Best Outdoor Ethernet Cables

For burying a cable across a yard, the Cable Matters Cat6 Outdoor-Rated Direct Burial cable (160023) is the starting pick: a gel-filled core, UV-resistant LDPE jacket and 23 AWG solid bare-copper conductors in one spool. For a multi-gig or PoE-heavy run, upgrade to the trueCABLE Cat6A Direct Burial Shielded cable (6ASCMXBLK), which adds a foil shield and documented PoE++ support up to 100W. If the cable runs through conduit or a protected wall rather than underground, Cable Matters' UV-resistant Cat6 (160029) is cheaper and cleaner to terminate.

Official product pages checked November 5, 2026. Recommendations are based on manufacturer documentation, without physical testing.

Quick picks and comparison

Compare specifications and all conditions

Cable Matters Cat6 Direct Burial (160023)

Best for

Buried runs to cameras and outbuildings

Category

Cat6, UTP

Water protection

Gel-filled water-repellent core

All specifications

What to allow for

Clean gel off ends before terminating; 7.3mm connectors

trueCABLE Cat6A Direct Burial Shielded (6ASCMXBLK)

Best for

Multi-gig and PoE++ runs with interference

Category

Cat6A, F/UTP shielded

Water protection

LLDPE jacket + dry water-blocking tape

All specifications

What to allow for

Shielded connectors; bond the shield

Cable Matters Cat6 UV-Resistant (160029)

Best for

Conduit and protected outdoor routing

Category

Cat6, UTP

Water protection

Water-blocking swellable tape liner

All specifications

What to allow for

Not rated for direct burial; conduit needed underground

UniFi Premium Patch Cable Outdoor (Cat6A)

Best for

Short links to outdoor APs and cameras

Category

Cat6A patch, shielded

Water protection

Weatherproof jacket

All specifications

What to allow for

Fixed lengths stop at 15 m

UniFi Outdoor Cable (Cat5e spool)

Best for

Whole-yard UniFi wiring on a budget

Category

Cat5e, F/UTP shielded

Water protection

TPE UV-resistant jacket

All specifications

What to allow for

Cat5e speeds only

Full comparison table ↔

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Our pick	Best for	Category	Water protection	What to allow for
Cable Matters Cat6 Direct Burial (160023)	Buried runs to cameras and outbuildings	Cat6, UTP	Gel-filled water-repellent core	Clean gel off ends before terminating; 7.3mm connectors
trueCABLE Cat6A Direct Burial Shielded (6ASCMXBLK)	Multi-gig and PoE++ runs with interference	Cat6A, F/UTP shielded	LLDPE jacket + dry water-blocking tape	Shielded connectors; bond the shield
Cable Matters Cat6 UV-Resistant (160029)	Conduit and protected outdoor routing	Cat6, UTP	Water-blocking swellable tape liner	Not rated for direct burial; conduit needed underground
UniFi Premium Patch Cable Outdoor (Cat6A)	Short links to outdoor APs and cameras	Cat6A patch, shielded	Weatherproof jacket	Fixed lengths stop at 15 m
UniFi Outdoor Cable (Cat5e spool)	Whole-yard UniFi wiring on a budget	Cat5e, F/UTP shielded	TPE UV-resistant jacket	Cat5e speeds only

Our pick	Best for	Category	Water protection	What to allow for
Cable Matters Cat6 Direct Burial (160023)	Buried runs to cameras and outbuildings	Cat6, UTP	Gel-filled water-repellent core	Clean gel off ends before terminating; 7.3mm connectors
trueCABLE Cat6A Direct Burial Shielded (6ASCMXBLK)	Multi-gig and PoE++ runs with interference	Cat6A, F/UTP shielded	LLDPE jacket + dry water-blocking tape	Shielded connectors; bond the shield
Cable Matters Cat6 UV-Resistant (160029)	Conduit and protected outdoor routing	Cat6, UTP	Water-blocking swellable tape liner	Not rated for direct burial; conduit needed underground
UniFi Premium Patch Cable Outdoor (Cat6A)	Short links to outdoor APs and cameras	Cat6A patch, shielded	Weatherproof jacket	Fixed lengths stop at 15 m
UniFi Outdoor Cable (Cat5e spool)	Whole-yard UniFi wiring on a budget	Cat5e, F/UTP shielded	TPE UV-resistant jacket	Cat5e speeds only

Direct burial, conduit or patch: pick the construction first

Burying cable in the ground: buy a cable the maker rates for direct burial. Cable Matters describes the 160023 as "filled with a water blocking gel compound for direct burial applications"; trueCABLE states its Cat6A is "suitable for direct burial with or without conduit" thanks to an outer LLDPE jacket and dry water-blocking tape. A direct-burial rating is a jacket-and-core construction, not a thickness claim.

