Differnce between cat5e and cat6?

[EQTitan]

Would I be better off running a cat6 home network, or cat5e?

6 outlets total over 5 rooms...

 

[BZeto]

cat6

It is backwards compatible to cat5e. Plus you get less crosstalk and more reliability and bandwidth for future hardware.

 

[JackMDS]

It is all about the future.

Currently you would not gain any thing from CAT6, but you would save yourself from future pains.

:sun:

 

[Ryoga]

The difference between CAT6 and CAT5e, ultimately, is that CAT6 is designed for 10Gbit speeds while CAT5e is only meant for 1Gbit speeds.

Just a gigabit is more sensitive to bad wiring than 100MBit , 10 gigabit is even more sensitive than gigabit. You should keep the pairs as twisted as possible when terminating a CAT6 cable.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: Ryoga
The difference between CAT6 and CAT5e, ultimately, is that CAT6 is designed for 10Gbit speeds while CAT5e is only meant for 1Gbit speeds.

Just a gigabit is more sensitive to bad wiring than 100MBit , 10 gigabit is even more sensitive than gigabit. You should keep the pairs as twisted as possible when terminating a CAT6 cable.

Indeed. If you don't terminate cat6 properly, you may as well not buy it. Cat5e is extremely forgiving in comparison.
I've certified a few hundred CAT6 drops, and it is amazing what little flaw or slight untwist will cause it to bust a test.

 

[EQTitan]

Any tutorials or guides to terminating properly? I have already but some supplies to start my SOHO and I'm just looking for a few more things such as cheap cat6 spool (cheap yeah right haha).

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: EQTitan
Any tutorials or guides to terminating properly? I have already but some supplies to start my SOHO and I'm just looking for a few more things such as cheap cat6 spool (cheap yeah right haha).

There are week long training classes out there on how to properly terminate cable. I suggest you pay somebody to do this for you.

 

[EQTitan]

"if you do not try, you can never fail"

So, what would be better a router or a switch?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: EQTitan
Any tutorials or guides to terminating properly? I have already but some supplies to start my SOHO and I'm just looking for a few more things such as cheap cat6 spool (cheap yeah right haha).

Termination is simple, actually:

1) Use factory-made, certified and pre-tested patch cables. Don't crimp your own cables.
2) For long runs, use CAT6-certifed Keystone jacks at each end. Keep the "untwisted section" of wire pairs as short possible. Don't unwind an inch-long section of wire pairs and expect to have a CAT6 connection.

 

[jlazzaro]

Originally posted by: EQTitan
So, what would be better a router or a switch?

neither one is "better"...they have different uses.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: jlazzaro

Originally posted by: EQTitan
So, what would be better a router or a switch?

neither one is "better"...they have different uses.

ditto

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
It is all about the future.

Currently you would not gain any thing from CAT6, but you would save yourself from future pains.

:sun:

Might as well just go with fiber.

 

[cmetz]

EQTitan, cat6 is more likely to be better quality cable, even if you only use it as cat5e. cat5e got real cheap lately, and that's gotta come from somewhere, esp. because copper is getting much more expensive.

Brazen, fiber turns out not to be as future-proof as marketed.

 

[NuroMancer]

Originally posted by: Ryoga
The difference between CAT6 and CAT5e, ultimately, is that CAT6 is designed for 10Gbit speeds while CAT5e is only meant for 1Gbit speeds.

Just a gigabit is more sensitive to bad wiring than 100MBit , 10 gigabit is even more sensitive than gigabit. You should keep the pairs as twisted as possible when terminating a CAT6 cable.

As far as I know technically cat6 wasn't rated for gigabit? I mean there are companies that say with a short run and this special connector, you can do it. But I didn't think the Cat6 standard was even ratified.

Here is some propaganda I read a while ago on the differences.
http://www.connectworld.net/syscon/support.htm

 

[spidey07]

cat6 has been around for a while now. I think the standard was ratified in 2002. All new installations commercially are cat6. There simply isn't any reason to use cat5e.

Also, cat6 was specifically designed for 1000 Base-T with 10000 Base-T in mind.

-edit- ignore everything on that link. It is flat out wrong.

 

[ScottMac]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: EQTitan
Any tutorials or guides to terminating properly? I have already but some supplies to start my SOHO and I'm just looking for a few more things such as cheap cat6 spool (cheap yeah right haha).

Termination is simple, actually:

1) Use factory-made, certified and pre-tested patch cables. Don't crimp your own cables.
2) For long runs, use CAT6-certifed Keystone jacks at each end. Keep the "untwisted section" of wire pairs as short possible. Don't unwind an inch-long section of wire pairs and expect to have a CAT6 connection.

NO, not "short as possible" --- It's a MAXIMUM of 3/8" total out-of-jacket (and untwisted ... same 3/8") for CAT6.

Up to Cat5e you are allowed a maximum of 1/2" total (out of jacket/untwisted).

Anything more than that and you've shot your crosstalk spec clean out of the water .... (i.e., poor full-duplex performance, among other issues).

FWIW

Scott

 

[jlazzaro]

Originally posted by: ScottMac

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: EQTitan
Any tutorials or guides to terminating properly? I have already but some supplies to start my SOHO and I'm just looking for a few more things such as cheap cat6 spool (cheap yeah right haha).

