Kitz Forum
Broadband Related => Telephony Wiring + Equipment => Topic started by: chenks on May 29, 2018, 10:03:36 AM
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i am going to be running some CAT5e or CAT6 (just whatever i can get a hold of) thru walls.
i'll add the RJ45 plugs after the cable has been run.
is an RJ45 plug just an RJ45 plug? or should i avoid certain types/makes (or chinese imports etc).
there will be no wall sockets, each end of the cable will either be connected to a switch or the device.
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there will be no wall sockets, each end of the cable will either be connected to a switch or the device.
Oh, yuck! (Sorry.)
Correctly installed structured cabling uses solid core copper conductors between 8P8C modular sockets. Connection is then made between the 8P8C modular sockets and the equipment by usage of stranded copper conductor patch cables.
I appreciate that you wish to do it your own way. In that case, make sure you purchase the correct type of 8P8C modular plugs to suit the type of cabling you intend to use. There are two different types of 8P8C modular plugs available: (1) for stranded conductor cables (2) for solid conductor cables. Crimp the wrong sort onto the cable that you are using and it will fail, the plug will ultimately fall off.
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OK maybe i made this sound more complicated than it really is.
essentially all i'm doing is creating a couple of long ethernet cables and i just need to crimp the correct ends.
so on ebay you'll see "10 x RJ45 plugs" etc.
is one RJ45 worse than another?
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Purchase the type of 8P8C plug that matches the type of cable you intend to use.
If you intend to use cables with stranded conductors, ensure that you purchase plugs to crimp onto stranded conductors.
If you intend to use cables with solid-core conductors, ensure that you purchase the plugs to crimp onto solid-core conductors.
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... and don't go too cheap on the crimp tool!
My first one was super-cheap. Worked fine for the first connector, then refused to push down all 8 pins properly from then on.
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interesting...
for example, this ebay thread makes no mention of cable type (from what i can see)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100x-RJ45-Network-LAN-CAT5e-Cable-End-Crimp-Plug-Connector-GOLD-Pins-Bulk-Buy/311032836332
[Moderator edited to fix the link.]
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The link you gave referenced several devices which are usually connected together (sometimes temporarily) using stranded-core cable because it is less susceptible to breakage with repeated flexing/movement, even though solid-core cable has better electrical characteristics. I therefore suspect that the crimps are probably designed for stranded conductors. However, without an explicit description it is impossible to be certain.
Decide first what cable would best suit your application/budget, then (as b*cat said) get the appropriate crimps.
The review ratings of both 1* and 5* seem to indicate that some people unknowingly ended up with a mismatch between cable type and crimp type!
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food for thought.
as to which cable would suit the application - i have no idea.
it'll just be a couple of cables run between two rooms - no constant plugging and unplugging. once they are installed that'll be it.
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Without wating to sound unspupportive to your plan, I really would suggest you think carefully about the alternative, as suggested by Burakkucat, of terminating the cable in wall sockets.
Advantages of this refinement include...
1. Looks neater.
2. Patch cables are a lot more flexible than the Cat 5 or Cat 6 you’d use for long runs. Flexible is better suited for connecting to devices that might need to be occasionally moved.
3. RJ45 plugs are basically a terrible design, sooner or later the locking tab nearly always breaks off. If the long runs are terminated in wall sockets, you just buy a new patch cable whenever that happens.
4. The sockets usually just require a simple idc punch tool for connecting the wires. Avoids the requirement for expensive and temperamental 8 way plug crimping tools.
Good luck with the project, either way. :)
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wall sockets are a definite no-go.
they wouldn't look neater as they couldn't be counter sunk into the wall, they would need to be surface mounted.
also, the cable is running from the room above to the room below, so the cable is coming thru a small hole in the ceiling and running down the corner of the room.
RJ45 plugs are indeed a bad design, but they'll be a bad design regardless of whether it's a long cable or a patch cable.
i can easily replace the plug if one did break.
in an ideal world it would be cables inside the walls and a counter sunk wall socket, but it's a house and that's just not possible.
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in an ideal world it would be cables inside the walls and a counter sunk wall socket, but it's a house and that's just not possible
With my sarcastic hat on, that's very odd, I have a house and all of mine are in the walls ;)
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With my sarcastic hat on, that's very odd, I have a house and all of mine are in the walls ;)
plaster board walls i assume?
some houses are built better :P
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It's no big deal using normal crimps with infrastructure cable. They work OK 9 times out of 10. So yes, you may have to remake the odd end.
I would recommend getting branded connectors though. The cheap ones are brass or copper (they say they are gold plated but lie...) and corrode after a few months.
Get some from RS, CPC, Misco or Farnell and you will be fine. If you have loads to do, get a cable tester they are only cheap ;)
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plaster board walls i assume?
some houses are built better :P
Some are, some are solid, the original non structural walls are like those cheap and nasty doors with cardboard innards, but great for threading conduit down. Solid brick doesn't stop me either, not something you want to do if not planning on decorating though ;D
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If you are going to be going down the hole in the roof method, you would be better buying a long patch cable and making the holes big enough.
Then you could fill the gap with some polyfill.
Though to be honest, I'd be going down the socket route as others have said.
I've just done this a couple of weeks ago between the lounge and conservatory using cat 6 FTP. Both surface mount, however to make it look better I sprayed the back box black and put a nickel plate on the front with a black module.
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sockets are just not gonna happen.
and besides, even if it did, i'd still need the cable anyway.
a socket offers no real benefit than a properly RJ45 plugged cable, for my application anyway.
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If you are going to be going down the hole in the roof method, you would be better buying a long patch cable and making the holes big enough.
Then you could fill the gap with some polyfill.
Agreed, that may be best option in absence of sockets. It would ensure the trailing wires were sufficiently flexible. It would also avoid the need or expense of diy RJ45 plug crimping tools, which rarely work reliably.
Personally though (sounding like a stuck record) I’d still go for sockets, with patch cables either end. :)