If you are trying to upgrade your computer but encounter the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003 instead, then read on as this post will guide you in fixing this Windows Update error. This kind of error is commonly encountered when upgrading your copy of Windows 10 and is caused by errors with various developer-related settings that are being enabled in the system.
When you encounter Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003, you will see either of these error messages:
“We couldn’t install Windows 10. The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during INSTALL_UPDATES operation: Error 0x800F081F”
“The installation failed in the Safe_OS phase with an error during apply_image operation: Error: 0x800f081f – 0x20003”
To fix this kind of Windows Update error, you need not use external programs but you can try to disable the Developer Mode, run the Windows Update troubleshooter or restart all the Windows Update-related services and components. For more details, refer to the options provided below.
Option 1 – Try to disable Developer Mode
You might have to disable Developer Mode to fix the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. How? Refer to these steps:
Tap the Win + I keys on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
Next, go to Update & Security > For Developers.
From there, select the toggle for Sideload apps or Microsoft Store apps located on the right-side panel.
If you get any prompt, just click on Yes.
After that, navigate to Apps > Apps & features and then click on Optional features on the right-side panel.
Then scroll down to locate the Windows Developer Mode entry and select it and click on Uninstall.
Once you’re done uninstalling the Windows Developer Mode component, close the Settings app and restart your computer to apply the changes made.
Option 2 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
You should also try to run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter as it could help you resolve the Windows Update Error 0x800F081F – 0x20003. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.
Option 3 – Try restarting various Windows Update-related services and components
Tap the Win + X key combination and select Command Prompt (Admin) to open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste each one of the commands listed below one by one and tap Enter right after you enter each command.
Once you’ve entered all the commands given above, they will stop all the Windows Update services that are running on your computer as well as clear the SoftwareDistribution folder, and reset the Catroot2 folder. Now you have to start all these Windows Update services you’ve just stopped by executing the following commands:
net start wuauserv
net start bits
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc
After that, restart your computer and try to run the setup again, and see if the error is now fixed.
In this post, you will be guided on how to import and export the WSL distros in your Windows 10 computer. WSL, also known as Windows Subsystem for Linux, is a compatibility layer needed to run Linux binary executable in Windows 10, as well as the Windows Server 2019.
In case you don’t know, when you reinstall or reset Windows 10, all of its configuration data stored with the WSL distros gets deleted. Going back or restoring the configuration can be quite challenging but worry not for Microsoft has already got this covered as you can now import and export the WSL or Windows Subsystem for Linux distros.
There are three aspects that you have to deal with when you import or export WSL distros in your Windows 10 computer, such as importing WSL distro, exporting WSL distro, and uninstalling the imported WSL distros.
Before you proceed to the instructions provided below, make sure that all your installed distros are updated via Microsoft Store. Once you have this covered, follow the options below.
Option 1 – Import the WSL distro
Type “command prompt” in the Start Search and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt as admin, execute this command: wsl --list –all
The command you entered will list all the installed WSL distros on your computer. And now it’s time for you to import a WSL distro by executing this command: wsl --import <Name of the distro> <Fill path to save the backup .tar file>
Note: In the given command above, replace “<Name of the distro>” with the name of the distro you want to import and replace “<Fill the path to save the backup .tar file>” with the location where you want to save the .tar file.
Option 2 – Export the WSL distro
Type “command prompt” in the Start Search and from the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and then select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt as admin, execute this command to see the list of all the installed WSL distros in your computer: wsl --list –all
After that, execute this command to export a WSL distro: wsl --export <Name of the distro> <Fill path to save the backup .tar file>
Option 3 – Uninstall the imported WSL distro
Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
Next, execute this command to view the list of all the installed WSL distros: wsl --list –all
After that, execute this command to uninstall an imported WSL distro: wsl --unregister <Name of the distro>
Once it’s done, close Command Prompt and restart your computer.
JavaScript is a computer programming language used to make a website work smoothly with the internet. It helps to display visual effects, animations, and other web page functions.
You may come across the JavaScript Void (0) error message when there is a problem in loading JavaScript from a web page or the internet browser.
Error Causes
JavaScript Void (0) error is triggered by multiple reasons such as:
It can be due to a simple random Windows application glitch.
You are visiting an unsafe website that contains malware
JavaScript’s web browser implementation is broken due to poor program installation
Active X controls, Java applets, and active scripting, the key components of JavaScript are disabled
Registry issues like invalid or misconfigured registry keys
Further Information and Manual Repair
For JavaScript Void (0) error-free web surfing, it is advisable to repair the issue without any delays. Let’s take a look at different methods to resolve this error on your system.
