs unshielded (F/FTP or S/FTP vs U/UTP)

For CCTV runs alongside power cables, containment or other electrical noise sources, shielded construction is the safer default.

A shielded Cat6A design such as S/FTP wraps each pair in foil and adds an overall braid. Category 6A performance itself is specified in IEC 61156-6 and ANSI/TIA-568, which define swept-frequency performance up to 500MHz for both shielded and unshielded constructions.

Unshielded Cat6A exists and is cheaper to terminate. But on sites with fluorescent ballasts, mains runs in the same tray, or long external ducted routes, shielding is a sensible precaution against both the external EMI those sources radiate and the alien crosstalk that couples between cables in a shared bundle.

Solid vs stranded conductor

Solid-core Cat6A is for fixed infrastructure; stranded is for flexible patch leads — don't mix the two roles up. Solid conductor cable, typically 23AWG, is what you pull through ducts, walls and containment for permanent links.

That is what CCTV Line's Duct Grade Cat6A Cable for CCTV & Network is built as: a 23AWG F/FTD shielded design supplied as duct grade for external and underground routing.

Stranded cable flexes better for short patch leads at the cabinet or camera end, but isn't intended for long fixed runs.

Sheath and environment rating

Outdoor and duct routes need a sheath actually rated for the environment, not a standard internal jacket pushed outside.

CCTV Line's duct-grade cable carries a black heavy-duty sheath for external duct and direct routing applications, over an F/FTD shielded 23AWG core, and is listed for underground and outdoor installations. Internal structured cabling runs, by contrast, are usually better served by a solid-core reel such as the Cat6A Network Cable 305m Reel for patch panels and internal IP camera infrastructure.

Confirmed 10G performance to 100m — not just the Cat6A label

A cable printed "Cat6A" is only worth it if it actually delivers 10GBASE-T over your real cable run. Genuine Cat6A is designed to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet over distances up to 100 metres, which matters directly for multi-camera IP CCTV pushing high-resolution streams across a site.

Check the sheath print or datasheet for the standard reference rather than trusting the category name alone — and a trade account gives access to full spec sheets before you commit to a reel.

Duct Grade Cat6A Cable for CCTV & Network — best for external and underground CCTV runs

A 23AWG F/FTD shielded Cat6A cable in a black duct-grade sheath for external and underground CCTV and network installs. It suits installers routing camera or data links outside the building envelope rather than patching inside a rack.

This is bulk cable, not a patch lead — pair it with your own connectors and a tester on site.

• 10GBASE-T capable: rated for 10 Gigabit Ethernet transmission, well ahead of what any current IP camera needs but useful headroom on shared backbone runs.
• 23AWG F/FTD shielded construction: the foiled shielding helps reject interference on long external duct runs near power cabling — a common issue on car park and perimeter camera drops.
• 100 metre distance support: matches the standard structured cabling limit for 10GBASE-T, so it's worth checking your actual run length against that ceiling before ordering, especially if you're adding patch leads at either end.
• Duct-grade black sheath: supplied for underground and external routing rather than internal patch use — don't confuse it with an indoor-only Cat6a cable.

The trade-off: this is supplied as bulk duct cable, so you'll need to terminate it yourself with RJ45 or keystone connectors. If you want a ready-made patch lead for a short indoor run, look at pre-terminated options instead.

For larger jobs, our Cat6A Network Cable 305m Reel – Solid Core is worth comparing if you don't need the external-grade jacket. Account pricing and current stock are shown once you're logged in via a trade account; stock ships UK-wide from our Coventry base.

Duct Grade Cat6A Cable for CCTV & Network

Cat6A Network Cable 305m Reel – Solid Core — best for full-site structured cabling runs

This is the bulk-reel choice for wiring a building rather than a desk: a solid-core Cat6A cable on a 305m grey reel. It is built for permanent structured cabling behind patch panels and IP camera runs rather than short patch leads.

If you're first-fixing a site — pulling cable to camera positions, wall plates or a comms cabinet — this is the format to buy, not a boxed length.

• Solid-core conductors, which is what standards bodies and manufacturers specify for fixed, in-wall installations rather than flexible patch cords
• Supports Gigabit and 10G Ethernet, giving headroom for 10GBASE-T switches and high-resolution multi-camera IP CCTV traffic on the same backbone
• Grey sheath, 305m reel — the standard box length UK installers spec for patch panel and multi-room runs, cut to length on site
• Suited to structured cabling, patch panel terminations and CCTV IP infrastructure alongside PoE switches and NVRs

The trade-off is that solid core isn't meant for constant flexing. Don't use it for anything that gets unplugged and moved, like a desktop patch lead or a 4m ethernet cable to a workstation; a stranded patch cable suits that job better.

If your run is outdoors or in ducting exposed to moisture, look at a shielded, duct-grade cable instead of this internal solid-core reel. For indoor first-fix wiring to cameras, switches and patch panels, this reel is the sensible base for a Cat6A backbone — check current stock and trade pricing on the product page, or open a trade account at CCTVLine for volume orders.

Cat6A Network Cable 305m Reel – Solid Core

Which one should you buy?

For a CCTV run through external ducting or an underground route, pick the Duct Grade Cat6A Cable for CCTV & Network. It is a 23AWG F/FTD shielded construction rated for 10GBASE-T to 100 metres and supplied as duct grade for external and underground installs.

For a structured cabling job inside a building — patch panels, internal risers, multiple camera drops back to a PoE switch or NVR — the Cat6A Network Cable 305m Reel – Solid Core is the better fit: a solid-core grey reel sized for whole-site first-fix runs rather than one-off patch leads.

Neither is right if you only need a handful of short, flexible leads between a switch and a wall plate. That's a job for a stranded-core Cat6a patch cable, since solid conductors aren't designed for repeated flexing.

Budget-conscious installers wiring a straightforward 1 Gigabit network over shorter runs may still find Cat6 adequate rather than paying for 10GBASE-T headroom they won't use. But anywhere the run could later carry 10 Gigabit traffic, sit near power cabling, or go outdoors, Cat6a is the safer long-term spec.

Trade buyers can check current stock and account pricing by opening a trade account or browsing the full range at cctvline.co.uk; stock ships UK-wide from the Coventry base at 305 Holbrook Lane, CV6 4DG, dispatched same day on orders placed before the published cut-off.