Best/Easiest/Cheapest way to get ethernet to opposite end of house?

[Jeff7181]

Here ya go... I think that's what you want. It's solid core and plenum rated too so you can run it through any ductwork or crawl spaces without violating fire codes.

*EDIT* Nevermind... requires a minimum order of 10 cables.

 

[hans030390]

So, if it says it's a UTP or solid patch cable (not stranded), should it be OK?

 

[Jeff7181]

You want solid core CAT5e cable, preferably plenum rated. UTP just means unshielded twisted pair, which is what most CAT5e cable is unless you specifically buy shielded cable, which might not be a bad idea in your case with the long run you plan on doing, but it costs quite a bit more.

Plenum rated cable (marked CMP) is ok to run pretty much anywhere you want without violating fire codes.
Riser cable (marked CMR) is ok to run in walls and between floors, but NOT ok to run in ventilation areas like heating ducts or areas above drop ceilings which are considered plenum areas.
General Purpose cable (CM, CMG, or CMx) is ok to run only on a single floor.

There's also an outdoor specification, I can't remember what the letter code is for it, but I don't believe it can be used in placed of plenum cable.

And then there's unrated cable, usually just called PVC, which isn't certified for anything.

 

[wchang99]

To bump an old thread slightly, but with kind of a related question --

so, the ~100 meter length limit is intended to guarantee the max 100Mbps? Meaning, for example, if one were faced with choosing between a 100 foot cable for a little more leeway and flexibility in laying it out, and a 50 foot cable to make sure the signal strength isn't unnecessarily degraded (but that might not be reusable later on if your furniture arrangement changes, etc..), there actually isn't any reason to choose the 50 foot cable because both would be within the limit for full 100Mbps?

Thanks...