---
title: "Flat Ethernet cables become e-waste the moment they break, and I'm swearing them off for good"
url: https://daily.dev/posts/flat-ethernet-cables-become-e-waste-the-moment-they-break-and-i-m-swearing-them-off-for-good-fxjbzy31a
source_url: https://www.xda-developers.com/im-swearing-off-flat-ethernet-cables-for-good-and-heres-why
type: article
source: "XDA Developers"
published: 2026-06-04T14:01:26.986Z
updated: 2026-06-04T14:01:52.566Z
tags: ["networking"]
reading_time: 3
upvotes: 0
comments: 0
language: en
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Flat Ethernet cables become e-waste the moment they break, and I'm swearing them off for good

**[XDA Developers](https://daily.dev/sources/xda-developers)** · 3 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

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.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.xda-developers.com/im-swearing-off-flat-ethernet-cables-for-good-and-heres-why>

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [Flat Ethernet cables look great — but there’s a catch](https://daily.dev/posts/flat-ethernet-cables-look-great-but-there-s-a-catch-ifuftfx30) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments
- [I spent hours fixing my crippled Ethernet speed before discovering the connector was the culprit](https://daily.dev/posts/i-spent-hours-fixing-my-crippled-ethernet-speed-before-discovering-the-connector-was-the-culprit-unsmo0dpg) · XDA Developers · 1 upvotes · 0 comments
- [My gaming connection was dying until I checked what was under my rug](https://daily.dev/posts/my-gaming-connection-was-dying-until-i-checked-what-was-under-my-rug-qys8ck0z2) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 1 comments
- [Ethernet will tolerate your mistakes, but fiber optic cabling absolutely won't](https://daily.dev/posts/ethernet-will-tolerate-your-mistakes-but-fiber-optic-cabling-absolutely-won-t-jcf88hh2c) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments
- [3 myths about RJ45 Ethernet cables that I get tired of hearing](https://daily.dev/posts/3-myths-about-rj45-ethernet-cables-that-i-get-tired-of-hearing-uckvnhxzl) · XDA Developers · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

---

Tags: [#networking](https://daily.dev/tags/networking)

[View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/flat-ethernet-cables-become-e-waste-the-moment-they-break-and-i-m-swearing-them-off-for-good-fxjbzy31a)