Running through conduit or along a wall: a UV-resistant cable without a burial rating is the documented fit. Cable Matters' 160029 page warns that the 1000-foot black version is "Not Rated for Direct Burial" and that "direct burial without a conduit is not recommended" — this family is for protected routing where the sun, not the soil, is the enemy. The swellable-tape liner handles moisture without the gel mess at termination.

Connecting equipment at the end of the run: pre-terminated outdoor patch cables avoid field termination entirely. Ubiquiti's Premium Patch Cable Outdoor is factory-terminated with shielded RJ45 plugs, an insulated weatherproof jacket, and internal foil shielding with a drain wire for ESD protection, in lengths from 1 to 15 m.

Category and bandwidth: Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6A

All three categories carry standard Ethernet applications; the difference is headroom. Cable Matters rates both its outdoor Cat6 cables at 550 MHz with support for 10-Gigabit and 10/100/1000 Ethernet. trueCABLE's Cat6A is tested up to 750 MHz, which the maker describes as ensuring the ANSI/TIA required Cat6A 500 MHz operating bandwidth under in-field conditions. Ubiquiti's spool option is Category 5e — the maker positions it as weather-resistant outdoor wiring for standard-rate links, not multi-gig.

For most camera, access-point and backhaul runs, Cat6 outdoor cable is the sweet spot. Choose Cat6A when the link must carry multi-gig speeds or high-wattage PoE over a long buried run, and Cat5e only when the equipment at both ends is standard-rate anyway.

• 550 MHzCat6 outdoor (Cable Matters), bandwidth
• 750 MHzCat6A direct burial (trueCABLE), tested
• 500 MHzCat6A operating bandwidth required (ANSI/TIA)
• 100WTrueCABLE PoE++ (802.3bt) 4PPoE power
• 305 mUniFi Outdoor Cable spool length

The five picks in detail

Cable Matters Cat6 Outdoor-Rated Direct Burial Bulk Cable (160023)

The buried-run default. It pairs 23 AWG solid bare, pure copper conductors with a gel-filled water-repellent core and a UV sun- and weather-resistant LDPE jacket, in compliance with ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-C.2 per the maker. The jacket is foot-marked, counting down from 1000 feet, so you can see how much spool is left mid-run. UL 444 conforming bare copper is the conductor spec you want for PoE loads.

Two handling rules from the maker: the gel-fill compound must be removed from the cable ends before termination, and it terminates with Cat 6 RJ45 connectors and keystone jacks that accept a round cable with a 7.3mm outside diameter. For bringing it indoors, NEC allows termination inside a building up to 50 feet from the entrance.

Best for: buried runs to IP cameras, outbuildings and yard access points where the link runs at 10/100/1000 or modest 10-Gigabit speeds.

Limitations: unshielded; gel cleanup at every termination; outdoor-only beyond the 50-foot entrance allowance.

trueCABLE Cat6A Direct Burial Shielded Bulk Cable (6ASCMXBLK)

The upgrade pick when the run carries multi-gig traffic, serious PoE, or crosses interference. It is a 23AWG 4-pair solid bare-copper cable with an overall aluminum foil shield (F/UTP) that the maker says helps eliminate crosstalk and prevents electromagnetic interference, inside an LLDPE jacket with dry water-blocking tape — suitable for direct burial with or without conduit.

The maker documents PoE/PoE+/PoE++ (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt) 4PPoE up to 100W, quality testing with a Fluke DSX-8000 Versiv CableAnalyzer, and compliance with ANSI/TIA 568.2-E and RoHS-3. Terminate with shielded Cat6/6A RJ45 connectors compatible with 23AWG solid conductors, a 1.14mm insulated conductor diameter and a 7.60mm jacket diameter. It comes in 1000ft and 500ft spools.

Best for: shielded buried backhaul and camera runs powering high-wattage devices, especially near power lines or other interference sources.

Limitations: outdoor and direct-burial use only — bring it indoors up to 50 feet before terminating or transitioning to indoor-rated cable; shielded termination costs more and needs bonding.

Cable Matters Cat6 UV-Resistant Outdoor Bulk Cable (160029)

The conduit pick. The maker describes a UV-resistant LDPE outer jacket for sun and weather protection with an internal water-blocking swellable tape liner that enhances moisture resistance, over 23 AWG solid bare-copper conductors (not copper-clad aluminum). Like its gel-filled sibling it offers a 550 MHz bandwidth capacity for 10-Gigabit and 10/100/1000 Ethernet, plus a built-in longitudinal ripcord for easier jacket removal.

