The wrong cable is one of the most common reasons a working camera or reader stops working a year later — undersized cores drop voltage, indoor-rated jacket perishes outdoors, and an unshielded run picks up interference from nearby mains cable. This page covers what to choose for each part of a security or networking install.

CCTV and networking

• Cat5e — the minimum for PoE IP cameras up to around 4MP over short-to-medium runs. Cheaper, but Cat6 gives more headroom for higher resolutions and longer distances.
• Cat6 — recommended for new installations, 4K cameras, and any run approaching the 100m PoE limit, where the lower resistance matters most.
• RG59 (shotgun/siamese) — for HD-TVI analogue cameras over coax, usually bundled with a power pair in one jacket for a single-cable pull.

All Cat5e/Cat6 and RG59 here comes in internal and external-rated versions — always specify external cable for any outdoor run, even a short one under the eaves, since UV and damp will crack a cheaper indoor jacket within a season.

Intruder alarms

Alarm cable for detectors, sirens and keypads needs enough cores for power plus signalling — 4-core is standard for most detectors, 6- or 8-core where a device needs a tamper loop or an additional function.

Access control

Readers need dedicated multi-core cable, not a spare data run — our Paxton reader cable is specified for Net2 and Net2 Entry installations. Maglocks and strikes need cable sized for their current draw, not standard bell wire.

Accessories

Junction boxes, back boxes, trunking and conduit, and surge protection for cable runs entering a building are all stocked alongside the cable itself, so a full first fix can come from one order.

Not sure which cable a specific camera or panel needs? The compatible cable is noted on camera and alarm panel product pages, or ask at our Wolverhampton trade counter — see CCTV in Wolverhampton.