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About to install network cable to new house. Last time I installed ethernet cable I used CAT5E which seemed pretty much standard. There wasn't really anything else on offer and there wasn't much variation in price between suppliers.
The world seems to have moved on. As far as I can see CAT5E is GigE capable and given that the limiting factor is really your WAN connection I'm very unlikely to find this a problem in the next decade or so (c10 years ago my WAN speed was maybe 2mb, now it's 'up to 20'. Actually 8 before I moved, currently 18 as very close to exchange. Maybe 50mb from fibre) in 10 years time maybe 500? Who knows.
Anyway. It still makes sense to upgrade if it can be done at a reasonable price but I'm not clear what the options are and even at a single spec (CAT6) price seems to vary massively. CAT6, CAT6A, Shielded??
There is 'CAT6' cable for [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305M-Meter-Roll-Reel-UTP-Network-RJ45-Cat6-Gigabit-Ethernet-Router-DSL-LAN-Cable-/390913366122?pt=UK_Computing_NetworkingCables_RL&hash=item5b0440986a ]£34 a reel delivered on eBay[/url]
which is cheaper than I can find CAT5. CAT6 is >£80 from [url= http://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/88-cat6-bulk-cable ]suppliers I used to find cheap[/url] and well over £100 a reel from RS and others.
My thinking was mid price CAT6 solid, Unshielded, ([url= https://www.blackbox.co.uk/gb-gb/si/1235/11408/GigaTrue-550-CAT6,550-MHz-Bulk-Cable/S1.O3/bulk+cable ]£65 from blackbox.co.uk[/url]) and available in different colours which will be handy as I'm using it for a few things other than networking. Am I missing a trick?
No benefit over cat5e for an amateur home install. But if you can find it at similar prices and it makes you feel better then go for it.
Not much point speccing anything above cat5e
I use the pe outdoor grade as its more robust
Its worth having gigabit switches everywhere though for file transfers , media streaming etc
AA- Cat5E is plenty, Gb switches.
Unless you're in media production of some kind you'll never need to switch more than this in a domestic install.
As they have said cat5e supports 1 gigabit speed which equates to a max of about 125MB/s transfer speed assuming you have gigabit router/pc.
your internet isnt going to be the limiting factor anytime soon. even 50mbit is a transfer speed of 6.25MB/s.. even current wireless covers this easily.
Suddenly you search for a different term and all becomes clear
[url= http://www.twistedpairtech.co.uk/caution-using-cooper-clad-aluminium-cat5-cable/ ]
http://www.twistedpairtech.co.uk/caution-using-cooper-clad-aluminium-cat5-cable/ [/url]
[url= http://ringandping.hubpages.com/hub/The-Differance-Betwwen-Cat5-and-Cat6 ]
http://ringandping.hubpages.com/hub/The-Differance-Betwwen-Cat5-and-Cat6 [/url]
Just because you're buying CAT6 cable doesn't mean you have a CAT6 installation. The requirements for CAT6 structured cabling are pretty exacting.
fair enough but all the termination can be redone easily (ish) whereas the stuff in the walls and under the floors is a bit more work to replace
I now buy all my cable from cablemonkey.co.uk. Their customer service is excellent, as are their prices.
For reasons I couldn't explain, a 305m roll of cheap CAT5E I bought from eBay would only ever sync at 100 base, no matter how long I made the cable. I'd normally (as a novice) have laid the cable before testing it and I was lucky this time: I'm very wary of buying non branded stuff now...
I'd buy CAT6 FWIW. The price difference is negligible.
I'd buy CAT6 FWIW. The price difference is negligible.
Yes, that's what I did.
.... and then there's CCA (copper coated aluminium) Cat6, which is cheap, or solid copper core CCA. I used Excel Cat6 cable and modules - top quality stuff - IMHO.
TBH, I'm getting excellent throughput from ethernet over mains extenders. Was skeptical (have run in everything from thicknet onwards) but CBA in current house, so put these in as a stopgap.
Unless I was in a totally new build like you, I'd go for these again.
Radio Hams hate away!!
.... and then there's CCA (copper coated aluminium) Cat6, which is cheap, or solid copper core CCA. I used Excel Cat6 cable and modules - top quality stuff - IMHO.
Sorry, my phone changed a word to make me look silly (again!), that should be solid copper core cable.
and then there's CCA (copper coated aluminium) Cat6, which is cheap
...which is isn't CAT6, it breaks the standards.