I don't know what is maximum distance...
Ethernet copper is rated based on the thickness (guage) of the copper and the shielding of each strand onto the next.
The cheapest method of room-to-room IF you need two or more connections is to share a single 8 strand CAT5 which is split into two separate channels simply based on which wire goes to which pin.
Pins 1, 2, 3 and 6 are channel 1, the others are channel 2. You'll get two 100Base-T connections for up to 30~50 feet depending on the cable gauge.
Any faster than 100mbps and you'll get cross-talk over 10~15 feet; again, depending on the cable itself.
There are plenty of docs online that define CAT5/6/7/etc specifications, wiring and pin-outs, cable length and gauges, etc.