Where to get cat6 networking supplies?

[qwazwak]

All of my ethernet cables are broken, the small retention plastic clips are all gone, and I'm planning to buy a ~250ft roll of cat6 ethernet cable and start making my own cables. However both amazon and newegg seem to have nothing good.. Does anybody know a good source for the connectors, cable, and tools?

 

 

So far this is what I have picked out:

https://amzn.com/B00LG6DQUI

https://amzn.com/B00W16AIMG  (Because I hate cables without protectors)

https://amzn.com/B00CH4P4KS

https://amzn.com/B0000AZK4G

 

Would this all work together for a full cat6 infrastructure and with full compatibility?

 

 

Spoiler

P.S. This is my first time doing this and I don't know if I need a cable tester, do I and if so is this one good? https://amzn.com/B009ZXYI1U

 

 

[Networking Wolf]

yes tbh the only thing that matters is the type of cabling you use everything else is your preference

[RangerLunis]

Just now, qwazwak said:

-snip-

  Reveal hidden contents

P.S. This is my first time doing this and I don't know if I need a cable tester, do I and if so is this one good? https://amzn.com/B009ZXYI1U

 

 

Just wanted to warn you, careful of buying cables on amazon, I bought from about 4 different sellers and the cables "shielding" was a thin plastic bendable tube that made the cable incredibly easy to break and twist apart. If your looking on making your own cables couldn't help you out there much, personally looking at some multi colored cat 6 for my server rack for color coordination, dunno if that would help you at all

[Julian5]

14 minutes ago, qwazwak said:

All of my ethernet cables are broken, the small retention plastic clips are all gone, and I'm planning to buy a ~250ft roll of cat6 ethernet cable and start making my own cables. However both amazon and newegg seem to have nothing good.. Does anybody know a good source for the connectors, cable, and tools?

 

 

So far this is what I have picked out:

https://amzn.com/B00LG6DQUI

https://amzn.com/B00W16AIMG  (Because I hate cables without protectors)

https://amzn.com/B00CH4P4KS

https://amzn.com/B0000AZK4G

 

Would this all work together for a full cat6 infrastructure and with full compatibility?

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

P.S. This is my first time doing this and I don't know if I need a cable tester, do I and if so is this one good? https://amzn.com/B009ZXYI1U

 

 

That cable you listed is cat5e not cat since and its not solid copper its 24% copper. Pick another one since that one is shit and illegal in the US

[gamerking]

18 minutes ago, qwazwak said:

All of my ethernet cables are broken, the small retention plastic clips are all gone, and I'm planning to buy a ~250ft roll of cat6 ethernet cable and start making my own cables. However both amazon and newegg seem to have nothing good.. Does anybody know a good source for the connectors, cable, and tools?

 

 

So far this is what I have picked out:

https://amzn.com/B00LG6DQUI

https://amzn.com/B00W16AIMG  (Because I hate cables without protectors)

https://amzn.com/B00CH4P4KS

https://amzn.com/B0000AZK4G

 

Would this all work together for a full cat6 infrastructure and with full compatibility?

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

P.S. This is my first time doing this and I don't know if I need a cable tester, do I and if so is this one good? https://amzn.com/B009ZXYI1U

 

 

monoprice.com all im going to say

[qwazwak]

6 minutes ago, RangerLunis said:

Just wanted to warn you, careful of buying cables on amazon, I bought from about 4 different sellers and the cables "shielding" was a thin plastic bendable tube that made the cable incredibly easy to break and twist apart. If your looking on making your own cables couldn't help you out there much, personally looking at some multi colored cat 6 for my server rack for color coordination, dunno if that would help you at all

Color matching, niceee.

[qwazwak]

4 minutes ago, Julian5 said:

That cable you listed is cat5e not cat since and its not solid copper its 24% copper. Pick another one since that one is shit and illegal in the US

0.0 Oh wow, thanks! 

 

1 minute ago, gamerking said:

monoprice.com all im going to say

Ooh, I just checked and they already have way more, better options, thanks!

[qwazwak]

Also since I'v gotta find a new cable now.. Stranded or solid?

[Julian5]

Just now, qwazwak said:

Also since I'v gotta find a new cable now.. Stranded or solid?

Solid

[W-L]

20 minutes ago, qwazwak said:

-SNIP-

Most of that looks good as mentioned change your cable selection that is CCA (copper clad aluminum) and instead get solid copper if your running this in walls and in high traffic or use areas where the cable will be coiled and uncoiled very often stranded copper cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Copper-Ethernet-500MHz-113676/dp/B016YS8FZS/ref=sr_1_9?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1470428327&sr=1-9&keywords=ethernet+copper

[Julian5]

1 minute ago, W-L said:

Most of that looks good as mentioned change your cable selection that is CCA (copper clad aluminum) and instead get solid copper if your running this in walls and in high traffic or use areas where the cable will be coiled and uncoiled very often stranded copper cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Copper-Ethernet-500MHz-113676/dp/B016YS8FZS/ref=sr_1_9?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1470428327&sr=1-9&keywords=ethernet+copper

CCA is also ileagal for domestic use in the US

[Julian5]

NEC 800.179

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, Julian5 said:

CCA is also ileagal for domestic use in the US

Not sure about that but I know it's widely used in industry theses days, very common for "exterior grade cables" but still not as good as good old copper. 

[qwazwak]

4 minutes ago, W-L said:

Most of that looks good as mentioned change your cable selection that is CCA (copper clad aluminum) and instead get solid copper if your running this in walls and in high traffic or use areas where the cable will be coiled and uncoiled very often stranded copper cable.

