Tools, Testers & Terminations for Cat 6 Ethernet Network

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Tools, Testers & Terminations for Cat 6 Ethernet Network

harlansmart

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#303829 12-Mar-2023 12:52

As per title, about to install Cat 6 indoors + thru garden on a 90m run to the shed - looking locally but mainly on Ali (due to cost).

What are you pro's using in the way of tools, testers & terminations, mainly the crimper, which is the 'go to crimper' ?

Have done it before a few times but want to 'up-tool' to something more proficient this time round (lots of cables).

Cheers, in advance.

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13457 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3049281 12-Mar-2023 13:31

how are you terminating? and what to? keystones? male connectors? punch downs? krone or 110?

pretty much everything in my house was done with female keystone connections from dynamix, all were CAT6A, and all the runs tested at 10GbE on a fluke cable tester borrowed from work (circa 5k for the tester).

harlansmart

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3049283 12-Mar-2023 13:51

Sorry Jase, cheers - 2 pce male RJ45's for the time being, get it all running then perhaps tidy up w/faceplates etc

FLUKE sadly, probably more than we need... looking further, might just go local for this one:

-------------

PBT Crimping Tools:

$45

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/ITPA-SK316/Dynamix-CT-6C8C-6--8-Position-Metal-Crimping-Tool

$48

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TOLPSK0141/ProsKit-CP-376TR-4P6P8P-Telecom-Crimping-Tool-190m

$49

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TOLPSK0027/ProsKit-CP-333-Modular-Plug-Network-Crimping-Tool

$84

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TOLHAN0019/HANLONG-RJ-45-RJ12RJ11-Modular-Crimping-Tool---Pro

$120

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TOLPSK0197/ProsKit-CP-200R-4-in-1-Professional-Modular-Crimps

PBT Testers:

$34

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TOLPSK0182/ProsKit-MT-7031-Mini-Lan-Cable-Tester---Circuit-Pr?qr=related-view

$52

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TOLPSK0043/ProsKit-MT-7058-Wire-Tester-Mini-Lan-Ethernet-Cabl?qr=related-view

$71

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/TOLPSK0134/ProsKit-MT-7064-PoE--LAN-Cable-Tester

SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#3049287 12-Mar-2023 14:42

harlansmart:

What are you pro's using in the way of tools, testers & terminations, mainly the crimper, which is the 'go to crimper' ?

Pros :)

You use a crimping tool to make patch cables. Fixed wiring should terminate on keystones or patch panels (I like patch panels for keystone modules). For those, you need a punch down tool or tool free keystone modules. I've only ever used a cheap punch tool. It worked fine, but trimming of wires was hit and miss.

Also, use solid core cable for in walls and between buildings.

Using Cat6, at 90m you'll be out of spec if you want to run 10gb Ethernet in the future. I'd run fibre between buildings if possible.

harlansmart

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3049290 12-Mar-2023 15:06

Cheers R.L.,

We'll get it all running, then look at tidying up, terminating w/keystones & wall plates etc.. just curious if we should bother w/some slightly more fancy crimpers this time round or not, what are you guys using, $40 or $100+ items, or doesn't it really matter for amateurs like us ?

Well, sadly we cannot even draw stick figures but in simplified terms she'll look so:

(Will probably move the StarLink + Switch to a location out of view in a hallway cupboard between the Bed / Lounge in actual installation).

Newtown

133 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#3049294 12-Mar-2023 15:48

For everything but C, could you just get already made cables and use a coupler/joiner to make your life a bit easier?

I'm thinking of either Digitus SFTP or 8ware UTP Cat6A cables. There are some couplers/joiners on PB.

harlansmart

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3049297 12-Mar-2023 15:57

Cheers for the reply - so many options !

Are you saying to join a couple of 50m cables outside heading off up to the shed w/something like:

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CABDNX7050/Dynamix-A-RJ45-C6N-Cat6-Rated-RJ45-8C-Joiner-2-Way

If it weren't for the 90m run we'd be going pre-made for sure.

