CAT5e spacing problem

Countryman

Member
Nov 2, 2006
53
0
0
Hi,
I am putting a network into a new house which for various contractual and physical reasons has both power and network cables bundled together. The power and network are separate plastic conduits but they run together in the floor around 50mm/2? apart. The longest run is around 30m.

Given the recommended spacing of 300mm, will going to shielded FTP CAT5e cable get me out of trouble? Should I be looking at FTP CAT6 cable? The network will be used for ADSL access and SqueezeBox facilities in each main room. I looked at Fibre, but the cost and installation difficulties scared the whotsit out of me...

Cheers.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
You'll be fine unless it's high voltage. Do not in anyway shape or form use shielded cabling, it will cause you much MORE problems than you can imagine.

Just ground the patch panel to the common ground.
 

Countryman

Member
Nov 2, 2006
53
0
0
Originally posted by: spidey07
You'll be fine unless it's high voltage. Do not in anyway shape or form use shielded cabling, it will cause you much MORE problems than you can imagine.

Just ground the patch panel to the common ground.

Thanks for the quick response spidey07. The power conduit carries the 220vAC house supply. Out of interest, what are the problems with FTP that you mention? Are ground loops the main ones?

Cheers.
 

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,889
6,054
146
If shielded cabling is not bonded exactly per spec, it will act as an RF antenna and suck in 'a crapload of problems' ( highly technical jargon there ).
Contrary to much of the myth surrounding UTP, it is really quite tolerant of proximity to AC lines.