Kinked Category Network Cable

[Canada EH]

How bad does Category network cable have to be kinked before it degrades the signal?

 

Does Cat 5, 5e or 6 really matter for connectivity in a house, room or basement of a house?

[BrinkGG]

3 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

How bad does Category network cable have to be kinked before it degrades the signal?

 

Does Cat 5, 5e or 6 really matter for connectivity in a house, room or basement of a house?

So cat5e is really the absolute minimum I recommend just because of 1000MB/s max connection speed over cat5 at 100MB/s.

And you really have to worry more about the connector more so then the cable getting kinked... Those cables are tough.

[Curlz]

15 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

How bad does Category network cable have to be kinked before it degrades the signal?

 

Does Cat 5, 5e or 6 really matter for connectivity in a house, room or basement of a house?

As long as you don't damage the cable inside, a kink wont matter.  Cat cables a pretty robust.  Cat 5e and 6 is good.  Cat 5 is rather obsolete.

 

 

Useful information regarding Cat cables.

 

Cat5 is the slowpoke of the bunch. It can handle 10/100 Mbps speeds (about as fast as high end consumer internet connections) at up to 100 MHz bandwidth.

 

Cat5e ("e" standing for enhanced) is an step above Cat 5, it can handle 1000 Mbps speeds (gigabit Ethernet) at 100 MHz. More ideal for internal networking such as having a NAS.  Cat5e also reduced crosstalk (just a fancy way of saying interference from other cables.

 

Category 6 is a major improvement over Cat5e. It's the newest standard. It's suitable for up to 10 gigabit Ethernet at 250 MHz and is better at reducing crosstalk compared to Cat5e.

 

 

Its worth noting that any cables that are over 30 meters (100 feet) you should use solid core cables over twisted Cat cables for better performance. 

 

[ARikozuM]

30 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

How bad does Category network cable have to be kinked before it degrades the signal?

 

Does Cat 5, 5e or 6 really matter for connectivity in a house, room or basement of a house?

You can find Cat5e in bulk 500/1000ft for cheaper than you will Cat5 usually. If this is for routing the house, go with Cat5e since computers and NAS devices will not be slowed by wires within network.

[Canada EH]

Yeah I knew cat 5e is where its at, with cat 6 being better.

I messed up a optical cable by kinking it. One that came with the sound bar was too damn short. Damn cheap skate speaker company.

 

 

What tool do I need and how much is it to make my own cables custom length?

Currently I just buy the cheapest with free shipping. Comes in different awful colors, red, pink. Thats why they are so cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Sell-IDC-Faceplate-Krone-Push-Network-Ethernet-Cable-Punch-Down-Tool-YU-/262241157915?hash=item3d0eca831b:g:7yMAAOSwoydWmGzY

or

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Sell-IDC-Faceplate-Krone-Push-Network-Ethernet-Cable-Punch-Down-Tool-YU-/262241157915?hash=item3d0eca831b:g:7yMAAOSwoydWmGzY

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Yeah I knew cat 5e is where its at, with cat 6 being better.

I messed up a optical cable by kinking it. One that came with the sound bar was too damn short. Damn cheap skate speaker company.

 

 

What tool do I need and how much is it to make my own cables custom length?

Crimps, RJ45's, and wall plates for pass-throughs.

Personally, I use 4-port wall plates with one used as a hot-spot/AP drop for the kitchen and living room. 2-port plates are good for everywhere else.

And the bulk wire itself of course.

[Kick]

5 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Yeah I knew cat 5e is where its at, with cat 6 being better.

I messed up a optical cable by kinking it. One that came with the sound bar was too damn short. Damn cheap skate speaker company.

 

 

What tool do I need and how much is it to make my own cables custom length?

So what you want is a crimping tool, something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899888401 (the one I have for home use). Then just make sure you also pick up some RJ45 connectors (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812996022), I ran out... If you don't know the pinout Google has a lot of great resources, hell I don't even remember the order that well and still always double check.

 

Here's a good reference if: http://www.incentre.net/tech-support/other-support/ethernet-cable-color-coding-diagram/

[Canada EH]

Anything wrong with el-cheapo fleabay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-in-1-RJ11-RJ12-RJ45-4P4C-Network-Lan-Cable-Crimper-Modular-Crimping-Plier-Tool-/331971508267?hash=item4d4b0b382b:g:2qkAAOSwhcJWJGbB

[ARikozuM]

1 minute ago, Kick said:

So what you want is a crimping tool, something like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899888401 (the one I have for home use). Then just make sure you also pick up some RJ45 connectors, I ran out... If you don't know the pinout Google has a lot of great resources, hell I don't even remember the order that well and still always double check.

Left to right

Green Stripe/Green/Orange Stripe/Blue/Blue Stripe/Orange/Brown Stripe/Brown IIRC.

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Anything wrong with el-cheapo fleabay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-in-1-RJ11-RJ12-RJ45-4P4C-Network-Lan-Cable-Crimper-Modular-Crimping-Plier-Tool-/331971508267?hash=item4d4b0b382b:g:2qkAAOSwhcJWJGbB

Make sure it has strippers as well.

[Canada EH]

What would happen if I soldered cat5e wire if it were cut in the middle.

[ARikozuM]

13 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

What would happen if I soldered cat5e wire if it were cut in the middle.

If you have bulk wire, just remake the cable.

[ARikozuM]

18 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

What would happen if I soldered cat5e wire if it were cut in the middle.

If you want to re-solder it, you can. Individually sheathed.

[Canada EH]

OK good cuz I aint waiting 2 months for a $1 tool off fleabay on ship from China.

Just buy some $1 two foot cables off Newegg.

[ARikozuM]

Just now, Canada EH said:

OK good cuz I aint waiting 2 months for a $1 tool off fleabay on ship from China.

Just buy some $1 two foot cables off Newegg.

Walmart and most electronics stores should have them for 10 dollars. They'll last forever.

[Canada EH]

Naw $10 is too much.

[Ringthane]

1 hour ago, ARikozuM said:

Left to right

Green Stripe/Green/Orange Stripe/Blue/Blue Stripe/Orange/Brown Stripe/Brown IIRC.

Or you can do orange/white-orange-green/white-blue-blue/white-green-brown/white-brown.  The biggest thing is to make sure that whatever you do at one end, you do at the other.  And if you end up making a lot of cables, be consistent and use the same color scheme on the ends for all of them.  That way someone else doesn't have to guess what you were doing. 

 

As far as tools, I'd spend a little extra and get good quality stuff.  Yeah, it's more money, but it lasts longer and it's easier to use if you're doing it a lot.  That's just personal preference, though.

[ARikozuM]

10 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Naw $10 is too much.

Are you looking to wire your home for ethernet or just drop lines along the molding?

[Canada EH]

Couple cables is all.

$10 total from Newegg for them.

[ARikozuM]

Just now, Canada EH said:

Couple cables is all.

$10 total from Newegg for them.

Okay. I assumed you were trying to wire the whole house for ethernet.

[Canada EH]

Naw if anything, from the TV to the computer through a wall.

Easy to do with 25' length.

I just have a 12 footer to cover 3' so the spaghetti is delish!

[tt2468]

3 hours ago, Brink2Three said:

So cat5e is really the absolute minimum I recommend just because of 1000MB/s max connection speed over cat5 at 100MB/s.

And you really have to worry more about the connector more so then the cable getting kinked... Those cables are tough.

You confuse MBps with Mbps...

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, tt2468 said:

You confuse MBps with Mbps...

Get 'er, boy!