Flat Ethernet cables, while aesthetically convenient, have a critical flaw: when they fail due to conductor stress from bending, they are essentially irreparable and become e-waste. Round Ethernet cables, by contrast, can be easily repaired by re-crimping RJ45 connectors. The author switched to self-terminating bulk round cables, which are cheaper, easier to run at custom lengths, and far more repairable. Flat cables may still work for short, low-stress runs, but round cables are recommended for any serious home network deployment.

3m read timeFrom xda-developers.com
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Flat Ethernet fails in a way that you can't see comingWhen they break, they're effectively e-wasteTerminating your own Ethernet cables is easyFlat cables can be fine for shorter runs
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