Note the maker's own line between the families: the 1000-foot black page for this construction states it is "Not Rated for Direct Burial" and that "direct burial without a conduit is not recommended." Use it in conduit underground, or surface-mounted where it is shielded from digging.

Best for: conduit runs, exterior wall routing and covered pathways to cameras and access points.

Limitations: not for bare burial; check connector sizing — 6.7mm round solid cables for the 500-foot spool, 6.3mm for the 1000-foot black.

UniFi Premium Patch Cable Outdoor (Cat6A)

For the last meters, buy terminated. Ubiquiti's outdoor patch cable is an ultra-thin, rugged, shielded outdoor patch cable designed and optimized to perform in the harshest environments for 10 GbE networking, with shielded RJ45 plugs, an insulated weatherproof jacket, and internal foil shielding and a drain wire for increased ESD damage protection. The outer diameter is 3.5 mm for 1-8 m lengths and 3.9 mm for 12-15 m lengths, sold in 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 12 and 15 m.

Best for: connecting an outdoor UniFi access point or camera at a junction box, pole or NVR enclosure without crimping anything.

Limitations: a patch cable, not bulk spool — it cannot wire a property; available lengths stop at 15 m.

UniFi Outdoor Cable (Cat5e, UACC-Cable-C5e-Outdoor-Pro-305M)

The one-spool option for a UniFi yard. Ubiquiti's outdoor cable is an outdoor Category 5e cable designed to resist harsh weather damage and electromagnetic interference: F/UTP shielding with a drain wire, a TPE jacket, and UV resistance tested per ASTM G 151/154. The spool is 305 m (1,000 ft), the jacket is rated VW-1 (UL1581), it follows TIA/EIA-568-B.2, and it tolerates installation from -20 to 60°C and operating temperatures from -30 to 75°C.

Best for: wiring several standard-rate outdoor UniFi devices — cameras, mesh nodes, small switches — from a single spool at the lowest category cost.

Limitations: Category 5e headroom only; one documented spool size and color.

How to choose an outdoor Ethernet cable

1. 1

   Choose the route: direct burial, conduit/protected, or short patch run

2. 2

   Match the category to the equipment: Cat5e for standard links, Cat6 for most runs, Cat6A for multi-gig and high-wattage PoE

3. 3

   Check the water-blocking construction: gel-filled core, dry water-blocking tape, or swellable tape liner

4. 4

   Pick shielding only if the run faces EMI or ESD: foil shield plus drain wire, with shielded connectors

5. 5

   Size the connectors to the cable before ordering: 7.3mm, 6.7mm, 6.3mm, 7.60mm or 3.5 mm jackets all exist

6. 6

   Plan the entrance: transition to indoor-rated cable or terminate within 50 feet of entering the building

Solid copper, always. Every bulk cable in this guide uses solid bare copper conductors. Cable Matters explicitly notes its conductors are solid bare, pure copper (no aluminum), individually insulated for reliable performance and compatibility with PoE applications, while trueCABLE documents PoE compatibility; Ubiquiti documents solid bare copper conductors but does not state PoE compatibility. Copper-clad aluminum is a known failure mode for PoE loads.

Shielding when it matters. Unshielded outdoor cable is fine for most yard runs. Add a foil shield and drain wire when the path runs alongside power lines, near transmitters, or where ESD and lightning-adjacent surges are a concern — and budget for shielded connectors and proper grounding.

The NEC 50-foot rule. Outdoor-rated cable is not indoor cable. Cable Matters notes NEC allows termination inside a building up to 50 feet from the entrance; trueCABLE phrases the same limit as bringing the cable in up to 50 feet before it must be terminated or transitioned to an appropriate indoor cable type. Plan a junction or transition point near where the cable enters.

• Direct burial without conduit
• ✗ Gel-filled water-repellent core (Cable Matters 160023) or dry water-blocking tape (trueCABLE 6ASCMXBLK)
• ✗ LLDPE or LDPE UV-resistant jacket
• ✗ Solid bare copper conductors (23 AWG)
• Conduit or protected outdoor routing
• ✗ UV-resistant jacket without a burial rating is acceptable (Cable Matters 160029)
• ✗ Still use solid copper for PoE runs
• ✗ Swellable tape liner avoids gel cleanup at terminations
• Short equipment links
• ✗ Pre-terminated shielded patch cable (Ubiquiti UACC-Cable-Patch-Outdoor-C6A)
• ✗ Weatherproof jacket with drain wire for ESD protection
• ✗ No field termination, but lengths stop at 15 m

Compatibility with your network

All of these cables terminate in standard RJ45 ecosystems, so they work with the outdoor Wi-Fi access points, PoE switches and IP cameras covered in our other guides. The bulk spools pair with keystone jacks and patch panels; the Ubiquiti patch cables plug straight into shielded RJ45 ports. PoE budgets matter most on buried runs: trueCABLE documents up to 100W per port for 802.3bt devices, which covers heated outdoor cameras and multi-radio access points, while the unshielded Cat6 options cover standard PoE loads.

