Cat5e vs Cat6(a) vs Fibre?

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Networkn
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#1104936 8-Aug-2014 15:12

It seems like you have all but ignored the advice of the people who know a lot about this type of stuff, all on the 0.00001% chance you could ever make use of 10gbE, but you would risk it all for the sake of < $20 worth of professionally made patch cables..

I don't understand people...

dcole13

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#1104977 8-Aug-2014 15:57

networkn: It seems like you have all but ignored the advice of the people who know a lot about this type of stuff, all on the 0.00001% chance you could ever make use of 10gbE, but you would risk it all for the sake of < $20 worth of professionally made patch cables..

I don't understand people...

I do realize that other people know a lot more than I do, and I do realize that I should just spend that $20 and get professional patch cables, but I find that making what I need makes me feel better than going online and buying something.

I also do realize that I should buy from a trusted company like J A Russel, but i'm not planning making it the most practical and with the best practices, i'm trying for the cheapest and as practical as I can.

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manly100

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#1104981 8-Aug-2014 16:02

dcole13: Hi,

I am currently planning on wiring my house with some type of cable for internet. I would like to future proof it as I will be in this house for 4 years or more, and my parents won't be moving for 10 years+. I wanted to see what would be the best for wiring my house, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a or Fibre. I already have quite a bit of Cat5e, as my father is an electrician and has a lot of spare cable lying around. I would use this, but as it can only support up to 1Gbps and I want to do some network upgrades, such as moving all our data on to a NAS and running a media server, I don't think this will be enough as I also do high bitrate RAW video editing while other people watch movies, TV shows etc. so I am looking into 10Gbps in the future. I might also look into fibre, but since the switches, NICs, cable etc. are all quite expensive, I don't really see any benefit in using it over Cat6 or Cat6a.

What would you recommend I use for this setup?

Thanks

Have wired many propertys with cat5 and it seems more than good enough.

networkn

Networkn
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#1104983 8-Aug-2014 16:11

dcole13:
networkn: It seems like you have all but ignored the advice of the people who know a lot about this type of stuff, all on the 0.00001% chance you could ever make use of 10gbE, but you would risk it all for the sake of < $20 worth of professionally made patch cables..

I don't understand people...

I do realize that other people know a lot more than I do, and I do realize that I should just spend that $20 and get professional patch cables, but I find that making what I need makes me feel better than going online and buying something.

I also do realize that I should buy from a trusted company like J A Russel, but i'm not planning making it the most practical and with the best practices, i'm trying for the cheapest and as practical as I can.

Removed for sounding overly critical

Sideface

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#1105011 8-Aug-2014 17:19

... I have a load of Cat5e and it would be cheaper for me to just make my own, it doesn't take that long to make one and I would feel better...

Stranded or solid wire?

Sideface

dcole13

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#1105013 8-Aug-2014 17:20

Sideface:
... I have a load of Cat5e and it would be cheaper for me to just make my own, it doesn't take that long to make one and I would feel better...

Stranded or solid wire?

Not sure what you mean by stranded, but it's a box which probs means stranded.

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Jase2985

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#1105062 8-Aug-2014 18:15

they both come in a box

Jase2985

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#1105064 8-Aug-2014 18:19

http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=314

http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=315

dcole13

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#1105066 8-Aug-2014 18:27

Jase2985: http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=314

http://www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=315

I can probably get it cheaper through J A Russell but I will check. Thanks for that though, just in case if that is cheaper.

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DarthKermit

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#1105071 8-Aug-2014 18:45

dcole13:
Sideface:
... I have a load of Cat5e and it would be cheaper for me to just make my own, it doesn't take that long to make one and I would feel better...

Stranded or solid wire?

Not sure what you mean by stranded, but it's a box which probs means stranded.

Stranded is for flexible cables like you'd run from the wall to your computer/TV/etc. Solid is for the fixed wiring behind your RJ 45 wall plates. You don't want to try crimping RJ 45 plugs onto stranded cable.

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dcole13

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#1105072 8-Aug-2014 18:46

DarthKermit:
dcole13:
Sideface:
... I have a load of Cat5e and it would be cheaper for me to just make my own, it doesn't take that long to make one and I would feel better...

Stranded or solid wire?

Not sure what you mean by stranded, but it's a box which probs means stranded.

Stranded is for flexible cables like you'd run from the wall to your computer/TV/etc. Solid is for the fixed wiring behind your RJ 45 wall plates. You don't want to try crimping RJ 45 plugs onto stranded cable.

It is stiff, but still flexible. Probably stranded. Why shouldn't you crimp your RJ45 connectors on the end? Is it because the wire is solid?

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DarthKermit

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#1105075 8-Aug-2014 18:59

Because the separate strands of a stranded cable will make it very hard to get a good connection between the metal pins in the '45 connector and the fine copper strands in the cable.

The stranded flexible cables with sealed plugs are assembled by a machine.

Whatifthespacekeyhadneverbeeninvented?

cyril7

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#1105076 8-Aug-2014 19:05

Please dont make your own patch leads, they cost around $1-2+$1/m (and can be cheaper) from most suppliers and made from stranded cable (which is recommended for patch and fly leads which also require different IDC plugs than solid cable) and are normally ultrasound welded and finally they are tested, all these details are important. Making your own is crazy.

Cyril

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#1105081 8-Aug-2014 19:21

Additional info

Solid core cables are what is used to run inside walls and terminate of your RJ45 jacks it is designed to be installed and left there and not moved around - so is not generaly suitable for patch cords

Stranded core cable is what is used to make patch cords and can flex and be moved around without damage from bending etc -

Stranded core cable is not suitable to be terminated on a RJ45 Jack (the jacks are not designed to accept it)

There are different types of Rj45 plugs - some are designed to be terminated on solid core (so the fixed wireing can be directly pluged into a switch etc - but limits its funtional use) and others for stranded - the two types are not suitable to be interchanged

You can ID solid core vs stranded when you strip the insulation off if you have one single conductor then it is solid core but if you have multipule conductors then you hace stranded

DarthKermit

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#1105085 8-Aug-2014 19:25

^^^

It's really the same principle as the fixed mains wiring inside your walls vs. the flexible wiring used in appliance and extension cords.

Whatifthespacekeyhadneverbeeninvented?

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