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Building your own CAT5 cables

S

shurato

Platinum Member
I need to network 2 pc's that are approximately 100ft in distance from each other. I'd like to create my own cables. It's been many years and I've only done it once but I don't remember it being to difficult with the wire diagrams and the crimping tool.

Where can I get a 100+ ft of raw cat5 cabling and a good crimping tool? Radioshack? I checked Lowes website and found nothing. I remember compgeeks.com having some deals on a cable + crimping tool set for around $50 dollars. If I can find this locally instead off the internet, it would be even better.


edit:
I found this on the geeks.com website. Link for $45 dollars. Is that worth getting or should I get something better quality?
 
Lowes should have what you need. I had to get a crimping tool quick so picked up a cheap one at Lowes. They also have cat 5 cable. It just may not be listed on their web site.
 
Either will have what your looking for however I'd recommend buying the cable pre-crimped. Certainly if maximum throughput and efficiency are important to you then that is what you should do. If all your worried about is internet access or losing 10-50% because of a poorly crimped end isn't that important of an issue.
 
Try frys, they have these huge rolls of cat5. I think if you ask their tech department they will crimp it for you at the store if you dont wanna do it at home.
 
If you are installing the cable in the wall which it sounds like you are not, you would want to buy your own cable and install wall jacks, etc. If you are leaving this cable out in the open, you need to purchase a commercially made patch cable. That commercially produced cable will be of much higher quality than one you can make no many how many other cables you have made.
 
Actually this will be in a retail store in the mall. They don't have that cork board type ceilings so I can't lay the cable through it. I'm going to have to just let it run across the floor to the backroom where the PC with the DVR surveillance is located. I'm trying to connect it to the dsl connection at the register so we can view the cameras from the main office. This is basically just a project for fun I want to do. It's nice being the only person in the IT dept.. I can just try out cool things.

So you reccomend getting "commercial grade" patch cables? Will I know the difference if I goto homedepot/lowes to buy it? Also about crimping... is it hard to do it efficiently by yourself?

BTW thanks for all the advice and links!
 
Exposed cabling, even low voltage cabling is probably a code violation.

At the least, you'll almost certainly have to use self-adhesie raceway ("panduit" - which is also the company name of the guys that made the first flavor of the stuff).

Check the codes before you install - commercial code violations can be *very* expensive, depending on the region / area.

Good Luck


Scott
 
Forget about crimping.
Make a proper run with solid cat5E terminated by keystone jacks in surface mount boxes. Put the run in some cover as scottmac suggested. The smallest panduit is fairly inexpensive and is at the recommended 40% capacity with 5 cat5 runs. Hook premade short patch cables from the keystone jacks to the devices.
This will yield a good looking professional result.
 
Originally posted by: ScottMac
Exposed cabling, even low voltage cabling is probably a code violation.

At the least, you'll almost certainly have to use self-adhesie raceway ("panduit" - which is also the company name of the guys that made the first flavor of the stuff).

Check the codes before you install - commercial code violations can be *very* expensive, depending on the region / area.

Good Luck


Scott
Click to expand...

This is sounding more complicated than I thought. So will it be ok if I just run the cable and lay it down the floor/wall and use some kind of adhesive to make it neat? Maybe I'll be better off just going wireless 😕
 
NO, it won't be OK.

Most municipalities, states, and National Electric Code say that commercial establishments must enclose all cabling (usually with a limit on the stretch "from the wall" to the device).

"Enclosed" meaning anything from raceway (i.e., Panduit) to conduit.

Really pickey places, like Chicago, also say that it must be Plenum-rated cabling, EVEN IF it's in conduit.... a stupid regulation, but it must be followed or you won't pass inspection.

Speaking of inspection, you may want to check with your local gub-mint to see what permits and or inspections are necessary (maybe none, maybe a few). If permits and inspections are required, and you don't get 'em, and they find out .... usually they will close the business until you get 'em ... and getting them AFTER you've installed 'em will be a slow, ugly thing ... plus they will fine the company for violations.


Some of this is regional, but I'm not aware of anyplace that permits a commercial establishment to just string any kind of cabling ("unprotected") across the floor, on nails, hooks, taped, cleverly disguised as a fat spider web, or any variation that is not "Enclosed and Protected."


Good Luck!

Scott


 
Lowes does carry solid cat5e cable in 1000 feet spools. Plus they sell the crimping tool and the ends for it.

I know that for a fact since I used to work for Lowes.
 
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