Guide
How do you label network cables at home?
Give every network cable a number and put that number on both ends, together with where the other end goes — for example E03 → OFFICE PC at the router and E03 → ROUTER/P3 at the PC. Tag each router and switch port with its cable number, and keep one map listing every number so any cable can be traced from either end.
Step by step
- 01
List every device
Write down everything that connects: PCs, consoles, TVs, the printer, storage, cameras, the router, any switch and the modem.
- 02
Mark wired or Wi-Fi
Only wired devices need a cable label. Note which ones plug in, and which port on the router or switch each one uses.
- 03
Number the cables
Give each cable a short number, like E01, E02, E03. Use the next free number when you add one, and never reuse a number for a different cable.
- 04
Label both ends
At each end, put the cable number and where the OTHER end goes. At the router: E03 → OFFICE PC. At the PC: E03 → ROUTER/P3.
- 05
Tag the ports
Put a small tag with the cable number beside each router or switch port in use, without covering the port or its light.
- 06
Label the devices
Name each device on the front and on the back panel, so the name at the cable end matches the name on the box.
- 07
Keep a map
List every cable number, both ends and the port it uses on one sheet, and keep it near the router. Update it when you add or move something.
What goes where
| Label | Where it goes | What it says | Size in our kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable end A and B | Both ends of every network cable | Cable number + this end + the other end | 44 × 16 mm |
| Port marker | Beside each router or switch port in use | Port + cable number | 22 × 8 mm |
| Device front label | A flat spot on the front of the device | Icon + device name + device number | 60 × 20 mm |
| Back / adapter tag | Back panel or power brick (optional) | Device name | 32 × 12 mm |
| Board node and badge | On the build board you print | Device name / cable number | 40 × 14 mm · 16 × 10 mm |
Skip the label maker
Type your gear once and Label My Setup draws every tag in this guide — device labels, both cable ends, port markers and decals for a build board you print — numbered to match, on peel-off sheets.
Build my kitQuestions
- Should I label network cables at both ends?
- Yes. A label at one end only tells you what a cable is when you are already standing at that end. Labelling both ends, each naming the far end, lets you trace a cable from wherever you find it.
- What should a network cable label say?
- A short cable number plus where the other end goes, such as E03 → OFFICE PC. The number ties it to your map; the destination tells you where to look without the map.
- Do I need a switch if my router is out of ports?
- If you have more wired devices than router ports, a switch adds more. Give the cable between the router and the switch its own number, and label the switch ports the same way as the router ports.
- Label maker or a printed kit?
- A label maker suits a few cables you name one at a time. A printed kit suits a whole setup at once: every piece is drawn from one list, so the numbers on the cable ends, ports and your board all match.