Cause: Simple Random Glitch
Solution: If the cause for the JavaScript Void 0 error is a simple glitch, then it is advisable to restart your system and then run the program again.
Cause: JavaScript’s web browser implementation is broken
Solution: If you experience the JavaScript Void 0 error message after the installation of the new browser on your system, then poor installation of the program or program conflict is most likely to be the deep-rooted cause of this error code. To resolve it, uninstall the program and undo the recent changes.
Cause: Active X controls, Java applets, and active scripting, the key components of JavaScript are disabled
Solution: You should know that components including Active X controls, Java applets, and active scripting are all essential to JavaScript in order to make your browsers run properly. If these are disabled, you may come across the JavaScript Void (0).
To fix it open your browser and select the Tools tab. Then click the options button and select content. Here check the ‘enable JavaScript’ check box and click Ok to enable these components.
Cause: Registry Issues
Solution: If after performing all the solutions discussed above, you still come across JavaScript Void (0) error code, then you should know that the problem is bigger than what you expected. It triggers registry issues.
Either the cause of the error is misconfigured or invalid registry keys. To reconfigure the registry keys setting may be a challenging task and complex if you are not a computer programmer.
As you know, Microsoft Store is the ultimate source of applications for Windows 10 devices and it’s turning to be the hub for various applications. In fact, aside from applications, it has also become a source for movies, books, TV and even buying hardware directly from Microsoft and many more. Although downloading goes smoothly most of the time, depending on your internet connection, there are also times when you might experience slow download speeds while downloading apps and other things in the Microsoft Store.
There are several factors that could be causing this kind of issue. It can be due to the Microsoft Store app itself or it could be enforced speed limiter on the application or it could be due to a corrupted Microsoft Store cache, or it could be due to the Windows Update service running in the background, and so on. To fix this problem, you can try to reset the Microsoft Store cache, or set the bandwidth limit for downloads, or try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via Windows PowerShell.
Before you proceed with the troubleshooting options provided below, make sure that your internet connection is stable enough to download apps and games. You also have to check if there is an update or a massive download in progress. Once you have these things covered, follow the given options below.
Option 1 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache
Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.
Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then try to install your app or update your computer again.
Option 2 – Try to set the bandwidth limit for downloads
Tap the Win + I key combination to open the Windows Settings app.
After that, navigate to Update & security > Windows Update.
From there, select the Advanced options located on the right-side panel.
Next, select Delivery Optimization and check the box for “Limit how much bandwidth is used for downloading updates in the background under the Download settings section and then set the slider to 100%.
Option 3 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via Windows PowerShell
Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:
When experiencing internet connection problems, most users run the built-in troubleshooter to fix the problem. However, you might come across another problem when instead of fixing the problem, the troubleshooter throws up an error message saying, “The Windows Wireless Service is not running on this computer”. After displaying this error message, the troubleshooter would exit.
Usually, this kind of error indicates that Windows has failed to initialize the wireless service so it can start searching for broadcast signals and try to connect to them. So in this post, we have prepared some workarounds that might help you resolve the issue.
Option 1 – Try to check the WLAN Status
You have to make sure that the wireless service is enabled in your computer before you proceed to the other troubleshooting options below as this error could occur for a simple reason as the wireless capability is turned off from your PC either on some built-in settings or physically. This is why you need to make sure that Wireless is enabled. And if it turns out that it is disabled, you need to turn it back on and then reconnect to the wireless network again. You should now be able to connect to the internet without any issue.
Option 2 – Try to check the WLAN AutoConfig Service
The WLAN AutoConfig service is the one that provides the logic and functionality required to discover, connect and configure wireless networks with your PC. Aside from that, it also contains the module that allows your PC to be discoverable to other systems on a network. Thus, you need to verify if the WLAN AutoConfig service is on or not.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
And in the field, type in “services.msc” and hit Enter to open Services.
After opening the Services window, look for the entry named “WLAN AutoConfig” and then right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.
Next, click on the Start button to turn on the service and then set the startup type as “Automatic”.
Then try to connect to your Wireless network again and check if the issue has been resolved.
Option 3 – Try to reset the Network Configurations
Resetting the Network Configurations can also help you in fixing the Windows Wireless service as the network settings often get disrupted or corrupted in a variety of different cases every now and then. Note that this module will reset all the network settings stored on your computer.
Tap the Win + S keys to open Search and then type in “command prompt” in the field.