It's gonna be for indoor random cable runs, with lots of movement. By solid do you mean not stranded or pure?

 

3 minutes ago, Julian5 said:

CCA is also ileagal for domestic use in the US

Wow, why?

[Julian5]

Just now, W-L said:

Not sure about that but I know it's widely used in industry theses days, very common for "exterior grade cables" but still not as good as good old copper. 

 

NEC 800.179

 

Quote

800.179 Communications Wires and Cables. Communications wires and cables shall be listed in accordance with 800.179(A) through (I) and marked in accordance with Table 800.179. Conductors in communications cables, other than in a coaxial cable, shall be copper.

 

ANSI/TIA-568-C.2  and  UL 444 for Fire Saftey reasons and other.

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, qwazwak said:

It's gonna be for indoor random cable runs, with lots of movement. By solid do you mean not stranded or pure?

Wow, why?

Both should be copper but stranded helps with movement and reduces the chance of breaking from repetitive motion or say cable coiling. I would recommend to go with stranded if your moving it all the time or coiling the cables.

[qwazwak]

Just now, W-L said:

Both should be copper but stranded helps with movement and reduces the chance of breaking from repetitive motion or say cable coiling. I would recommend to go with stranded if your moving it all the time or coiling the cables.

Awesome, thank you!

[Xineas]

3 minutes ago, qwazwak said:

It's gonna be for indoor random cable runs, with lots of movement. By solid do you mean not stranded or pure?

 

Wow, why?

CCA is a mix of copper an aluminum. It's much cheaper, doesn't bend very well, creating breaks in cables, bad connections. And it oxidizes when exposed to air. Overall a no-go.

[qwazwak]

2 minutes ago, Xineas said:

CCA is a mix of copper an aluminum. It's much cheaper, doesn't bend very well, creating breaks in cables, bad connections. And it oxidizes when exposed to air. Overall a no-go.

Wow, yeah that does sound bad!

[qwazwak]

So my new shopping list is this, does it look fairly good?

 

Cable:

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=14766

1 to 3 packs of connectors:

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=7267

Crimper, although if anybody knows of a better one lemme know:

https://amzn.com/B0000AZK4G

'Boot':

https://amzn.com/B00W16AIMG

And possibly a tester, although I could just try using the cable and see if it works:

https://amzn.com/B009ZXYI1U

[mariushm]

You can try buying from authorized distributors of electrical components.  It may be more expensive because the store doesn't specialize in cables but rather a huge selection of chips and electronic components but you have the guarantee that the cable comes directly from a manufacturer with good reputation.

 

See for example http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/cables-wires/multiple-conductor-cables/1638739

This is a well known distributor of electronic components located in US.  Check the "in stock" box , go in the cable type column and select Cat6a or whatever cable type you want (you can select multiple) and then click on Apply filter.

You should see a list, you can sort that up by price, you can download datasheets or technical information for pretty much any of those, but I think the minimums would be 300 meters or something like that (1000ft)

They also have connectors but they're in a separate category, see Modular connectors for example: http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/connectors-interconnects/modular-connectors-plugs/1442741

Go in the Ratings column and select the two Cat6 and Cat6a ratings and apply filter and you'll see cat6+ connectors.

Some connectors may not have the rating listed, so alternatively, you can filter by selecting in the Number of positions/contacts column  only those connectors with RJ45 in them and then if you find one that you like you can check its page and open the datasheet and read the rating from there.

 

And keep in mind that prices are lower if you buy bigger quantities.

 

Another one would be Mouser : http://mouser.com/Wire-Cable/Multi-Conductor-Paired-Cables/_/N-9lx96/ (filter by Type column )

 

Other good electronic distributors in US would be Newark  , see http://www.newark.com/shielded-networking-cable or http://www.newark.com/unshielded-networking-cable

On the left, go in the Availability section and check "In stock" and "Exclude direct ship" so that products which aren't stocked in their US warehouses won't be listed (otherwise you can put in basket products and you pay a one time 20-30$ fee and they'll ship stuff to you from Europe or other territory).

Then you can go and filter by brand name or minimum Cat rating on the left side.

They also have connectors but again, listed in some weird sub section connectors , modular connectors , rectangular connectors  something like that.

 

 

[qwazwak]

4 minutes ago, mariushm said:

-Snip?-

Wow! Thank you, but I'm not going that hardcore just yet!

[NumLock21]

CAT6 is a lot more difficult to make due to its solid plastic core that runs through the entire length of the cable. Not only that, the entire assembly is thicker than CAT5e. 250FT of cable? How many are you going to make and what is the longest length that you need?

Getting pre-made ones will be better for your needs.

[TheKDub]

1 hour ago, qwazwak said:

All of my ethernet cables are broken, the small retention plastic clips are all gone, and I'm planning to buy a ~250ft roll of cat6 ethernet cable and start making my own cables. However both amazon and newegg seem to have nothing good.. Does anybody know a good source for the connectors, cable, and tools?

 

 

So far this is what I have picked out:

https://amzn.com/B00LG6DQUI

https://amzn.com/B00W16AIMG  (Because I hate cables without protectors)

https://amzn.com/B00CH4P4KS

https://amzn.com/B0000AZK4G

 

Would this all work together for a full cat6 infrastructure and with full compatibility?

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

P.S. This is my first time doing this and I don't know if I need a cable tester, do I and if so is this one good? https://amzn.com/B009ZXYI1U

 

 

 

Monoprice has been pretty good to me with CAT6 cables, not so much for CAT5e though.

CableMatters is also usually a pretty good one.