this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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Hi all. I need an Ethernet cable that goes from one of these ends to the other. What would I call it so that I can search for it and buy it on the internet?

Thanks in advance.

Thanks all - turns out I was being really dense. Thanks to the commenters who helped me sort out my thickness!

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[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 38 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I don't think so. They aren't compatible. Even in the photo, you can see that the right cable only has 2 pins, while an Ethernet connector has 8 (I think). Definitely more than 2.

What are you actually trying to do? What device are you trying to connect, and to where?

My guess is that you're going to need a modem, but please give more context.

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Thanks, I'm connecting my phillips hue hub to my router. I had a cable that did it previously, but the openreach guys used it to connect the fibre to the router.

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Is this the hub in question?

collapsed inline media

I think you need a perfectly normal Ethernet cable. It would help if you show a photo of both the router and the hub.

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (3 children)
[–] testfactor@lemmy.world 25 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Yeah, those are both definitely normal Ethernet jacks. Neither takes a phone cable. You should just need a normal Ethernet line.

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

OMG, thank you so much, I was being super dense!

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Did it work? As I said, the ports on the router look a little weird, but if a normal network cable plugged into them then you're good.

As others have said, you weren't being dense at all. Your question wasn't stupid, just a little misguided, and it was very quick for us to figure it out with just a little bit of back and forth. I wish all tech support was this efficient!

BTW, if anything I was being a bit rude when I said I wasn't sure why you thought the other end needed to be different. Apologies for that. Looking at the photo of the router you sent around the same time, I can see why you thought that, it really does look different.

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Thanks, yeah, it's all back and working now.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago

RJ45 to be specific. RJ11 is phone

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The router ports are too short, wtf is that?

[–] testfactor@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Just a little squat. More than tall enough for an rj45 to plug in though. I think they look a little tight because it doesn't have the same amount of bezel as a lot of boxes will have around the ports.

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Forget about your first image/question then ..... that my friend needs just a regular lan cable. RJ45 at both ends. No telephony involved here

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

So, two of the yellow ones?

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Absolutely; although the color itself isn't important. You need RJ45/RJ45 and I'd suggest cat5e or better

like: https://www.ebay.com/b/Cat-5e-Ethernet-Patch-RJ-45-Ethernet-Cables-RJ-45-8P8C/64035/bn_7112482108

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Thanks. Turns out I literally had the cable I needed and was just being to silly to plug it in because I didn't think it was the one. Thanks so much for your help!

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Thanks, sorry for being a dumbass!

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

No need to apologize "no stupid questions" remember ? ;)

[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 days ago

The ports on the router look weird. I want to look more into this but I'm afk for the next hour. Will look it up more afterwards.

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Then you just need a normal Ethernet cable. I don't know why you thought the other end needs to be different.

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Because I was being thick. Apparently there are stupid questions!

[–] thezeesystem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Never a stupid question, people make mistakes, people see things wrong or brains just misfires. No shame in that, learning is important and that's what you did and that's the best part

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Thank you! 😊

[–] gravitywell@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

There is no way they connected fiber to router with a freaking phone cord.

Either you misunderstood or they lied but what you need is a standard ethernet cable with the same connection on both ends to connect a router to fiber.

Also if someone is professionally installing hardware they shouldn't be reusing your existing cables anyway.

You have an XY problem. If what you need is to connect your phillips hue hub then just say that instead.

[–] onslaught545@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago

You can actually make multiple rj11s from a single Ethernet cable.

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago

FYI 'phone line' is known as rj11, 'ethernet' is rj45. There's different types of ethernet cable, most common is 'cat5e' that can transfer data up-to 1Gb/sec. Newer cables are usually 'cat6a' which adds shielding and up-to 10x the data transfer speed.

So when you go looking for a new one for whatever reason, you have the technical name and don't have to look at the pictures and hope the listing is actually what you need.

[–] Rhaxapopouetl@ttrpg.network 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

dad joke detected - take my upvote

[–] Lembot_0004@discuss.online 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That stupid shitty 6-pin abomination is called RJ11 6P6C.

[–] aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Lembot_0004@discuss.online 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Yeah, but I still prefer "stupid shitty 6-pin abomination" name for clarity.

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I doubt you really lived the analog phone era /s

collapsed inline media

[–] Lembot_0004@discuss.online 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I lived in the era when they taught us to count instead :)

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Count von Count send his greetings. Said he remembers you and me very well!

[–] SmoothLiquidation@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

My house growing up had a bunch of those (female) ports around and we had the adapters to convert them to RJ11.

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Those existed with femail rj11 built in

[–] aubeynarf@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 2 days ago

Not sure why it’s shitty - easy to assemble, cheap, effective at eliminating contact noise with a high-compliance wiping contact.

the only shitty part is the exposed retaining clip which gets broken off

[–] dgriffith@aussie.zone 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The smaller end is RJ12, the bigger end is RJ45.

The question is, what are you trying to do with it? RJ12 is/was typically used for telephone connections, RJ45 for Ethernet. Generally speaking, they don't mix.

If your plan is to connect a computer to a RJ12 socket on the wall, that's not going to work. If you've been told the socket on the wall is "the internet", you're likely going to need a modem in between that socket and your computer.

[–] Tagger@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

No, it's to connect my phillips hue hub to my router

[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The gray one only seems to have two contacts, so it for phones/modems. The yellow one is more common for networking. For compatibility reasons often used in outlets too. The yellow one is RJ45, the gray one RJ11

So, what you are looking for is an RJ45/RJ11 cable. (cat-3 cable will suffice but higher works too). Alternatively you can use an RJ45/RJ12 (same specs). The difference is RJ12 has 6 wires where RJ11 has only two. Since you have only two in the gray one, both can do the job.

edit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/222568614235

[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

The cable on the left is commonly known as an Ethernet cable (RJ45) and the cable on the right is commonly known as a telephone cable (RJ11).

But I will echo what people are saying in the comments, you just need a regular Ethernet patch cable (RJ45 on both ends).

[–] YodaDaCoda@aussie.zone 2 points 2 days ago

That is one weird cable! I'm guessing someone took a regular ethernet cable and replaced the connector on one end so it could be used for ADSL.

Ethernet will still run on it, but only at like 10mbps. Which would be enough for your Phillips hub, but please just toss it and replace it with a proper ethernet cable.

Looks like you’ve got an rj45 to an rj11 cable. That would be Ethernet on one side and telephone on the other.

[–] hodgepodgin@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 days ago

8P8C to 6P2C

[–] BaroqueInMind@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago

There is no such cable in existence. You need to provide more context