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Author Topic: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables  (Read 16766 times)

mr-b

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"High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« on: May 21, 2009, 12:06:03 PM »

Hi

I need to extend my ADSL by about 5m and was wondering whether it's worth getting one of these "High Speed" (i.e. Cat5) RJ11 to RJ11 ADSL extension cables over one of the normal flat cables. They cost a few pounds more.

I also looked for RJ45 female to RJ11 male adapters so I could use some existing Cat5 cable but they seem to be rather thin on the ground. Plus I wondered if using adapters might degrade the signal more than a cable that has the right connectors at each end.

Any ideas?
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HPsauce

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2009, 12:41:45 PM »

Presumably you mean the cable that plugs into the filter, with the filter staying where it is now?
If so the best solution is to leave the router by the filter/socket and use a longer LAN (RJ45) cable to the PC.
If you can't do that, and have to move the router, then a high-quality (SSTP) RJ11 ADSL cable is almost as good.
(they're not that expensive - around £5 for a 5 metre one)
Flat cables can always pick up interference and reduce your speed; flat phone extension cables are so bad you should never use them.
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mr-b

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2009, 07:28:16 PM »

Tx - will try the HQ cable.
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HPsauce

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2009, 07:35:06 PM »

The ADSL "quality" cable is actually better than Cat5 for this job as it (normally) has (better) shielding, so I wouldn't bother looking for RJ11/RJ45 adapters either.
The stuff ADSLnation sell I'm pretty sure is SSTP - shielded shielded twisted pair, i.e. each twisted pair is shielded then the whole assembly has an outer shield; possibly a bit OTT even. Normal Cat5 is just twisted and unshielded, which is fine for LAN's and normally OK for phone/ADSL.
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waltergmw

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2009, 11:11:26 AM »

The ones I've recently bought here labelled ADSL2+ are thicker that the ones they provided last year.

http://www.adslnation.com/phpapps/catalog/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=64cdedrtcaps824u6lcsftlc25

However even though they are screened there is no way to earth the RJ11 cable.
It is possible to use Cat6 FTP cable earthed one end into a 9 pin RJ45 socket which can be used with short RJ11 jumper cables.
I can provide links to the components if you want.

Kind regards,
Walter
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orainsear

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2009, 08:21:39 PM »

I use an ADSL Nation screened RJ11-RJ11 modem cable myself and have found it to be of good quality, and certainly a lot better than the 'big name brands'.  I don't think that the unearthed screening does very much (although ADSL Nation claim it dies make a small improvement over unscreened), however I understand that the number, and configuration, of twists of the cable result in a good product.

It is possible to use Cat6 FTP cable earthed one end into a 9 pin RJ45 socket

Where/how are you bonding to earth in this arrangement?
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waltergmw

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2009, 08:20:47 AM »

@ orainsear

(It could also be suggested that an un-earthed screen would add some capacitance and hence reduce noise spikes.)

I agree that, in most circumstances, earth-screening the ADSL input cable is OTT and that much more productive results are usually obtained by placing the ADSL modem directly beside the master socket with a 0.5 m ADSL nation ADSL2+ cable.

http://www.adslnation.com/phpapps/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=121

In one awkward situation I used an ADSL Nation filtered faceplate on the Master Socket and connected FTP cable to the blue A & B ADSL terminals but with the drain wire cropped back. At the other end I used either a item 12 or 13 FTP RJ45 module in a wall socket. See:-

http://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000002.pl?SS=ftp+module&ACTION=Go&page=search&PR=-1&TB=A

with the 9th connector jumpered to an earth cable. As RJ45 and RJ11 plugs have the same "thickness" and have the same connector pitch and retaining catch, I then used a 0.5 m RJ11 jumper from the RJ45 wall socket into the modem. I have also used the "RJ11 in a RJ45 socket" method with a VOIP modem to extend the phone lines from the modem around the house.

I hope the above explains the method clearly enough.

Kind regards,
Walter
« Last Edit: May 24, 2009, 08:53:00 AM by waltergmw »
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orainsear

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2009, 09:37:29 AM »

with the 9th connector jumpered to an earth cable.

This was the bit I was after.   :)  Does this earth cable terminate at the main switch equipment/consumer earth terminal?

I've been toying with doing something similar myself for a while but never got round to it.  It would aslo be possible to perform some basic tests using something like DMTtool to see if the frequency spectrum has any major changes with the eath unbonded/unbonded, particulary during the evening/night.
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roseway

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2009, 09:59:03 AM »

Quote
I agree that, in most circumstances, earth-screening the ADSL input cable is OTT

Even without earthing, the screen will work as a Faraday cage and can be capable of effective screening of ADSL frequencies. In fact, I'm not at all sure that earthing would make any difference.
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  Eric

waltergmw

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2009, 10:26:50 AM »

@ Orainsear

Yes it does eventually terminate on the consumer earth terminal via the ring main earth wire.
However I did not have the opportunity to investigate the results or experiment fully.
I managed to get the long line ADSL line to synchronise but the precise components which cured the problem will remain a mystery.
I expect the best solution would be a 2 or 3 m copper-clad earth spike as described in the recent lightening protection thread.

Even the positioning of the spike could well make a difference due to potential gradient.
I remember from years back when in overhead electricity distribution where we electrocuted a cow as the neutral earth from the transformer star point had been cut by a plough quite close the the transformer pole. The poor cow had been rubbing itself on the stay wire and the distance between her front and back legs was enough in that particular soil to produce a lethal current. This was despite the first section of the neutral earth being in a duct from the pole at ground level.

It's also worth noting that underground electricity distribution earthing connections have changed at least in our area.
A continuous earth line via the lead cable sheath used to be maintained right back to the substation but now with plastic insulated cable the earth is bonded to the neutral at the cable service tee joint.

Kind regards,
Walter
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waltergmw

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Re: "High Speed" ADSL extension cables
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2009, 10:36:39 AM »

@ Roseway

I expect we are accustomed to earthing signal cables from military and power station high-power plant applications.
I do know that a screen connected at both ends of a cable can produce significent earth-loop currents making the screen practically useless in those conditions whereas a single earth point reduces the induced noise.

However unless we have the resources of the NPL at our disposal I suspect we're better at letting sleeping dogs lie.

Kind regards,
Walter
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