Planning home network. ?cat6a vrs 6

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#1431894 20-Nov-2015 18:02

The need for distributing uncompressed video around a house is quickly disappearing as things start to run on tvs or cheap media players like apple TV and Chromecast etc. Not like the bad days of a single sky box and having to take that output everywhere.

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afe66

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#1442602 8-Dec-2015 12:23

Thanks for all suggestions about cable.

Next question is about patch panels.

24 port panel seem popular but I'm not sure I want to connect that many at this stage, maybe 10 to start with.

My question is how realistic is it to connect 10 runs to a 24 port panel and then at a later stage add more. Or do I have to connect all the cables at once ?

Will disconnecting the patch panel at a later stage to add more connections risk damaging the earlier connections.

I suppose I could connect 24 lengths of cable and leave them under the house and only terminate 10 of them to faceplates in various rooms...

Thanks for opinions.

A.

mdooher

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#1442610 8-Dec-2015 12:29

afe66: Thanks for all suggestions about cable.

Next question is about patch panels.

24 port panel seem popular but I'm not sure I want to connect that many at this stage, maybe 10 to start with.

My question is how realistic is it to connect 10 runs to a 24 port panel and then at a later stage add more. Or do I have to connect all the cables at once ?

Will disconnecting the patch panel at a later stage to add more connections risk damaging the earlier connections.

I suppose I could connect 24 lengths of cable and leave them under the house and only terminate 10 of them to faceplates in various rooms...

Thanks for opinions.

A.

Well I got one 48 port.... now I have two

Get a 24 port panel, disconnecting later is a royal pain in the backside. You can easily add connections later.

Matthew

richms

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#1442612 8-Dec-2015 12:30

If you do it neatly, and have all the cables coming in bundled at one end and tied down and start from that end, then adding more is very low risk. If you try to save cable by having them as short as possible, coming in and terminated under tension then they will all start popping out as soon as you move the panel, so you will have problems.

Get a hindged bracket, bundle all the cables so they move freely with the hinge, dont skimp on cable when you put it in so you have enough length left to work with and you will be fine. There are loops for cable ties on the back of patch panels which will stop any movement at the actual termination when you move the panel around. Just dont go he-man strength on tightning them up.

Richard rich.ms

dolsen

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#1442706 8-Dec-2015 13:55

chevrolux:

Edit: I would still go PDL faceplates though as they just look so so much better than the chinese garbage. A lot more expensive but infinitely better.

I used the cheap keystone jacks, pdl to keystone adapters and pdl faceplates. Looks really good and much cheaper than trying to buy full pdl jacks.

MadEngineer

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#1446673 9-Dec-2015 19:05

yep stick to pdl for the faceplates and keystones. just all round better

nothing wrong with the computer dynamics gear either but i don't like their patch leads as the rubber boots seem to make removal tricky. there's an art to removing them - helps to push in first and be armed with a pen to push down the boot.

some basic suggestions: make phone patches yellow, data blue and red for critical connections, green for your connection to the ont. when installing the patch leads, don't install them so they cover the port numbers when you run them into the cable management, ie for a patch panel or switch that is numbered:

1 3 5 7
2 4 6 8

... wire the odd numbers into the cable management above and the even numbers downwards

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RogerMellie

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#1450729 15-Dec-2015 12:31

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I'm wanting to wire up a few rooms with cat5e at Christmas, but don't know which cabling type or crimpers to buy. Shielded, unshielded, paired, not paired etc..

Could someone please point me to a specific box of Dynamix cabling on pbtechs page ? Looks like all boxes are 305m in length.. I'd like to pay no more than $150 if poss.

Thanks in advance for any help.

BTR

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#1450746 15-Dec-2015 13:09

I'd stay away from Dynamix cable, I bout a 100m worth a few years ago and had nothing but faults. Changed to a more expensive brand and issue were gone.

I am using Molex jacks with PDL face plates and a molex patch panel. Can't remember what brand the cable is but its in a red box and came from JA Russell.

MadEngineer

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#1450998 15-Dec-2015 17:35

RogerMellie: I don't want to hijack the thread, but I'm wanting to wire up a few rooms with cat5e at Christmas, but don't know which cabling type or crimpers to buy. Shielded, unshielded, paired, not paired etc..

Could someone please point me to a specific box of Dynamix cabling on pbtechs page ? Looks like all boxes are 305m in length.. I'd like to pay no more than $150 if poss.

Thanks in advance for any help.

searching PBTech's site for cat5e 305m gives 27 results. sorted by price, the first three are stranded two pair and the fourth is solid four pair. You'll want solid core unless you're making patch leads that you're expecting to move round. 4 pairs (unless you only want 10/100 and no option for gigabit or port splitting, poe etc ...). unshielded.

solid core or stranded, make sure what you're terminating into is for the same.

As abovementioned by BTR, you can buy cut lengths of better brands from other places (and i also suggest J A Russell)

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chevrolux

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#1451083 15-Dec-2015 19:40

Nothing wrong at all with the Dynamix range. That is all I would do in a home situation. A 305m box of Cat5e at retail shouldn't be more than maybe $170ish at retail rates (if you know a guy with a trade acccount at JA's, Active, Corys etc then you will get an even better price).

The only reason to use Molex, Schneider, Leviton etc is if you need to get the manufacturer certification. $200 for a Molex patch panel versus less than $50 for a Dynamix panel.

MadEngineer

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#1451087 15-Dec-2015 19:48

you could probably get trade price when buying a whole complete box worth from the above mentioned, so long as you ask politely.

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#1451088 15-Dec-2015 19:50

They will give you trade price no questions.

The problem is that is so damn high at those places. You need a 60-70% discount to get down to near what PB sell the same things for.

Richard rich.ms

DarthKermit

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#1451137 15-Dec-2015 20:36

If you use PDL face plates they come in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 gang versions.

My advice is to plan ahead and use a plate with one or more extra holes than you think you'll need. You can install blank modules in the holes and easily replace the blanks with extra RJ45 outlets should you find that you need more ports in the future

I have a six gang plate behind my TV cabinet with four RJ45 outlets. The plate has two blank modules should I ever need more outlets here.

richms

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#1451140 15-Dec-2015 20:41

I have found the 6 hole plates put things too close to the end of the box sometimes. Just chuck more boxes in if the wall is open, makes it easier if you are putting F connectors on a plate to not have more than 2 of them since you have to do them up too.

Richard rich.ms

DarthKermit

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#1451143 15-Dec-2015 20:48

These PDL 8/16/24 gang plates are a nice idea but the cost of them and their flush boxes are utterly ridiculous. I'd use some if they weren't such a ripoff.

PDL multi gang stainless steel panel

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