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Cables like to die...

M

mastarecoil

Senior member
I bought some cheap cat5 cable, it was like $40 for a 1000'. It sucks. Now I need another spool and I want to know what is the good stuff that will last me. I dont want to spend like $100 for a box but what out there is affordable and better quality. Sorry I cant describe the cable I purchased, but im sure its whatever is the cheapest.

Thanks
Garrett.
 
PVC, the box says "For Inside Riser Use". Strange thing was that only the gray was that price, all the other colors were like $85.
 
Hm, I think I need cable that is for other then inside riser. I want to make patch cables for lan partys, so they will move around a lot.

The problem was if they kinked, or even just bent they would break a lot. I am not someone who is rough on the cables either. And it wasnt very good to work with. I am comparing this to other cable I have used, which cost more, so I am wanting some of that. The good cable is really easy to work with.

Garrett.
 
The wire you have is solid core which is used for in wall applications. You want stranded cable which is more flexible and not as suspectible to damage. Each have their own uses. (Its not that the solid core is the cheaper, just made for a different purpose).
Have you considered getting a bulk box of long patch cables? The savings in time will more than make up for the extra cost.
 
Thats what Im saying I need is a bulk box. I guess the stranded is what I want. Anyone know where to get that.

Thanks
Garrett.
 
We don't recommend the use of stranded cable at all, even for station patch cables. Despite the myths, it's actually less prone to damage and breakage than the stranded cable. Whether the cable is plenum rated or standard has no impact on the wire inside; plenum is just a different kind of sheathing that does not release toxic gasses when burnt. The conductors inside are the same.

fargus
 
eh, i prefer the use of stranded cabling.... all my cables are stranded. solid is just too rigid for certain application.
 
fargus, i do agree with you that solid conductors are better than stranded conductors. the stranded nature of the conductor hurts performance.

but it has been my opinion that with respect to wiring, for applications where the wires get bent repeatedly, stranded is best. once a solid conductor breaks, it's dead. with stranded, if one of the conductors break, there are others, and where the breakage is does not kill the connection, though it does somewhat degrade the performance of the cable.

inwall cables don't move after installation. patch cables don't get moved ALL THE TIME, but they get moved often.

imagine if you're power cords are all solid. you'd be screwed by now. but then those cables don't carry data ;-)
 
oh, i have severed many a solid conductor data wire... of course most were phone lines... not cat5, but they're essentially made of the same stuff...
 
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