Termination is simple, actually:

1) Use factory-made, certified and pre-tested patch cables. Don't crimp your own cables.
2) For long runs, use CAT6-certifed Keystone jacks at each end. Keep the "untwisted section" of wire pairs as short possible. Don't unwind an inch-long section of wire pairs and expect to have a CAT6 connection.

NO, not "short as possible" --- It's a MAXIMUM of 3/8" total out-of-jacket (and untwisted ... same 3/8") for CAT6.

Up to Cat5e you are allowed a maximum of 1/2" total (out of jacket/untwisted).

Anything more than that and you've shot your crosstalk spec clean out of the water .... (i.e., poor full-duplex performance, among other issues).

FWIW

Scott

oh its worth a lot...actually never new that.

 

[spidey07]

Just to pound home yet again how important proper cable installation is and what happens when you don't adhere to the spec....

Just recently a large data center had some mission ciritical stuff that was hiccuping. It only happened maybe once per month but there was a loss of communication for about 15 seconds. Sometimes as long as 5 minutes. 5 minutes translates to hundreds of thousands of dollars. They had been working on it for a few weeks and called me in.

My findings?

1) while cables passed category ratings it did not follow the physical spec and showed noise, leading to number 2...
2) Data Center had a wonderful ground mesh under the floor. Problem was the racks themselves weren't grounded to the grid. All equipment/panels were grounded to the racks, but the racks weren't grounded. Bad mojo.

Adhere to the specs or roll the dice.

 

[VisionxOrb]

And If no one is willing to tell him how to do it right then how is he supposed to adhere to specs? ( and telling him to get it done by someone else isnt helping, as most of these forums are filled with DIYselfers. otherwise we would all be using store bought PCs).

 

[ScottMac]

Well (and I'm really not trying to be argumentitive here), since this topic has been covered already a jillion time, a search will bring up some fraction of a jillion posts, many of which alrady cover most aspects of pulling, terminating, punching, pair order, inside/outside and the other facets of the doing-it-yourself-even-though-you-don't know-what-you're-doing-and-don't-care-what-the-specs-are-dammit-because-*I*-am-going-to-do-it-my-way-anyway.

Then there's the folks that post the true & accurate way, and the true and accurate specs, that are summarily dismissed by the " I didn't follow the spec, and it works just fine" folks. Since someone says they didn't follow the spec but it worked anyway, then the OP usually adopts that method because hey! it worked for the other person, its (usually) cheaper and / or easier than doing it right.

JackMDs usually posts some very helpful and useful links. If he doesn't post them here, then they are certainly in (at least) a few dozen posts from recent history.

To learn, start with a search, then backfill any dangling questions with a new post.

If, as the implementer of the physical layer, you decide not to go with spec, then just buy barbed-wire at Farm & Fleet, it'll work just as good, honest, we've tested it in the Lab, and you can get nearly two miles of it for the same price as decent quality Cat{anything}. Pull what you need and peddle the rest on eBay.

Wow, quite the rant! Sorry. It's been a long week.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: VisionxOrb
And If no one is willing to tell him how to do it right then how is he supposed to adhere to specs? ( and telling him to get it done by someone else isnt helping, as most of these forums are filled with DIYselfers. otherwise we would all be using store bought PCs).

Because you can't tell somebody how to rebuild a motor on a message board. It takes training and experience. Same with network cabling.

 

[Oakenfold]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: VisionxOrb
And If no one is willing to tell him how to do it right then how is he supposed to adhere to specs? ( and telling him to get it done by someone else isnt helping, as most of these forums are filled with DIYselfers. otherwise we would all be using store bought PCs).

Because you can't tell somebody how to rebuild a motor on a message board. It takes training and experience. Same with network cabling.

Indeed.
I can't wire my own cat5e to save my life. I know cat6 is no friendlier.

Guess I need to practice more.

 

[EQTitan]

OK, sorry for the delay but I have a background in home wiring (coxial)(cat3)(cat5), I work for a cable company. Most of our RJ45/Cat5e jumpers come premade but the cat3 does not and I was just looking for a little help.

BTW, the search function has become the new "internet trash picker" ie.. you search find alot of crap most of which does not pertain to your particular question(s), so you start by asking in the hope that maybe someone can help. Sorry, did not mean to ruffle the feathers of the resting birds....

thanks all

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: EQTitan
Any tutorials or guides to terminating properly? I have already but some supplies to start my SOHO and I'm just looking for a few more things such as cheap cat6 spool (cheap yeah right haha).

There are week long training classes out there on how to properly terminate cable. I suggest you pay somebody to do this for you.

You know that I agree with you if this were for business, but it's just for his house, if anything he can run cat 5e and be fine IMO.

 

[VisionxOrb]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: VisionxOrb
And If no one is willing to tell him how to do it right then how is he supposed to adhere to specs? ( and telling him to get it done by someone else isnt helping, as most of these forums are filled with DIYselfers. otherwise we would all be using store bought PCs).

Because you can't tell somebody how to rebuild a motor on a message board. It takes training and experience. Same with network cabling.

actually Ive completly built a 84 k5blazer, custom everything with building locked fron and rear axles with 4wheel diskbrakes, 63" springs wiht custom shockmounts and a 73 camaro build for pro touring including rebuilding the engine ( smallblock 350 ) thanks to forums ( in this case coloradok5 and nastyz28 ) so yes you can learn to rebuild and engine from message forums. Now I agree experiance is a very good asset but youll never get it till you actually start doing things yourself.