Cat5 splitting questions, again

[Schoolies]

Here's the situation. Two story house. Next to impossible (don't want to) run more cable down the walls to the first floor. There are already 3 cat5 drops to the first floor. I would like to take each of these cables and split them so that I would have a total of 6 "drops" that I could plug a computer or print server to.

Someone told me I could take the cable and use only 2 pairs instead of 4, which would then allow me to use the other 2 pair for another connection. This would drop my speed down to 10mb. Is this correct? What kind of problems would I run into with this setup?

A large printer with a built in print server will be downstairs as well as a couple of computers. There will be probably a linksys or netgear router placed upstairs.

Thanks

 

[Soybomb]

You then violate the wiring standards. Just put a hub/switch downstairds and run your devices off that.

 

[hagrin]

Originally posted by: Soybomb
You then violate the wiring standards. Just put a hub/switch downstairds and run your devices off that.

Agreed, getting a hub or switch is definitely a better idea then playing with the wiring.

 

[Schoolies]

True true.

Thank you very much.

 

[spidey07]

As much as I hate to say it...

You can indeed use "cat5 splitters" that will take pairs 2 and 3 to one jack and wire pairs 1 and 4 to another for ethernet use.

I despise them and they are only a "last ditch" effort but they will work...against all "best practices" they will work fine.

Check any network or datacomm site

 

[JackMDS]

There is such a splitter. In order to work you have to buy two of them.

Link: 100BASE-T LINE SPLITTERS.

It connects on one side to the unused pairs of a regular CAT5, and then it goes to the each Jack into the regular used pins. That why you need two of them, to create ?double twist?.

So it is making one CAT5 into two CAT5 using all of the 8 wires. There is no collision but the usage of the 4 pairs probably creates unnecessary noise. I doubt that it is working well with long wires.

The funny thing about it. If the cables are used for the same network, it is just as expensive as buying a simple hub/switch.

 

[Jeff7]

I'd also say to just look for a cheap 10/100 switch.

 

[Macro2]

A switch will give you full bandwitch on each port.
A hub will divide it up
I suppose that splitter is like a hub

A switch is the way to go.

MAC

 

[Schoolies]

Thank you all for the suggestions... I think i'm going to bring my freebie hub over there and use that.

JackMDS, I love that web site!