For the category trade-offs in depth, see our Cat6 vs Cat6A vs Cat8 comparison. For what sits at the far end of the cable, see our best outdoor Wi-Fi access points and best PoE switches guides, plus our Ethernet backhaul setup walkthrough.

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1. 01Indoor PoE switch+Power and data start here

   The run starts at a PoE switch indoors. trueCABLE's direct-burial Cat6A carries PoE, PoE+ and PoE++ up to 100 W, enough for heated cameras and multi-radio access points.

   Sources: 1: trueCABLE's direct-burial Cat6A supports PoE, PoE+ and PoE++ (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt) up to 100 W.
2. Indoor-rated cable
   02Transition point+Within 50 feet of the entrance

   Outdoor cable may run inside the building up to 50 feet from the entrance; there it must be terminated or transitioned to an indoor cable type. Plan a junction or keystone box near where the cable enters.

   Sources: 2: NEC allows termination inside a building up to 50 feet from the entrance., 3: trueCABLE's direct-burial Cat6A may enter a structure up to 50 feet before termination or transition to indoor cable.
3. Direct-burial cable, or conduit
   03Outdoor AP, camera or outbuilding switch+The far end of the buried run

   A direct-burial cable such as trueCABLE's Cat6A (LLDPE jacket, dry water-blocking tape) needs no conduit. Cable Matters' gel-filled 160023 is also rated for burial, but the gel must be cleaned off before you terminate it. UV-resistant cable without a burial rating, such as Cable Matters' pc-919, goes in conduit.

   Sources: 4: trueCABLE's LLDPE jacket and dry water-blocking tape make its Cat6A suitable for direct burial without conduit., 5: The gel fill in Cable Matters' direct-burial Cat6 (160023) must be removed before termination., 6: Cable Matters' UV-resistant Cat6 without a burial rating should not be buried without conduit.

Source notes6 references+

1. 1

   trueCABLE's direct-burial Cat6A supports PoE, PoE+ and PoE++ (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt) up to 100 W.

   www.truecable.com ↗ — source for trueCABLE's direct-burial Cat6A supports PoE, PoE+ and PoE++ (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt) up to 100 W.

   Supports Power over Ethernet: PoE/PoE+/PoE++ (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt) 4PPoE up to 100W .

2. 2

   NEC allows termination inside a building up to 50 feet from the entrance.

   www.cablematters.com ↗ — source for NEC allows termination inside a building up to 50 feet from the entrance.

   NEC allows termination inside a building up to 50 feet from the entrance

3. 3

   trueCABLE's direct-burial Cat6A may enter a structure up to 50 feet before termination or transition to indoor cable.

   www.truecable.com ↗ — source for trueCABLE's direct-burial Cat6A may enter a structure up to 50 feet before termination or transition to indoor cable.

   you may bring it from outside into your structure up to 50 feet before it must be terminated or transitioned to an appropriate indoor cable type

4. 4

   trueCABLE's LLDPE jacket and dry water-blocking tape make its Cat6A suitable for direct burial without conduit.

   www.truecable.com ↗ — source for trueCABLE's LLDPE jacket and dry water-blocking tape make its Cat6A suitable for direct burial without conduit.

   Our Cat6A shielded direct burial cable has an outer LLDPE (Linear Low-Density Polyethylene) cable jacket and dry water blocking tape inside the cable making it suitable for direct burial without conduit.

5. 5

   The gel fill in Cable Matters' direct-burial Cat6 (160023) must be removed before termination.

   www.cablematters.com ↗ — source for The gel fill in Cable Matters' direct-burial Cat6 (160023) must be removed before termination.

   Gel-fill compound must be removed from the cable ends before termination

6. 6

   Cable Matters' UV-resistant Cat6 without a burial rating should not be buried without conduit.

   www.cablematters.com ↗ — source for Cable Matters' UV-resistant Cat6 without a burial rating should not be buried without conduit.

   Direct burial without a conduit is not recommended

Verdict

Most yards: bury the Cable Matters Cat6 Direct Burial (160023) and clean the gel at the terminations. Multi-gig, high-PoE or interference-heavy runs: the trueCABLE Cat6A Direct Burial Shielded with shielded connectors is the documented upgrade. Conduit routes: Cable Matters' UV-resistant Cat6. Whatever the route, plan the entrance transition, buy solid copper, and size the connectors to the jacket before you crimp.