Since we have to make this 90m cable (if we want to go in a single piece run) we are looking at making the whole lot custom etc

Other issue is the outdoors stuff (seems) to mostly be in 300M drums, we only need 100M, who sells smaller lengths, anyone know ?

SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#3049306 12-Mar-2023 17:10

Wow. I paid $289.43 for the same thing in 2020, including delivery.

Most likely comes down to freight charges. Fibre may be your best bet for that distance.

By my quick calculations, if you dug your own trench and purchased a couple of cheap SFP switches and a 100m pre-terminated armoured fibre from Ali, and added some electrical conduit from local sources that isn't 'Marley' branded, you could do that and come out about $50 better off.

EDIT: My calculations are only valid if you're going to stockpile the cable and not use it for other purposes (or sell).

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harlansmart

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3049313 12-Mar-2023 17:45

Lol, feel like saying, 'here we go again' !

Guess this what we call 'future proofing'.. was just about to start paying for the 'cart' but yeah ok, hook taken :)

What use would we have for 10 GbE - shed is just for music, streaming, films from the server, bit of surfing, 1 GbE suffices for all that and we've only got a few hundred Mbps atm via StarLink with fibre possibly an eon away. Guess so long as we have a way to pull lines back and forward through the conduit we could do this later anyway.

Someone show me a 100m 10 GbE Armoured cable and some appropriate (cheap) SPF switches please?

(Will try work out if this could be incorporated into the current plan (sensibly)).

SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#3049314 12-Mar-2023 18:17

harlansmart:

Lol, feel like saying, 'here we go again' !

Guess this what we call 'future proofing'.. was just about to start paying for the 'cart' but yeah ok, hook taken :)

What use would we have for 10 GbE - shed is just for music, streaming, films from the server, bit of surfing, 1 GbE suffices for all that and we've only got a few hundred Mbps atm via StarLink with fibre possibly an eon away. Guess so long as we have a way to pull lines back and forward through the conduit we could do this later anyway.

Someone show me a 100m 10 GbE Armoured cable and some appropriate (cheap) SPF switches please?

(Will try work out if this could be incorporated into the current plan (sensibly)).

Fibre doesn't necessarily mean 10Gb. I'm using it at 1Gb and plan on deploying 10Gb in my own home shortly (in fact, the first of the gear should arrive tomorrow).

These are the products I plan to be using to connect a sleepout to the main house. These haven't been installed yet (waiting on construction work), but the equipment was tested for a few days and seems to work fine.

Armoured cable... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003346163503.html

SFP switches... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001171517416.html (NZ power supply required, 2.5/5.5mm)

SFP module... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32901075730.html

Note, I am using BiDi single mode modules which are more expensive than other options, but they allow you to use a single fibre.

harlansmart

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3049320 12-Mar-2023 18:46

Thanking you very much Sir, so we'd need '2 runs of fibre' is that what you're saying ?

i.e. we'd replace 'D' (Gigabit Ethernet Switch) w/one of your SPF Switches > plug in 2 x SPF Modules > run 2 x 100m Armoured Cables in conduit to shed > plug into 2 x SPF Modules > plug into 2nd SPF Switch ?

Hang on, are we even stupiderer than we think... will a single cable work or do we need 2 running between the SPF Switches ?

We'd still have a 1 Gigabit link (only) to the shed right... so to get 10 GbE one needs uprated Switch/Module gear?

Trying to see, will that cable do 10 GbE or not, cannot tell?

Seems quite 'cheap' per metre for fancy 'fibre'.

S'pose its easy to handle too.

SomeoneSomewhere

1802 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3049338 12-Mar-2023 19:42

The defining feature of fibre tends to be that the cable is cheap, and the endpoints are (more) expensive. This, along with the technical reasons, tends to push fibre to longer distances and copper to short ones.

