RG59 CCTV Cable vs RG6 and Cat6: Which Should You Run?

11 min read · Oct 21, 2026

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For a typical home or small-shop camera system with a DVR, RG59 CCTV cable is the normal choice: it is thin, flexible, easy to terminate with BNC plugs and it carries both plain analog and HD-over-coax video well on ordinary run lengths. RG6 carries the same signal just as well and usually a little further, but it is thicker, stiffer and needs connectors made for its size. If your runs are very long, or you expect to switch to network cameras later, network cable (Cat6) with video baluns, or a move to IP cameras outright, can be the better investment.

This article is about choosing the cable. For how to pull, terminate and test it, see the step-by-step guide to installing coax CCTV cable.

First: make sure coax is the right family at all

Coax only matters if your cameras send video as an analog signal to a DVR. That covers older plain analog cameras and the analog HD formats (TVI, AHD and similar) that send a high-resolution picture down the same cable. It does not cover network cameras, which use network cable or Wi-Fi and record to an NVR or to an app.

A quick way to tell what you have:

A BNC plug (round, twist-lock) on the camera's tail means a coax camera.
An RJ45 network socket on the tail means a network camera. Coax is the wrong cable for it, unless you use special adaptors.
Only a power lead, often with an antenna, means a Wi-Fi camera. It needs power but no video cable.

If you are not sure which system suits your place, the comparison of IP network cameras and analog CCTV explains the trade-offs before you buy a single metre of cable.

RG59 and RG6: what actually differs

Both are 75-ohm coaxial cables, which is the type CCTV video expects. Either one will show a picture on your DVR. The differences are physical and practical:

	RG59	RG6
Thickness	Thinner	Noticeably thicker
Flexibility	Bends easily around corners and through small holes	Stiffer, needs gentler bends
Signal loss over distance	Higher	Lower, so it usually reaches further
Connectors	Standard RG59 BNC plugs, very common	Needs RG6-sized BNC plugs
Siamese version (coax + power)	Very common	Available, but less common and bulkier
Typical use	Most home and small-shop camera runs	Long runs, or where RG6 is already in the wall

The point many people miss: CCTV video uses much lower frequencies than satellite TV, so the advantage RG6 has there matters less for cameras. On short and medium runs you will not see a difference on screen. RG6 starts to earn its stiffness only on the longer runs.

Why "RG59" on the label is not the whole story

Two cables both labelled RG59 can perform very differently. Before you buy, check:

Solid copper centre conductor. Avoid copper-clad steel for CCTV. It may look fine on a short run but loses picture quality sooner on longer ones.
Shield coverage. A dense copper braid keeps out interference better than a thin, sparse braid with a lot of foil.
Power cores, if it is Siamese. Thin power cores cause voltage drop, which shows up as night-time problems when the infrared lights switch on.
Jacket rating. Use outdoor or UV-rated cable for anything exposed, or run it in conduit.

On a longer run, a well-made RG59 with a solid copper core can give a better picture than a cheap RG6 with a steel core. Build quality matters more than the number printed on the jacket.

How long can a coax run be?

There is no single safe figure for the coaxial cable maximum length for CCTV. The usable distance depends on:

The video format. Analog HD formats can travel further on coax than you might expect, but each format and resolution behaves differently.
The cable quality, especially the centre conductor and shield.
The camera and the DVR. Some recorders and cameras are more tolerant of a weak signal than others.
Joints along the way. Every extra connector or joint adds a little loss.

The reliable sources are your camera's manual and your DVR's specification sheet, which often state a supported distance per cable type. Treat any figure from a forum as a rough guide only.

A practical way to decide, as a worked example rather than a rule: if the manual for your camera states a supported distance on RG59 and your longest measured run, including the route up walls and across ceilings plus slack, comes in comfortably under it, RG59 is fine. If the run is close to or over that figure, choose RG6, or consider network cable with baluns, or a camera with power supplied locally.

Signs a run is too long or the cable too weak

You usually find out on screen:

Soft or smeared picture compared with a camera on a short run.
Colour fading or flickering, sometimes only at certain times of day.
Rolling, tearing or lines across the image.
Picture that drops in and out, or "No Video" at night while it is fine by day. That is often a power problem on the same Siamese cable rather than the video itself.

If a camera shows nothing at all, it is more often a format, connector or power issue than cable length. The guide to fixing a TVI camera with no picture on the DVR walks through those checks in order.

Where Cat6 with baluns fits in

Video baluns are small adaptors that let a coax camera send its picture over a twisted pair inside network cable. You fit one at the camera and one at the DVR. Some balun types also carry power on spare pairs.

