Network cables - am I missing something?

[brundles]

I'm after a 15m network cable to run from a Netgear Gigabit switch upstairs to a 1 port wireless router downstairs for my father-in-law.

Now I know I should know better, but surely in this case I must be missing something. E-Buyer only want £4 for the ideal cable (he wanted white but they seem to be rare). Meanwhile, PC World want £35 for the same cable in grey.

I know PCW are well known for their premium prices (to put it politely), but surely a 875% mark-up is extortionate even for them. Hence the reason I think I'm missing something.

Can someone just confirm that the cheaper cable would do the job just as well.

Thanks!

[TheNorm]

Yes, the Cat5e patch cable from E-buyer will do the job.

PC World have huge staff costs and rents, you know.

Will you be able to "hide" the cable? If not, a HomePlug device might be better, although more expensive. For example: http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline.htm

[John.C]

There was a huge difference in price for a patch cable between PCWorld and Maplins aswell. Maplins wanted only £8 I think and PCWorld wanted £20. That was when I went over there recently.

[Halcyon]

You may want to check out CableUniverse. I get all my cables from there and they have great prices.

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/catal...a623b08b295978

[handyman]

305 m cat5 cable = £35 at a local electrical wholesaler. A crimper and a bag of rj45 plugs and you have yourself a little cable making machine.

I remember once turning up to deliver a pc I built to a customer and it was well out of the way. I always gave them a tutorial on it and set it up working so I was gutted that I did not have the US - UK modem cable with me. These set me back about 40p through trade so I was amazed that pc world not far from the customers house wanted £9.99 for it. I also noticed they wanted £15 for a centronics printer cable that I was buying for 99p.

[Halcyon]

It really is crazy the amounts some shops sell things for.
I saw an audio cable (3.5 inch jack to phono gold plated) for £8.99 when you can get one for about £2.50 !