# IT Guys Help - CAT5 cable



## fredtgreco (Sep 13, 2007)

A question for IT guys.

We are constructing our new church building in the next year. One of the things we will do is wire the rooms for internet, VOIP phone and audio/video. WE will have communications conduits run throughout the building, so that is no issue. My question is:


What kind of cable should we look for? I am assuming CAT5, but don't know if In need a particular kind. I'm looking at bulk quantities (1000 ft, etc). Is there a particular dealer that is good?

Thanks.


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## tewilder (Sep 13, 2007)

You can probably get Cat 5e for the same price as Cat 5. We are using Cat 5e + where I work. Odds are you won't be running that kind of fast data soon that needs high rated wire, but if it is just as cheap, why use something lessor.

Cat 5 only remains Cat 5 if you use Cat 5 connectors, and install properly: no kinks, no turns tighter than a radius of one inch, twists in the twisted pairs maintained to within a half inch of where they go on the connectors, etc.


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## fredtgreco (Sep 13, 2007)

So would CAT5e be ok in twists, etc?


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## crhoades (Sep 13, 2007)

Go for gigabit connections. might create a further challenge on swapping out network cards and routers but if you are wanting better multimedia throughput it is the way to go.


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## puritan lad (Sep 13, 2007)

Cat-6 will handle gigabit, but is harder to work with.


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## brymaes (Sep 13, 2007)

Try CSC for a distributor. Are you installing yourself, or will a contractor do it?

5e is probably going to be your best bet. I don't think that the Cat5 standard is even supported any longer.


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## brymaes (Sep 13, 2007)

crhoades said:


> Go for gigabit connections. might create a further challenge on swapping out network cards and routers but if you are wanting better multimedia throughput it is the way to go.



You can get gigabit over Cat 5e STP with Cat6 grade RJ45 connectors, I think.


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## fredtgreco (Sep 13, 2007)

crhoades said:


> Go for gigabit connections. might create a further challenge on swapping out network cards and routers but if you are wanting better multimedia throughput it is the way to go.



Chris,

I don't understand what you mean here. Can you parse it out for me?


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## toddpedlar (Sep 13, 2007)

fredtgreco said:


> crhoades said:
> 
> 
> > Go for gigabit connections. might create a further challenge on swapping out network cards and routers but if you are wanting better multimedia throughput it is the way to go.
> ...



Chris is just referring to the speed of transmission over internal lines: gigabit means 1000 megabits (not megabytes) per second. This is more or less standard for new installation now, anyway - and most computers sold today with internal network cards have the capacity to handle these speeds. The other option is 10/100 (10 megabits or 100 megabits per second). Even gigabit hubs are really quite cheap now - I bought an 8 port gigabit hub a while back for well under $200. 

Anyway, cat5e cable handles gigabit just fine - so that's what you want (actually cat5 can do it too, if you can get it). 

What Chris is doing is (I think) saying you might as well get the throughput capacity you can get when putting something new in - go for more than you think you need, while at the same time keeping costs reasonable. It won't be that bad - and if you really do want all of what you talked about - VoIP, audio-video, etc., you should go for the gigabit. If you can't afford it, 100 Base-T (100 megabit) is okay.

Another thing to recognize is that gigabit ethernet really only matters for internal data transfers and such. You wont' be getting internet download speeds anywhere near the gigabit range unless you're spending through the roof (and I mean through the roof!) on internet service. Even an expensive T1 connection will only get you 1.5 megabits per second download speeds; I'm sure you're not in the market to go for higher speeds than this. 

Anyway, those are my scattered thoughts... home life is really busy right now with the new baby at home as of this morning - so my apologies for any incoherence in the above.


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## tewilder (Sep 13, 2007)

fredtgreco said:


> So would CAT5e be ok in twists, etc?



Cat 5e is even more stringent, as it is rated for even faster data rates. You don't want to sement parts of these wire runs with kinks and tight turns as then you get them to things on the wavelength of the segment. Reflections, harmonics, sending and receiving noise, etc. 

The faster the data rate, the more you have to be careful that your cable and connectors don't contribute their own personality to your network signals.


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## brymaes (Sep 13, 2007)

fredtgreco said:


> So would CAT5e be ok in twists, etc?


It's a good rule of thumb to terminate the pairs as close to the jacket as possible...


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## lololong (Sep 13, 2007)

This is from my husband, Richard, the computer, telephone and electronic guy

"I didn't see any mention of how long your cable runs will be. It is hard to guess at what you need without a wiring plan. If you cable runs are longer than 100 meters, they you may need to look into fiber optic cable. If your facility is going to be large you can shorten cable runs be having distributed wiring closets. 

As to suppliers: Depending on quantity, I use Graybar for large amounts of material. I have purchased smaller amounts at local suppliers, like Elliot Electric. It kind of depends on how much you need and when you need it. Shop around. As I am often the one fiddling with the cable, I like manufacturers with clear color codes. On some the brown and orange pairs are indistinguishable. I will have to check a few boxes at work, because I cannot remember which brands irritate me the most.

P.S. I am not colorblind."


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## crhoades (Sep 13, 2007)

Yeah, what everyone else said.  I'm not a hardware and network guy. I spoke over my head even talking about gigabit stuff. Plan for more than you need because you will regret not being able to do what you want if there are bottlenecks...

Didn't realize that cat5e would work on gigabit networks...cool. learned something.


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## Augusta (Sep 14, 2007)

If I may, we have cat5 wired throughout our house. The previous owners had it put in when it was built but they never actually finished the outlets. So we have a wad of blue cat5 that comes out of the wall in the closet of what was their office. We don't know what outlets they sent it to in the rest of the house. Actually I think I know where one is because they used the same wire for phones and we have a phone outlet that doesn't work and I thinks it's because it is an ethernet one and not a phone. But how do I find out which one in the big wad of wires goes to that outlet?? Also, would they run them to an electrical outlet?


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## brymaes (Sep 14, 2007)

Augusta said:


> If I may, we have cat5 wired throughout our house. The previous owners had it put in when it was built but they never actually finished the outlets. So we have a wad of blue cat5 that comes out of the wall in the closet of what was their office. We don't know what outlets they sent it to in the rest of the house. Actually I think I know where one is because they used the same wire for phones and we have a phone outlet that doesn't work and I thinks it's because it is an ethernet one and not a phone. But how do I find out which one in the big wad of wires goes to that outlet?? Also, would they run them to an electrical outlet?


Traci,
The way that you would find out where each cable ran would be to attach a tool called a 'toner' to the cable, and then use the toner's probe to identify the cable on the other end. I believe that you can get a toner in the electrical department of Lowe's or Home Depot. Basically, it just sends a beep over the cable that can be heard with the probe.


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## brymaes (Sep 14, 2007)

crhoades said:


> Yeah, what everyone else said.  I'm not a hardware and network guy. I spoke over my head even talking about gigabit stuff. Plan for more than you need because you will regret not being able to do what you want if there are bottlenecks...
> 
> Didn't realize that cat5e would work on gigabit networks...cool. learned something.


Chris,
As a former installer of structured cable solutions, your advice sounded fine to me!


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## jlim (Sep 22, 2007)

Cat 5E 350 Mhz is better. It is only a little bit more expensive than CAT 5 and Cat 5E, but gigabit performance will be better, and support broadband video. You can buy online at pctekonline.com (BAFO), newegg.com (Generic and Belkin), cables4computer (Belden). And don't forget to use RJ45 boots, Cat 6 RJ45 connector and Cat 6 RJ45 keystone jack + wall plate.


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