Cat6 with baluns makes sense when:

Network cable is already in the wall and pulling new coax would mean opening walls or ceilings.
The runs are long, and your balun's documentation states it supports that distance for your video format.
You plan to change to network cameras later. Network cable laid now can carry a network camera tomorrow. Coax cannot, without special adaptors.
You want one cable type for cameras, access points and other network devices in the building.

Things to watch:

Buy baluns that list your exact video format and resolution. Older baluns made for plain analog can blur or block an HD-over-coax picture.
Use the same pair consistently at both ends, and keep the wiring order identical.
Avoid cheap copper-clad network cable for the same reason as with coax.
Check power separately. If the balun does not carry power, you still need a power feed to each camera.

A simple decision checklist

Work through these in order:

What does the camera tail have? BNC means coax or baluns. RJ45 means network cable.
Is any cable already in the wall? Reuse what is there if it is in good condition and suits the format.
Measure each run along its real route, not in a straight line, and add slack at both ends.
Compare the longest run with the distance in the camera and DVR manuals.
Under the stated distance, comfortably: RG59 Siamese, solid copper. Easiest to buy, pull and terminate.
Close to or over the stated distance: RG6, or Cat6 with baluns rated for your format.
Planning an upgrade to network cameras within the life of the building work: lean towards Cat6.
Buy connectors that match the cable. RG59 plugs do not fit RG6 properly, and a loose plug is a common cause of a flickering picture.

Connectors and terminations: the usual weak point

Whichever cable you choose, a poor termination will undo it. A few habits help:

Match the BNC plug to the cable size. Check the packaging says RG59 or RG6.
Prefer compression plugs fitted with the matching tool. Twist-on plugs are quick but tend to work loose.
Strip to the lengths the connector instructions give, and make sure no stray braid strands touch the centre conductor.
Do a tug test on every finished end.
Keep outdoor joints in a junction box and add a drip loop where the cable enters the building.

After the picture is up, check every camera again after dark. Many cable and power faults only show when the infrared lights come on. If the picture goes black then, the article on fixing no video and a black live view covers night mode, power and connection causes.

Safety

Running cable often means ladders, roof spaces and drilling near existing wiring. Switch off power at the distribution board before drilling near sockets, switches or lights, keep low-voltage camera cable clear of mains wiring, and cross mains cables at right angles where you must cross them. Any new mains socket for a camera's local power supply should be fitted by a qualified electrician. For work at height or on a roof, use a stable ladder and a second person, or hire someone equipped for it. Local rules on cable in walls and outdoor installations vary, so check them for your area.

When to get help

Ask the seller or a professional installer when:

The run is long and you are unsure which cable will reach, especially for high-resolution cameras.
The cable must go through roofs, firewalls or underground, where the routing and jacket type matter.
Existing cable is in the wall but unlabelled, and you cannot tell if it is RG59, RG6 or something meant for TV.
The picture is unstable on every camera, which can point to the DVR, the power supply or interference rather than the cable.
You need new mains power near a camera. That is a job for a qualified electrician.

Install or resell cameras?

For installers and shops, cable choice is mostly about avoiding call-backs. Carry good solid-copper RG59 Siamese for the bulk of jobs, keep RG6-sized plugs separate so they never end up on the wrong cable, and measure each run during the site survey rather than guessing on the day. On longer runs, write down which cable you used and the voltage at the camera with infrared running. Where a customer may move to network cameras later, quoting Cat6 now can save them a second cable job. If you install or sell cameras and want to discuss dealer terms, see the Yoosee dealer program.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use TV coax that is already in my house for CCTV?

Often yes, if it is a 75-ohm cable such as RG6 and is in good condition, but you will need BNC plugs or adaptors sized for it. Check the centre conductor: if it is copper-clad steel, picture quality may suffer on longer runs. Disconnect it from any TV splitters or amplifiers first, as those are not meant for camera video.

Can I join RG59 and RG6 on the same run?

You can, with a barrel connector and plugs that match each cable, and it will usually work. Each joint adds a small loss and another place for water or a loose connection to cause trouble. Keep joints to a minimum and put any outdoor joint in a sealed box.

Does an HD camera need a different coax than an old analog camera?

Usually not. Analog HD formats were designed to reuse the same type of coax, so a decent RG59 or RG6 run that worked for an old camera will normally work for an HD one. The exception is a long or poor-quality run, where the higher resolution can show softness or interference that the old camera hid.

Is RG11 or thicker coax worth it for cameras?

Thicker coax loses less signal, but it is stiff, hard to terminate and hard to find in Siamese form. For most homes and shops it is more trouble than it is worth. For a very long run, network cable with baluns or a network camera is usually easier than moving up to a much thicker coax.

Can I run a camera's power down the same cable?

With Siamese cable, yes: the power pair travels alongside the coax in one jacket. Plain coax carries only video unless your camera and DVR support power over coax, which varies by model. Check the camera label and manual before relying on it.