Long network cables

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AKT

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#259992 5-Nov-2019 11:41

I'm after some advice about runing network cables in my house. I have the opportunity during our current renovations to run a cable up into the roof space of our 2-storey house, the stud is around 3.1m each floor so I need the cable to be reasonably long to cover the distance, the router isn't really that close to where the cable would go up the wall so I suspect I'd need another 5m at least so a 15-20m cable. I have had a look on ascent.co.nz and there are a few options. I would like to know if :

1. a cable that long will still be useful or will the degradation in speed/signal mean that WiFi would be just as good?

2. Should I buy a reel of cable and then get Ethernet boxes at either end, or buy a readymade cable with RJ45 connectors?

3. I want the best so Cat 6 or Cat 6a or something else?

Thanks in advance

Andy

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#2348443 5-Nov-2019 11:46

1. No issues with 30m of cable. You'd have no issues up to about 100m

2. Yes. Much easier to run if it isn't already terminated

3. Get the best you can afford, but 6a would be fine. Remember, it is thicker than 5e, so harder to pull through, and terminate. Just make sure you get the terminations (wall sockets) that match the cable.

wellygary

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#2348449 5-Nov-2019 12:01

Should I buy a reel of cable and then get Ethernet boxes at either end, or buy a readymade cable with RJ45 connectors?

Yes, Buy a Reel of cable, then run as many cable runs as you think you will ever need, and then add some more....

Cable is cheap, getting access to the walls is expensive...

Zorg2000

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#2348457 5-Nov-2019 12:35

Wired beats wifi pretty much every time. It's a lot more consistent and has much higher throughput available and much less latency.

As suggested Cat 6a if you can to future proof as much as possible.

Terminating the cable is relatively easy so buy a real of cable and some wall plates then run the cable to anywhere you think you might need it now or in the future.

rogercruse

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#2348459 5-Nov-2019 12:54

I've got Cat 6 cables running between Google Wifi devices that are positioned round my house providing wireless coverage. There's also switches to provide additional ethernet ports.

Going to repeat the same solution at my new house

Dugimodo

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#2348469 5-Nov-2019 14:32

Just to add my 2c to the distance question. There is no speed degradation over distance with Ethernet. It's designed to give you the full speed over distances of up to 100M.

For short runs around a house of 30M or less where there are only 1 or 2 cables you can get good performance out of almost any cable CAT 5 or above, going with CAT 6a or CAT 6 is still a good Idea but not strictly necessary. While CAT 5 is not rated for gigabit speeds it generally works under these conditions.

I ran a CAT 5 cable 15M under my floor in 2000 when 100Mb was all I needed. When I upgraded to gigabit at some point later on it continued to work perfectly and still does.

Be sure to maintain a minimum distance of at least 50mm but preferably 300mm or more from any mains cabling. https://toolbox.ewrb.govt.nz/home/what-do-i-need-to-know-about-installing-data-and-telecommunication-cables/

cyril7

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#2348474 5-Nov-2019 14:55

Just to correct the above, there is cat5 and cat5e, the former has not been available on the market since the late90s, cat5 was originally only rated for 100Mb/s however would do GigE upto 100m depending on the actual cable build, typically it would do GigE upto 70m or there abouts regarless of the build. Typcial installs only have runs up to around 40m so will work just fine.

Cat5e was designed to address the deficiencies of cat5 and IS designed to achieve GigE to the full 100m channel length. The changes to achieve this was a subtle increase in the twist rate that improved cross talk isolation between the four pairs to perform to spec out to 100MHz which is required for GigE. So to be clear cat5e which is still sold today and for the last 20yrs IS compliant for GigE...........period!

Infact I have found in lengths of upto around 40m Cat5e will also support 10G however it is dependant on the quality of the cable build and installation conditions. I have found lengths of <20m to acheive 10G regardless.

Cat6 is good for 10G upto around 50m, cat6a is good for 10G to the full 100m channel length.

For home installations where runs are typically never over 30m I suggest cat6 is totally sufficient, and far easier to install, cat6a is quite bulky and this complicates installation in residential situations, especially when being retro fitted.