From the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter to execute it:
netsh winsock reset
The command given will reset the Winsock data. Once it is executed, restart your PC for the changes to take effect and then check if the internet connection is now fine.
Note: Do make sure that the WiFi drivers are up to date. To do that, follow these steps:
Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. If you see a red or yellow sign that shows up against the driver, right-click on the driver’s name and select “Update Driver Software” or “Uninstall”. And if you find any “Unknown device”, you need to update it as well.
Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
Restart your PC.
Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturer and check if there’s a new update – if there is, download it.
Option 4 – Perform System Restore
Recently, a lot of issues have resurfaced after users installed the latest Windows update. So the wireless service issue might also be related to it. To fix the problem, you can perform System Restore to roll back your Windows to the last time when it was working just fine. It automatically creates backups in time whenever you install a new update or periodically. Follow the steps below to perform System Restore.
Tap the Win + S keys to open Search and then type in “restore” in the field and select the topmost result.
Once you’ve opened the restore settings, click on System Restore located at the beginning of the window under the System Protection tab.
After that, a wizard will appear that will guide you through all the steps needed to restore the system. You can choose either the recommended restore point or a different one.
After you select the restore point, click Next to proceed to the next on-screen instructions.
Then select the restore point where the Windows Update was installed on your computer. If you have more than one restore point, you can just select the latest restore point and check the functionality from there. If it doesn’t work, you can just try another restore point.
Another prompt will appear and will ask you to confirm your actions. Click OK and wait for the system to be restored. Once it’s done, check if the problem’s now fixed.
There are times when after you upgrade your Windows operating system, the System Logs under the Event Viewer will display an error message saying, “Event ID 10010 error – The server did not register with DCOM within the required timeout”.
What is DCOM? DCOM stands for “Distributed Component Object Model”. It is a proprietary Microsoft technology that allows the Component Object Model or COM software to communicate across a network. You can consider it as an extension of COM which is equipped with the capability of solving a couple of inherent problems related to the COM model to the better use over a network. COM is a tool that’s used for advanced configuration and troubleshooting in Windows 10. Developers usually use it to configure routine components and application behavior like participation in transactions and object pooling and so on.
The Component Services needs the DCOM wire protocol in order to communicate with the Component Object Model components on other computers. By default, in a Windows-based system, the network computers are configured initially to enable DCOM.
There are also some components in Windows that might require registering themselves with DCOM. However, if they fail to do so, you will encounter the “The server did not register with DCOM within the required timeout” error. To fix this, here are some suggestions you can check out.
Option 1 – Try to use the Component Services
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “dcomcnfg” in the field and tap Enter to pull up Component Services.
Next, double click on the Computers folder located in the right pane and right-click on My Computer, and select the Properties option.
After that, switch to the COM Security tab under My Computer Properties and then go to the Access Permissions section.
From there, click the Edit Default button and in the new window that appears, apply the correct permission to objects under the Group or user names section.
Once you’re done, click OK and exit. This should fix the error.
Option 2 – Make sure that Function Discovery Resource Publication Properties Services is running
In the Cortana search box, type “services” and click on the Services icon to open the Services Manager. Alternatively, you can also tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run prompt and then type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
Next, scroll down and look for the “Function Discovery Resource Publication” entry and double click on it.
Then switch to the General tab and from there, make sure that the Startup Type is set to “Manual (Triggered).
You also have to make sure that the service is running so if it’s not, just click on the Start button to start the service.
Now click on Apply to save the changes made.
Option 3 – Try resetting the default DCOM permissions
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “dcomcnfg” in the field and tap Enter to pull up Component Services.
After that, expand Component Services > Computers and right-click on My Computer, and then select Properties.
Next, go to the Default Properties tab, and in the Default Distributed COM Communication Properties section, make sure that:
This post will help you fix the request that failed due to a fatal device hardware error on your Windows 10 PC. You can encounter this error when that hard drive/SSD on your computer is damaged physically and the system is either unable to access or perform read/write operations in it. Aside from hard drive/SSD, this error can also happen to removable drives.
This kind of error is not uncommon and in most cases, the hardware is physically damaged due to which you are not able to perform operations. However, there are a couple of fixes that you can try to resolve the problem before you go ahead and back up your data and move them to a different drive. What exactly causes this error? It’s actually self-explanatory and it gives you an idea that the drive is either corrupted or in a bad state. To resolve the error, follow the given options below carefully and see which one worked best for you.