Multi-mode fibre is conventionally used for shorter runs, and uses one fibre per direction (two per link) with symmetric equipment - the same gear at each end. The fibre is typically sold/packaged/connected in multiples of two because of this. One SFP would have two fibres connect to it, like this.

Single-mode fibre is the only option for longer runs (~500m+), with each direction using a different wavelength of light over a single fibre. So you need different A & B endpoints. It's increasingly used for shorter runs too, though.

For the 90m run, you can technically get 5Gb/s out of Cat6 at that length. New devices are increasingly coming with 2.5Gb/s ports, and 5GbE is potentially coming, though not exactly popular yet. So you're not necessarily limited to just GbE on Cat6.

I just checked and we have a leftover 112m drum of Dynamix gel-filled Cat6A. Not sure if you're near Wellington? Not certain if I'm OK to sell it or what a reasonable price is yet.

SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#3049350 12-Mar-2023 20:17

harlansmart:

Thanking you very much Sir, so we'd need '2 runs of fibre' is that what you're saying ?

i.e. we'd replace 'D' (Gigabit Ethernet Switch) w/one of your SPF Switches > plug in 2 x SPF Modules > run 2 x 100m Armoured Cables in conduit to shed > plug into 2 x SPF Modules > plug into 2nd SPF Switch ?

Yes, still 1Gb. You only need a switch and SFP module at each end. If you use a BiDi module such as the one I linked to, you just need a single fibre. You can get modules that require two fibres, with one used to send and the other receive.

To be clear, you'd need two switches, a single pair of SFP modules (the BiDi modules are sold in pairs), and a single fibre.

With single mode fibre, you're primarily limited by the optics, not the fibre itself. 10Gb will work just fine.

Multi-mode can do the distance you require, but there really isn't a cost benefit over single mode anymore.

SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#3049354 12-Mar-2023 20:40

SomeoneSomewhere:

For the 90m run, you can technically get 5Gb/s out of Cat6 at that length. New devices are increasingly coming with 2.5Gb/s ports, and 5GbE is potentially coming, though not exactly popular yet. So you're not necessarily limited to just GbE on Cat6.

I just checked and we have a leftover 112m drum of Dynamix gel-filled Cat6A. Not sure if you're near Wellington? Not certain if I'm OK to sell it or what a reasonable price is yet.

Cat6A will do 10Gb at 100m, so if you can buy just what you need, this is a good option.

In a few years, 2.5Gb switches will be cheap. Right now they attract a bit of a premium. Compared to SFP+ (10Gb) switches, they don't look so attractive, but you have to factor in the cost of the modules as well, which adds up if you need 8+ of them. 10Gb switches with RJ45 are very expensive, so 2.5Gb is definitely cheaper on copper.

harlansmart

446 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3049357 12-Mar-2023 20:52

Trying to get pea sized brain around this fibre option (need moar geek) - but we'd need:

2 x $60 SFP Switches ($120)

1 x 100m Five Cable ($100)

1 x Pair SFP Modules ($16)

$236 + shipping(s)

That doesn't seem to bad, when 100m i.e. 1/3 of a roll of Ethernet Cable is $135 odd so take off ~$135

Can do away with 'D' the Gigabit Ethernet Switch so take off another ~$50

Nett Fibre cost ~$236 - $185 = ~$51

SirHumphreyAppleby

2844 posts

Uber Geek

#3049359 12-Mar-2023 20:59

Don't forget the conduit. The Cat6 cable is explicitly listed as suitable for direct burial, while the fibre is only rated for outdoors. I wouldn't put it directly in the ground. I did look for explicitly direct bury fibre, but didn't find any at a reasonable cost.

Cheapest 25mm conduit I know of is $6 for 4m (pick-up, Auckland). 20mm is a little cheaper, but I wouldn't go smaller than 25mm myself. The 25mm conduit for burial is $10 per 4m, but I think the colour is mainly to warn of mains power, which you're not using.

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