Can I effectively run Cat5/Cat6 cable in my house with these distances?

Thread Starter

ThirtyWest

Joined Jul 15, 2017
150
Hi,

1. I'm looking install a switch upstairs with which to connect a number of PCs (at present 5) to the router, which is downstairs and farthest from anything.

2. The distance from the switch (upstairs in a particular space) to the router is about 40 ft (rounded up).

3. The longest distance from a room to that switch about 35 to 40ft (rounded up again).

4. I'd like to have each "outlet" have two jacks on it (just to have a spare)


Q1. is that distance from the switch to the router acceptable?
Q2. is that distance from the rooms, coupled to the switch distance, acceptable?
Q3. can anyone recommend Cat5 versus Cat6 cable?
Q4. can anyone give some guidance on splitting a cable to a two-jack receptacle? I've not used cables in years, and even then I never installed a two-jack outlet.

thank you as always...
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,845
100M is the maximum for CAT5.

CAT5 vs CAT6 depends on ethernet speed.

You can't connect two devices to the same cable. In a 2 jack outlet, it's usually 2 separate cables that go back to a switch or router.
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
CAT6, CAT7 cable is downwardly compatible so CAT5 components can be upgraded without having to rewire later. A real plus if wiring is within walls, plenums, and such.
 

Thread Starter

ThirtyWest

Joined Jul 15, 2017
150
I get about 150mbps 'down' from my isp. It would be nice to leave something for the next owners, if CAT6/7 isn't that much more costly for the job i'm doing.
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
3,858
Hi,

1. I'm looking install a switch upstairs with which to connect a number of PCs (at present 5) to the router, which is downstairs and farthest from anything.

2. The distance from the switch (upstairs in a particular space) to the router is about 40 ft (rounded up).

3. The longest distance from a room to that switch about 35 to 40ft (rounded up again).

4. I'd like to have each "outlet" have two jacks on it (just to have a spare)


Q1. is that distance from the switch to the router acceptable?
Q2. is that distance from the rooms, coupled to the switch distance, acceptable?
Q3. can anyone recommend Cat5 versus Cat6 cable?
Q4. can anyone give some guidance on splitting a cable to a two-jack receptacle? I've not used cables in years, and even then I never installed a two-jack outlet.

thank you as always...
A1. Yes as long as it doesn’t exceed 100 meters.

A2. See A1

A3. CAT5/5e is outdated. Use Cat6.
Cat7 and Cat8 standards have been released.

A4. They cannot be split. You can run one cable and use a small switch at the computer end of the cable run, placed in the room, to provide more jacks. Alternatively, run two separate cables.
 

Irving

Joined Jan 30, 2016
3,843
on those distances even shielded cat5 will still give 1Gb performance. The longest run in my house is about 32m ~ 100ft with modeB PoE and that's fine at 1Gbit. It was meant to be cat6 but the installer shafted me... There's no significant price premium for cat6 these days over cat5.
 

AnalogKid

Joined Aug 1, 2013
10,986
Over those distances, CAT-6 easily will support gigabit Ethernet, and maybe 10 g. As above, a separate home run from each jack to a router port.

ak
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
It's not only communication between you and your ISP that you have to think of but also between all the devices on your local net. A couple of extra bucks spent now on internal wiring may save headaches later. Unless you want to go totally WIFI which is a whole 'nother bucket of worms to worry about. FWIW
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Q4. can anyone give some guidance on splitting a cable to a two-jack receptacle? I've not used cables in years, and even then I never installed a two-jack outlet.
Yes and you can't. Two jack socket = 2 separate cables. You could run a single line and parallel the sockets but you can only use one socket of the pair which is sort of foolish. Cable is inexpensive and years ago it was as easy for me to pull a pair to a room as a single.

Ron
 

dendad

Joined Feb 20, 2016
4,451
When my son was building his house, I managed to talk him into running Ethernet cable to each room, even if he did not think he wanted it. This was so much easier when the walls were only frames!
So, in the bed rooms, there is cable coiled up in the wall behind a power point, ready to be terminated later.
A network cable to where the TV will be, and to places for phones and cameras too.
My advice is to run cable just about everywhere you can if you have access. You do not have to use it but it may come in handy later.
Have all the cables go back to a shelf in a linen press or some such, along with a power outlet, so you can add a network switch etc.
Label the cables too.
 