Option 1 – Verify the hard drive using SMART attributes
In case you don’t know, Windows has a built-in feature of SMART analysis which analyzes the hard drive/SSD and checks all the parameters by performing some minor operations. To use it, follow these steps:
Tap the Win + S keys and type “command prompt” in the field then right-click on the related search result and select the “Run as administrator” option.
After opening Command Prompt as admin, type the “wmic diskdrive get status” command and hit Enter.
You should get a result after that, and if you see that it’s “normal”, proceed to the next option below.
Option 2 – Use the CHKDSK utility
When it comes to some issues concerning the hard drive or removable devices, there is a utility in Windows that might help which is called “chkdsk”. This error check utility can help with several issues in the system.
Tap the Win + S keys to open the Search box.
Then type “command prompt” in the field and from the search results that appear, right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.
After opening an elevated command prompt, copy and paste the following command and hit Enter:
Note: In the command given above, “[/F]” will try to fix the system errors while “[/R]” will be the one to fix the bad sectors.
Now if you are prompted to run CHKDSK after your reboot your PC, just tap Y and reboot your PC.
If CHKDSK is not able to find any errors, tap the Win + E keys and navigate the access window. From there, right-click on the concerned drive and click on Properties.
After opening Properties, click on the tab Tools and then click on the “Check” button under the Error-checking section.
Wait until the process is completed and then restart your computer.
Option 3 – Format your drive
You can try formatting your drive since this problem also occurs on removable hard drives. In addition, if your drive is not properly initialized, this error will really pop up. Thus, you need to make sure that the hard drive is initialized and that the correct partition style is selected.
To get started formatting your drive, tap the Win + E keys and then go to the access page of the drive.
Next, right-click on the drive and select Format.
After that, uncheck the “Quick Format” option and then format your drive properly.
Now once the formatting process is finished, unplug the drive and plug it back in afterward.
Check if the error is already fixed. If the drive is not initialized, tap the Win + R keys and hit Enter.
After opening the Run dialog box, type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Disk Management.
From there, right-click on the drive volume and select Initialize Disk.
Next, select the correct partition type and proceed.
That should fix the problem, if not, follow the next advanced option below.
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED seems to be connected primarily to a third-party driver, e1d65x64.sys associated with the Intel(R) Gigabit adapter, NIC/Wired network NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification) 6.x driver. Error is known to produce the dreaded blue screen of death or BSOD.
Most usually error is connected with gaming on Windows 10 computer and it manifests itself during gaming sessions.
If you are unlucky and you are faced with this unfortunate error we will be happy to try to help you and present with tips and tricks in order for you to find a solution for it.
Before you proceed with the provided solutions, be sure you have sufficient disk space on the Windows drive, run Disk Cleanup and then run CHKDSK.
1) Run the Blue Screen Online Troubleshooter
Open Control Panel, change the view setting to icons. Click Troubleshooting, and click “View all” in the tasks pane. Click “Blue Screen”. This opens the Blue Screen Troubleshooter.
2) Run Driver Verifier
Start a Command Prompt window by selecting Run as an administrator, and type verifier to open Driver Verifier Manager.
Select Create standard settings (the default task), and select Next. You can also choose to Create custom settings to select from predefined settings, or to select individual options. For more information, see Driver Verifier options and rule classes and Selecting Driver Verifier Options.
Under Select what drivers to verify, choose one of the selection schemes described in the following table.
Driver verifier table:
Option
Recommended use
Automatically select unsigned drivers
Useful for testing on computers that are running versions of Windows that do not require signed drivers.
Automatically select drivers built for older versions of Windows
Useful for testing driver compatibility with newer versions of Windows.
Automatically select all drivers installed on this computer
Provides maximum coverage in terms of the number of drivers that are tested on a system. This option is useful for test scenarios where a driver can interact with other devices or drivers on a system.
This option can also exhaust the resources available for Special Pool and some resource tracking. Testing all drivers can also adversely affect system performance.
Select driver names from a list
In most cases, you will want to specify which drivers to test.
Selecting all drivers in a device stack allows the Enhanced I/O Verification option to track objects and check compliance because an I/O request packet (IRP) is passed between each of the drivers in the stack, which allows for a greater level of detail to be provided when an error is detected.
Select a single driver if you are running a test scenario that measures system or driver performance metrics, or if you want to allocate the greatest number of resources available for detecting memory corruption or resource tracking issues (such as deadlocks or mutexes). The Special Pool and I/O Verification options are more effective when used on one driver at a time.
If you chose Select driver names from a list, select Next, and then select one or more specific drivers.
