Ever found yourself wondering how to extend HDMI longer than 50 ft? Sometimes you need to run an HDMI signal over a longer distance than the HDMI format is capable of. Keep reading to find out how an HDMI extender over ethernet can help you do just that.
Quick Answer: An HDMI extender allows you to send an HDMI signal up to 168 ft using a sender and receiver box connected by a pair of Cat 5 ethernet cables. Simply connect your HDMI source to one box and your display device to the other.
HDMI Extender
HDMI has a limitation of 50 ft. If you run an HDMI signal over a greater distance than 50 ft, it will be unreliable and drop out regularly. That’s if it works at all!
To overcome this limitation, we use an HDMI extender system that is made up of 4 components.
- Sender box
- 2 x Cat 5 ethernet cables
- Receiver box
How To Set Up An HDMI Extender
Time needed: 2 minutes.
- Connect the HDMI source to the sender box
Laptop > HDMI cable > Sender box. - Connect the sender box to the receiver box
Sender box > 2 x Cat 5 Ethernet cables > Receiver box. - Connect the receiver box to your HDMI output device
Receiver box > HDMI cable > TV. - Connect the receiver box to power.
Unsure about setting up an HDMI connection without the extender? Then check out our guide on how to connect a laptop to a TV.
Common HDMI Extender Mistakes
One common mistake we often see people make is that they mix up the inputs for the Cat 5 cables. The cable from output 1 on the sender box needs to plug into input 1 on the receiver. 1 goes to 1, and 2 goes to 2; it won’t work if these wires are crossed.
HDMI Extender Distance
You can run an HDMI signal over 200 ft using the HDMI extender. The Cat 5 ethernet cables can be as long as 168 ft, and the HDMI cables connecting the devices at either end add another 25 ft each.