There is a push to put in 10Gb/s for TV distribution. I ran CAT6
Ran at least two RG-6 QS at the same time.
There is an insert available from l-com that will turn a 8P8C jack to a 6P6C (telephone) jack.
I did run two different jacket colors. Up to 4 cables. I might leave some behind the wall.
I will only put in double plates. Check interference on the other side. return air, outlets.
Plan includes a 24 port POE switch (I have it) backed up with a UPS (have it)
POE currently powers the DSL modem in another room.
I did use right angle RG-6 connectors behind the wall.
I used EZ RJ45's and RJ14's to crimp.
Used compression connectors for the coax.
Coax does come in copper clad steel. I got a 1000' roll for free. Friend dissolved Satelite business.
I have four RG-6 feeds going to the attic and two foam twin lead. Currently using two.
Used a flex drill bit (4 foot long) and a Dewalt stud and joist drill.
telco is mostly quad shield with modular and 4-prong jacks.
Three major demarkation points.
1) NID - splits DSL via splitter and telco
2) 8 wire punch down splits DSL and telco; jack to DSL; rest to old style protector.
3) "professional" install from telco company to another tie point and bell in cellar to other points.

Individual points might have a 4-prong and Modular jack nearby.
It's difficult to troubleshoot telco. Mostly spiders.

I'm no where near complete.
Plan is to have a 48 port RJ45 patch (building to jacks) with a 12 Port RJ45 telco patch. They are mounted. These are swivelable and mounted between a joist. The 12 port panel is red.

Plan at this point is to use Red RJ45 straight-thru for telco patch cables. They must be straight thru. I could do inserts and use RJ12's.

The bussed 12 port Telco should be easy to make. It's a little tricky.

When rooms a bedroom was painted I put in a dual wall plate and drilled joist holes. That one isn't wired for anything yet.

One bedroom has two locations. One behind the bed and one across where the TV is.

The living room TV is bad news right now. It has CAT 3 telco and two RG6's, bit used for TV. it's difficult to wire.

It's also difficult to get from the laundry room (near NID) to the cellar.

Another plan is to install a switch (it is controllable with RS232) and does not switch when it looses power that will swap a DSL modem: One configured in bridged and one configured in stand-alone. I might continue that so the stand-alone port can connect to the nearby jack or one in the bedroom.

One room, a small bedroom, now not currently used has no TV would have to have a wall mounted on. So two ethernet and tow RG-6 would have to go there.

It also has a PERS system and telco. Ideally, it should be an RJ31x jack and have contact losures for an automation syste,. e.g. blink outside lights when PERS is set off.

I have a lot of work to do.
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
In newer homes and office buildings, the same outlet plate for the telephone should also have a data jack. The trick is the topography. In office buildings, it usually means each data/phone/tv outlet cable goes to a common rack in a distribution closet/computer/server room. You can't daisy-chain them so it becomes a star distribution with the hubs/routers/switches located in the distribution rack. The next stage is to supply the distribution with UPS.
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
There is an insert available from l-com that will turn a 8P8C jack to a 6P6C (telephone) jack.
Actually some of the business telephones with line switching use the 8pin connection. Can't remember the RJ-XX specification. But yes, CATX cable is good for telephony. The old standard telephone only used 2 wires and most homes had 4 conductor, 2 twisted pairs, brought to the house termination. It allowed easy installation of a 2nd phone line for dial-up service back in the day to prevent constant busy signal on the phone line when using a dial-up service on the main line.
 

dendad

Joined Feb 20, 2016
4,451
I use Linksys SPA942 SIP phones here that are POE, plugged into the Ethernet. An old laptop runs as a telephone exchange. Now I can call between rooms, as well as outside calls.
That is the reason I suggested Ethernet for phone positions.
 
Telco will upgrade to VOIP eventually, so no CAT3.

Work ran 4 conductor CAT4 and had to replace it all with 8 conductor CAT6. Gigabit Ethernet uses all 8 wires.
there was a splitter type devices that would give you two four pair jacks for 10/100. Don;t even go there.

There is EIA/TIA 568A and 568Bb. It switches a pair color, but otherwise identical. One is suggested for mixed Ethernet/telco. Keep it the same in the structure.

This https://www.utm.edu/staff/leeb/568/568.htm isn't good enough. You need a little more research.

Incidently a Gigabit crossover calble only crosses over pair 2 and 3. Gigabit Ethernet is by definition Auto MDIX. Single line Telco is pair 1.

I put DSL on pair 4, but only from the NID to the inside punch down.

CAT5 (RJ11/RJ14) DSL straight thru cables can be had. It doesn't matter if they are reversed.

telco cables are reversed from wall to phone. it keeps the wire colors the same in the phone and the wall, but not the short piece of wire. Modern phones won't care if the lines are reveresed. Old touch tone phones will get no tones.
 
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