Select Finish, and then restart the computer.
3) Update network device drivers
Go to the official Intel website and try to find newer versions of drivers, if there are none perhaps you will need to revert back to the previous version.
4) Scan memory for issues
Run a memory test on your system, sometimes these errors can be traced back to a faulty RAM bank.
5) Stop over-clocking your PC
If you have overclocked your PC please reverse it back to its original state and see if that would solve the issue
6) Perform System Restore to the previous restore point
If none of the previous solutions have bared fruit, roll back to a previous restore point and that should solve the issue.
Hello everyone and welcome to how to fix Windows when it is not starting tutorial. Here we will tackle some common problems and solutions in order to help you to get back both your computer and Windows in working order.
Windows not booting and loading is an annoying issue that can even result in complete loss of your data and can also consume a lot of time if no other solution than clean install remains. Also if you are not tech-savvy, this issue can cost you as well since you will have to hire a professional to solve this problem for you.
Here at Error Tools, we aim to help so you can overcome your PC issues yourself by providing you daily with tutorials, tips, and tricks and helping you with all of your Windows issues.
All of that being said, let's see what are issues that can prevent your computer or Windows from booting up and get around them so everything is back in working order.
Use repair tool
Windows 10 comes with a startup repair tool that has the goal to repair and fix errors preventing Windows from booting up. To use this tool however you will need Windows 10 bootable USB stick. You can create a bootable USB directly on the Microsoft site. Once you have it ready, plug it in and reboot your computer, choose to boot from USB. When you are on the Windows setup screen, click on next and then on Repair your computer.
Go to troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup repair.
When Startup repair is clicked, Windows will boot, scan files for issues, and if they are found he will automatically fix them.
“Windows Failed to Start” 0xc00000f error
If you get this error on your boot of Windows, then you have corrupted boot configuration data. In order to fix this error, you will also need a bootable USB with Windows 10 on it. Make one on the Microsoft site if you don't have it and reboot your computer, boot from USB, on the setup screen click on next and then on Repair your computer. Click on Troubleshoot and then on the command prompt. In the command prompt type the following:
bootrec /FixMbrbootrec /FixBootbootrec /ScanOsbootrec /RebuildBcdexit
Reboot your PC without a USB
Boot into safe mode
Safe mode for Windows loads only its core without drivers and with minimal services. If you can boot into safe mode then the issue is with some application or driver causing the problem. Try the selective boot option to eliminate what is causing the error.
Make sure your hardware is connected
Some RAM or hard drive out of socket can cause Windows not to be able to boot, check all connections just in case.
If everything else fails, perform a clean Windows installation. The reason for Windows not booting up can be caused by various viruses and malware also if that case it would be best to format and perform a clean install.
Recent Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger & Oculus fiasco and downtime reminded us that even big IT tech behemoth is vulnerable and can go offline. The situation has been resolve in not so fast manner but not long also, let’s say it was resolved in time that people have not left and switched to another platform.
That being said, now when services are back we stopped and reflected on the platform itself and on its users. If Facebook is vulnerable so are its users, but sometimes users themselves are responsible for being a target. We step back and take a look at posts that manifest on Facebook and have come with some advice on what things you should never post on Facebook and on other social platforms.
Pictures of any kind of ID, bill, vaccine cards or similar document
This should be a no-brainer at all but we see people posting this kind of information. They go on a rant about how the bill is too high and place a picture of it, or they took their vaccine shot and posted a vaccine card as proof. Why this is a bad idea is that any of these documents contain certain things like birthdays, names, and even more like addresses and other information that can be used against users.
Information about where you live
This could be tied to the previous point but it is very crucial that a living address is not something that you wish to share publicly. A lot of burglars are stalking social media for exactly this kind of information so they can then analyze when and how to strike and this time you have done all work for them providing them with the information on where to find your flat.
Daily routines and vacation plans
The most burglary happens to believe it or not during the day, in hours when people are at work. So by providing the world with your daily routines and when you are not at home you are putting your home at risk of being broken into. Posting vacation plans are even worse or posting pictures and status when you are on vacation will send a clear message to anyone that your home is empty and unattended.
Pictures of your home interior
This can also sadly disclosure more information that you wish like maybe some interesting facts like address or birthday on certificates, diplomas, or other documents accidentally caught in the taken picture. Also, these kinds of pictures can show much about your home security, alarm positions if you have some, how is your front door secured, etc.
