Data & comms questions

[soulman]

Hi,

I have to install a few telephone points & data points. I have a few questions;

Is there much difference between cat5 & cat6?

Can anyone suggest a decent rj45 & rj11 crimping tool?

Cheers

 

[kingeri]

If you're terminating everything yourself, just use cat5e. To obtain the standards required for cat6 specs, the plugs etc. really need to be professionally or factory installed, so in most cases (certainly domestic and general commercial) cat 6 is a waste of money.

I got my last crimping tool off ebay, works fine, also well worth getting a tester to verify all the connections are sound, again very cheap off ebay.

 

[amlu]

get yourself a set like that, this style of crimpers works well, use tester to verify if you did it right. takes couple of plugs to learn but is nice and easy afterwards.
cat5 is all what you need unless you wiring up server racks and datacenters.
Network Tool Kit Cable Tester Crimp LAN RJ45 RJ11 CAT5e | eBay

 

[kingeri]

I'd go for Cat5e over Cat5.

 

[Golden_Boy]

You wont need a crimping tool if you are installing network cabling.. All the terminations . if done professionally ,will be at a socket.. From there patch cables are used.

 

[soulman]

Yes they are going to a socket, i presumed the cable from the socket to the data cabinet end would require rj45 connector.

 

[amlu]

punch down tool you will need... there is a basic one in that set.... depends how many you got to do you you may get away with terminal screwdriver too....

 

[uksparks]

My only advice would be try to get a better quality punch tool not a cheapo plastic flimsy krone tool as they ate very annoying.

I just stick to shielded cat5e, works fine and achieves good performance. I ave got a load of cat6 but it's a pain in the bum to be honest and never going to be terminated to a point where it's worth using.

 

[MisterE]

I agree with the other posts that recommend using sockets as the termination to your Cat5E (solid core) cable and pre made patch leads (with boots). It's good for up to a Gbit/s.
Much too fiddly to fit your own plugs to the stranded patch cable (if your using solid core for the patch leads - or even stranded for the installed cabling - you're using the wrong stuff!) as well as having to source all the separate parts.

Get one of these (or similar) for the punching down of the cable in to the sockets :- Krone Style IDC Punchdown Tool

 

[ArseyDee]

For testing, I have a set of these:-

http://www.extech.com/instruments/product.asp?catid=2&prodid=11

Excellent quality and tests coax installations too.

 

[soulman]

Thanks for replies, much appreciated. So am i correct in saying that solid shielded CAT5 is the prefered cable.

Cheers

 

[MisterE]

No, for normal installations the most common cable is the Cat5E (E for Enhanced) Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP); this is solid core, and the twists deal with "normal" interference. Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)- used where there is severe interference - has a foil covering an needs different fittings and should be earthed at one end using a "STP" patch panel or fittings.

 

[walsall]

completely agree with MisterE, only use STP if there is a particular requirement.

You can get into a mess with STP and earth loops if you are not careful. I was involved in a job a few years ago which had all manner of problems with Ethernet comms. Changed it for unscreened - all worked fine.

 

[soulman]

Hi a few more questions, I have taken a look at what needs doing, the points data & telephone, all need moving, the telephone modules look simple enough as do the data points. I take it, the B side is what is used for data, The telephone points punch down into the module & need a plug rj45 on the other end. The data terminates into what is called a patch panel. (i think)

One of the double modules has 2 data points, one is used for computer & one is used for phone. The phone has been terminated into a data module instead of a phone module & the wiring matches the data wiring exactly.

What is the reason for this?

I was expecting when i removed the phone modules that they would be like bt slaves with 2 & 5 used. The telephones must be part of a network as well.

Cheers

 

[MisterE]

It looks like the telephone is running over data cabling (it's known as "structured" cabling) wiring all the points in the same cable gives you the flexibility to use a computer or phone in any location that has a point.

The telephone system will (probably - if I have right picture in my head!) be wired from the PBX to the data cabinet and terminated on a "voice" patch panel (RJ45 sockets) you then plug a patch lead between the relevant voice socket and data patch panel to put the voice to the correct data outlet.

Then use a RJ45 Adapter to plug in the phone:-
Telephone to RJ45 Adapter PABX Master | Maplin

(A "master" is needed for a PBX system , a "secondary" if it's a "normal" extension.