CAT 5 Cable ?

[badbilly27]

My home is largely already wired for CAT 5 by the previous owner. Except for the one room I have two desktops located :-(. I'm trying to buy a spool so I can wire this room (from basement through to first floor) and have extra for replacing some other cables for short connections.

I'm so confused by which style of CAT 5 to buy and from where. Can anyone suggest which CAT 5 type, rating, etc I need to buy and best source. Also, I've never crimped CAT 5 before any tips?

THanks so much

 

[cmdrdredd]

There are special crimpers for the connectors ( if you're using male plugs) for the female plugs that go to the wall there is no special tools outside what comes with the connector.

If all wiring is done indoors (not outside the building) there's no need for special guage or shielding etc. I would get Cat5e cable tho because it supports gigabit connections if you use that.

you could get cable locally from Home Depot or RadioShack

 

[unmerited]

You might find this site helpful.


unmerited

 

[myocardia]

You'll have to buy all of this: crimper, cable, plugs, plus the wall plates.

I would personally buy all of that, but only get two of these cables, instead of the 1000' of wire: 100 foot Cat 5e cables, with plugs, then just cut two of the 4 plugs off, and crimp one new one on each, after it was run to where I wanted it. Also, you can go to Radio Shack, and buy less than 1000 ft. of cable at a time, which would also work.

Of course, if you're only wanting to do this for internet access, you don't need to have wired. Just go wireless, it's much easier, and is every bit as fast, if you're only using it for the internet.

 

[bob4432]

before purchasing the spool or the amount you need, definately look at the colos on the individual wires to see how bright they are. some come in extremely nice bright colors while other colors are almost transluscent, which can be a pita when it comes to putting them into the plug.

also you want a tester so you can make sure all the connections made it through

you also might want to find the fire retardent cable, i think its called plenum cable instead of running conduit

make sure you follow one of the standards - either 568A or 568B, i think 568A is better for in walls and such - these standards help with distances and how the wires are wound around each other and the electrical current going through them - there is a method to the way it is done. this will reduce crosstalk - in category 5E cable is to significantly reduce the crosstalk, and it's effects or interference - just don't put the wires in the plug in any random order, there are standards and they are there for a reason - especially on the longer runs.

just out of curiosty how long do you need it? i have a long "patch" cable i made that i would be more than willing to send you for the price of shipping. a buddy of mine gave me a spool - there is a lot of wire in it, not sure exactly how much, and i ran a pretty long patch cable before i had a laptop and wifi. i can't remember if i did it in A or B but i could have a look at it. it is the solid core wire.

i would offer you what i have but the colors on it are more of the tansluscent and kind of a pita, but if you want some, tell me how much you need and i will see if i have enough if the patch cable is not long enough. the cable i have is here - Belden Website and then put in 1585A in the upper left search box, then you will have all the specs.

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, You might also watch out for solid wire cable. The stranded wire is more flexible and should make a better crimp connection. Only saw solid once. My buddy bougt 1000 feet of it. Don't know where.

Luck, Jim

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: JimPhelpsMI
Hi, You might also watch out for solid wire cable. The stranded wire is more flexible and should make a better crimp connection. Only saw solid once. My buddy bougt 1000 feet of it. Don't know where.

Luck, Jim

actually what i have is solid. solid is good in walls and stuff where it won't bend much or sharp, stranded is better for patch cables.

 

[gwag]

solid is better. showmecables.com is a great place to get bulk wire and stuff.

 

[Arctucas]

I have had some experience with making lan cables, and let me tell you, it ain't no fun! By the time you buy the cable, RJ45 connectors, crimper and figure in what your time is worth, you might be better off buying premade cables. You can find cables up to 100 feet (you did say you only need to go from the basement to the first floor), and you don't need a much bigger hole to pull through than you would with an unterminated cable.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I personally run quite a bit of cat v and prefer the mohawk line of cable. since you are running it in the walls likely around other wiring it would be a good idea and spring for some plenum rated cable. It on average runs 70-90% more but is much better to work with and is better shielded

 

[badbilly27]

Thanks all for the terrific feedback. Bob4432 I may take you up on your offer after I measure the exact length - if the offer still stands.

As follow up I am runnig a wireless network as well in my house (wireless G) however it's strange. In basement I have the cable modem and belkin wireless G router. Plugged into the wireless G router is cat5 to my desktop #1 up to the second story bedroom office. No cable is runnig to my wife's office on the first floor where desktop #2 and desktop #3 (kids) rest. Yes, I have a laptop that roams through the house (plus Tivos). Too cheap to buy a wireless card to put in kids and wife computer so I got clever. I took a belkin wireless G access point plugged into a netgear 5 port router - plugged my kids and wife computer into that - walla they have interenet access. Unfortunately, my computer can not see theres in order to leverage home netowrok file sharing, etc. I believe it's due to either 1. belkin access point not playing nice with belking router downstairs or 2. firewall in netgear router. My wife and kids computer see each other just fine. Long story I know. I thought I was clever and now realize - just buy two cables run to kids and wife computer, plug into belking wirless router downstairs and sell access point on ebay.

Whew. That's why I just asked for help on where to buy cabel.

 

[CoachB]

badbilly,

I was given 500' of Cat5 cable by my phone company during a troubleshooting episode (don't ask...#!#@). I got the bright idea to run cable to each room in the house. I bought connectors and wall plates and then priced crimpers. Good crimpers are expensive but are almost mandatory for getting good connections. By the time I finished and got working cables, I would have paid double for pre-made cables.

My $.02

CoachB

 

[RebateMonger]

I advise against ever using a crimping tool on network cables. Buy solid-conductor network cable, and terminate at each end with Keystone Jacks. Then buy some pre-built patch cables (preferably with built-in strain reliefs) to connect your computers to the Jacks.

The Keystone Jacks can be purchased for around $2.00-$3.50 each. You can mount them using wall plates or with special surface-mount boxes built to hold the Jacks.

Keystone Jacks don't require crimping. You slide the wires into the slots and push them in hard with a punch that often comes with each Jack.

Doing the work with Jacks is MUCH more reliable than using a crimped cable, which is subject to damage if you pull on it and is a lot of work to build correctly.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: badbilly27
Thanks all for the terrific feedback. Bob4432 I may take you up on your offer after I measure the exact length - if the offer still stands.

As follow up I am runnig a wireless network as well in my house (wireless G) however it's strange. In basement I have the cable modem and belkin wireless G router. Plugged into the wireless G router is cat5 to my desktop #1 up to the second story bedroom office. No cable is runnig to my wife's office on the first floor where desktop #2 and desktop #3 (kids) rest. Yes, I have a laptop that roams through the house (plus Tivos). Too cheap to buy a wireless card to put in kids and wife computer so I got clever. I took a belkin wireless G access point plugged into a netgear 5 port router - plugged my kids and wife computer into that - walla they have interenet access. Unfortunately, my computer can not see theres in order to leverage home netowrok file sharing, etc. I believe it's due to either 1. belkin access point not playing nice with belking router downstairs or 2. firewall in netgear router. My wife and kids computer see each other just fine. Long story I know. I thought I was clever and now realize - just buy two cables run to kids and wife computer, plug into belking wirless router downstairs and sell access point on ebay.

Whew. That's why I just asked for help on where to buy cabel.

offer still stands but you will have to let me now pretty quick, got news today that i will have to get surgery by the end of the month, probably in the hospital for 4-6days afterwards and then the doc said i would be down between 4-6wks. i can send you the cable, which is solid if you want or put a crimp on each end, either way. RebateMonger does have good advice