Content that can get you fired
We hear all the time, famous star or director has some tweets that have resurfaced and now it is fired. I know that many of us are not famous stars but we can also be fired. Sharing some offensive opinions, inappropriate content or just plain pure lies like took sick leave to play this new game can have not so great resolution for your working relationship with your employer. We do not support lies nor do any kind of inappropriate content but posting it online on social media will just make things worse for you personally.
Your login info or sites and services that you are using
It is fairly safe to say hey we are chilling with Netflix or watching the new season of Mandalorian on Disney plus but speaking of things like made a new account on freelancer service of got my new e-banking in this cool new bank, etc. is not very wise. Cyber crooks are always on the lookout for identity theft and will use available information to steal data and money. You are risking also losing provided accounts this way leaving you with tons of work to explain that you got mugged to service providers.
Conclusion
We know that this article seems paranoid and maybe assumes that among your friends there are some crocks and people trying to take advantage of you. As this certainly was not our attention nor goal, we had to point to extremes in order to protect you the most.
In today's modern world many households have internet access, most of the connection nowadays is done via Wi-Fi or wireless but there is a high probability that you have also a few devices connected via cable. There are of course many disadvantages and advantages between cable connection and wireless connection.
The main advantages of a hard cable connection are of course faster speed and stability compared to Wi-Fi. But if we look into the cables themselves there is also a big difference between them. Not all cables are the same and quality as well as speed vary a lot between them. Choosing the right cable is essential in order to make a maximum of your internet and we have some great tips and explanations of what cables do so you can make the right choice and enjoy your full internet potential.
Not all cables are the same
Cheap cables and expensive ones are not the same no matter what everyone tells you. The old proverb you get what you pay is true and more expensive cables will be made from better materials and will have a higher transfer rate.
Quality network cables are separated into different categories with proper markings and when buying one you should always look for these markings on the cables themselves, do not buy cables that do not have markings since they will often provide lower transfer rates or will not be shielded from outside influences resulting in packet drops and instability in a network.
Categories and what they mean are:
Cat-5 with a maximum speed of 100Mbps, typically unshielded.
Cat-5e with a maximum speed of 1Gbps, available in both shielded and unshielded varieties.
Cat-6 with a maximum speed of 10Gbps for runs under 55 meters (around 180ft), available in both shielded and unshielded varieties.
Cat-6a with a maximum speed of 10Gbps, shielded.
Cat-7 uses a proprietary GG45 connector rather than the standard RJ-45 connector seen on other cables for speeds of 10Gbps, shielded.
Cat-8 with a maximum speed of 25Gbps (Cat-8.1) or 40Gbps (Cat-8.2) at a distance of around 30 meters (around 100ft), shielded.
Unless stated, these standards are typically rated at their quoted speeds for a run of around 100 meters (around 330 ft) and use a standard RJ-45 Ethernet connector. Each generation of cable is designed to be compatible with the generations that came before it, so it’s possible (for example) to use a Cat-6a cable with a router that only supports speeds of 1Gbps.
Shielded cables
When purchasing higher quality cable you might not be able to choose if you have shielding or not since some standards like Cat-6a, Cat-7, and Cat-8 are always shielded. But if you do not have the need for these and you are satisfied with Cat-5e for example you can choose.
Shielded cables are a little more expensive but they will provide you with a coating that will eliminate interference from outside waves making cables more reliable. Of course, if the cable will go through a room that does not have many radio waves or some other interferences then buying a shielded cable is a waste of money.
Cable platings
Usually, there are two types of connector platings on connectors, silver, and gold, and people usually think that gold is much better but there are major differences between silver and gold platings and truth to be told there is no better one, both are different and should be considered depending on your need.
Silver plating will provide you with faster speed since its conductivity is larger than gold, but gold is slower on the oxidation front so its life span is longer. On the other hand, if your cables are always connecting and disconnecting gold will be first to be scrubbed off from the surface since the gold coating is much thinner.
Overall if you would only connect cable once and have slower internet than cable capacity gold is the way to go, in another case if you would use the cable as always connecting and switching and your internet plan is the same as cable transfer capacity you might want to go with silver one.
Cable material quality
Network cables are made from copper, your standard conduction material but even here there are differences in quality and therefore the chance of pocket losses over it. More quality less loss and more stable connection and this will depend on the purity of copper that is used in the cable itself. More purity in copper, more stability, simple as that.
Conclusion
So as you can see, there are a lot of different things that will influence your pick of proper network cable but the overall best advice is to get one that will fit well into your needs and setup. pair it up with your router and your internet plan since just simply buying something that you can not use is really a waste of money.