I am just about to move house, I will be upgrading the cabling in the new house with cat5e which I am totally happy with, and have plenty of stock in my garage, the house I am leaving has 1 and in some cases 2 outlets at in each required room ie office, each bedroom and both AV locations, plus a ceiling one that gives full house coverage, all cat5e.

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neb

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#2348486 5-Nov-2019 15:15

AKT:
2. Should I buy a reel of cable and then get Ethernet boxes at either end, or buy a readymade cable with RJ45 connectors?

Unless you're going to use the entire 100m or whatever's on the reel, it's always cheaper to buy terminated cable and cut the connectors off.

RunningMan

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#2348487 5-Nov-2019 15:17

AKT:[snip]up into the roof space of our 2-storey house,

Don't see that this has been addressed, but roof spaces can get very very hot especially in summer, with a corresponding dramatic decrease in life expectancy for electronics. Fine to run cables through, but having active electronics in the heat can be very problematic.

cyril7

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#2348488 5-Nov-2019 15:19

neb:
AKT:

2. Should I buy a reel of cable and then get Ethernet boxes at either end, or buy a readymade cable with RJ45 connectors?

Unless you're going to use the entire 100m or whatever's on the reel, it's always cheaper to buy terminated cable and cut the connectors off.

Just be aware that premade cables are stranded, so ensure if you are putting on plugs you get ones designed for stranded cable, as ones designed for solid will not be reliable.

Also be aware that you can terminate stranded cable on IDC keystone sockets, but its not recommended, its better to use solid cable for reliable connections.

Cyril

neb

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#2348490 5-Nov-2019 15:25

cyril7:
Just be aware that premade cables are stranded, so ensure if you are putting on plugs you get ones designed for stranded cable, as ones designed for solid will not be reliable.

Also be aware that you can terminate stranded cable on IDC keystone sockets, but its not recommended, its better to use solid cable for reliable connections.

Hmm, it's been awhile since I last did this but I don't recall ever running into stranded cable, it was all solid and no problem with sockets.

cyril7

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#2348491 5-Nov-2019 15:28

Hi, its very very rare to find a premade cable on the market that is of solid cable, stranded is the standard for patch and fly leads, infact the only ones I have ever seen were sold by Krone for patching between Krone blocks and RJ45 patch panels, and have to say I have not seen them for awhile.

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Dugimodo

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#2348492 5-Nov-2019 15:29

All good info cyril but I'm not sure where the correction was? I never mentioned CAT 5e at all and am well aware it's rated for gigabit speeds. Seems like you added more information rather than correcting anything :p

I wasn't aware you can't buy CAT 5 cable any more because I simply haven't tried but it makes sense, I wasn't suggesting anyone should use it anyway just pointing out that it does work. You'll note I did my cabling almost 20 years ago.

Still It seems like we agree on all the main points. I only sought to point out that for shorter runs lower specced cable is usually ok. I see a lot of discussions where people make it seem like you absolutely have to have the latest/best cable to get good speeds and this simply isn't true.

In commercial installations where cables can be run in great bundles for long distances the cable can be very important, at home with a handful of cables running in different directions and all short runs under 50M it's less important. Certainly never hurts to use the better cable if that's what you want to do.

cyril7

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#2348495 5-Nov-2019 15:36

Hi, you mentioned cat5, and in the OP situation where he will be installing something new now, he cannot purchase cat5 only cat5e which is rated for GigE, your post gives the impression that he must use cat6 to acheive GigE, so just wanted to clarify that the cat5 cable you buy today IS GigE capable.

Cyril

andrewNZ

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#2348499 5-Nov-2019 15:39

For reference, a box/roll of cat cable (last I checked) is 305m.
I used to regularly use a nearly full box with plugs on both ends as a workshop patch cable, we probably wouldn't have been able to get gigabit, but there certainly weren't any noticable speed or stability issues.

If you are pulling cables, if you kink it, it's stuffed.
Don't try to straighten it out and pretend it didn't happen, cut it at the kink and start again.

Jase2985

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#2348507 5-Nov-2019 15:57

andrewNZ: For reference, a box/roll of cat cable (last I checked) is 305m.

nope, can buy 50 and 100m box/rolls too, somewhat limited in colour choices though

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CABDNX2906/Dynamix-C-C6-SOL-R100-100m-Cat6-Ivory-UTP-SOLID-Ca

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