hardwiring my house: which RJ45 keystone jack to choose?

[Aharami]

So I'm in the process of hardwiring my home. I was thinking of getting 4 cat5e cables, cutting off the RJ-45 connector on the cable, and connecting them to and some kind of RJ-45 keystone jack mounted on keystone wallplates

The reason Im thinking of buying cables w/ RJ-45 connectors instead of the bulk cable w/o the connectors is because monoprice only sells bulk in 1000 ft and I dont need anywhere near that much.

Now monoprice sells two types of RJ-45 keystone jack - 110 type that requires a special punch down tool which I dont have, or the tooless one. Which one is better?

edit:
anyone know if bestlinknetware.com is any good? someone posted a link from there, but they dont have any info on resellerratings. They seem to carry cat6 cables in < 1000 ft bulk

 

[MiniDoom]

I think you answered your question when you said you didn't have a punchdown tool. punchdown tool + blade will be about 50$. go with the tooless.

 

[spidey07]

If it's new cable then you don't want cat5e, use cat6a so you'll be able to use 10 gigabit.

Also you can't use patch cables and cut the ends off, that's stranded cable that can't be punched down.

 

[Aharami]

yea but if the punchdown tool will make a much better connection than the tooless, i will spend the extra cash on the tool. But if both are equivalent, i'd rather save that $50. I guess that's what I was asking

 

[skyking]

That won't end well, pardon the pun
Those cables you linked to are stranded; keystone jacks are designed for solid cable only.
Get solid wire for fixed runs.

 

[RaiderJ]

Home Depot or Lowes I believe has cable in 500' lengths. You could probably sell off extra cable to someone here as well.

As for type of cable, isn't going for anything better than cat5e somewhat pointless, since you'd need testing equipment & special tools to make sure you were actually getting your full speed? I thought even gigabit was very particular about installation length, ends, curvature, etc.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If it's new cable then you don't want cat5e, use cat6a so you'll be able to use 10 gigabit.

Also you can't use patch cables and cut the ends off, that's stranded cable that can't be punched down.

re cat5e vs cat6: I was reading up on it via google and it was inconclusive whether in real world applications if cat6 will show a noticeable improvement or not. So the extra cash for cat6 is worth it?

and i didnt know that patch cables are stranded. This is the first time Im doing this. Thanks for the info. Is there anywhere I can get ~500 ft of cat5e/cat6 cables? Monoprice only sells them in 1000ft chunks and I only need about 400-500 ft

 

[edro]

Home Depot has a $10 plastic 110 Punch Down / Cut tool now.
It would probably work for your needs.
They also have the $50 one.

 

[AmpedSilence]

I have half a box of the home depot stuff Raider was talking about left at my parents home, probably has about 400 feet left in it. If your not in a terrible rush I can get it from my parents in about two weeks time they are coming for the weekend. let me know!

 

[TwiceOver]

Go to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot get the 1000' spool and they will have all of the wall plates/jacks you could imagine. The jacks that I bought came with a cheapy little plastic punch tool that worked just fine for the task. Also get a patch panel for wherever the wiring ends up.

Also, I thought I would never use all 1000' but the box is getting awefully light. How many devices? Just my entertainment center took 6x70ft runs. Another 4x60 to my desk, 2x80 upstairs, 1x200 to the garage... It adds up quickly.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: AmpedSilence
I have half a box of the home depot stuff Raider was talking about left at my parents home, probably has about 400 feet left in it. If your not in a terrible rush I can get it from my parents in about two weeks time they are coming for the weekend. let me know!

Thanks, but I need to get this done asap. I was planning on finishing patching up all the drywall holes and painting in two weeks. I'll go check out HD and see if their stuff is much more expensive than monoprice or not

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Go to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot get the 1000' spool and they will have all of the wall plates/jacks you could imagine. The jacks that I bought came with a cheapy little plastic punch tool that worked just fine for the task. Also get a patch panel for wherever the wiring ends up.

Also, I thought I would never use all 1000' but the box is getting awefully light. How many devices? Just my entertainment center took 6x70ft runs. Another 4x60 to my desk, 2x80 upstairs, 1x200 to the garage... It adds up quickly.

Sorry, new to this stuff. what's a patch panel?

 

[imported_Baloo]

Some patch cables are stranded, not all. If it does not say it's stranded, then it isn't.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Go to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot get the 1000' spool and they will have all of the wall plates/jacks you could imagine. The jacks that I bought came with a cheapy little plastic punch tool that worked just fine for the task. Also get a patch panel for wherever the wiring ends up.

Also, I thought I would never use all 1000' but the box is getting awefully light. How many devices? Just my entertainment center took 6x70ft runs. Another 4x60 to my desk, 2x80 upstairs, 1x200 to the garage... It adds up quickly.

Sorry, new to this stuff. what's a patch panel?

Looks like this (for illustration purpose only). This one has LED to indicate if it is connected.

http://www.bestlinknetware.com...-detail.asp?sku=102228

usually goes in the server room. in your case mechanical room, and you have one socket in the room wired to one port on the patch panel. Then you use patch cables to connect these to the router. You can skip it and just terminate the end with a connector and patch directly into the router. It's fine for home use.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: AmpedSilence
I have half a box of the home depot stuff Raider was talking about left at my parents home, probably has about 400 feet left in it. If your not in a terrible rush I can get it from my parents in about two weeks time they are coming for the weekend. let me know!

Thanks, but I need to get this done asap. I was planning on finishing patching up all the drywall holes and painting in two weeks. I'll go check out HD and see if their stuff is much more expensive than monoprice or not

check your local computer supply store, not retail store, but there is usually a whosaler type store for electronics/computer supply. If you are in a hurry, you are limited in pricing options.

 

[TwiceOver]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Go to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot get the 1000' spool and they will have all of the wall plates/jacks you could imagine. The jacks that I bought came with a cheapy little plastic punch tool that worked just fine for the task. Also get a patch panel for wherever the wiring ends up.

Also, I thought I would never use all 1000' but the box is getting awefully light. How many devices? Just my entertainment center took 6x70ft runs. Another 4x60 to my desk, 2x80 upstairs, 1x200 to the garage... It adds up quickly.

Sorry, new to this stuff. what's a patch panel?

http://www.bestlinknetware.com...-detail.asp?sku=102228

usually goes in the server room. in your case mechanical room, and you have one socket in the room wired to one port on the patch panel. Then you use patch cables to connect these to the router. You can skip it and just terminate the end with a connector and patch directly into the router. It's fine for home use.

Just to let Aharami know, patch panels can be had for MUCH less than the price at that link.

I'll post a pic of my rack when I get home.

 

[Vehemence]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver

I'll post a pic of my rack when I get home.

Yes. Yes please do.

 

[Journer]

just get you some multi mode fiber to run. you wont have to worry about upgrades for 20 years

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Journer
just get you some multi mode fiber to run. you wont have to worry about upgrades for 20 years

Actually multimode is going the way of the dinosaur, modal bandwidth is too low to keep up with todays speeds.

 

[DaveJ]

Why not just get something like this? It's an RJ45 coupler that attaches to a standard keystone wallplate... that way you don't have to mess with toolless or punchdown jacks at all, you can just use regular cables.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Just to let Aharami know, patch panels can be had for MUCH less than the price at that link.

I'll post a pic of my rack when I get home.

Was just a picture I didn't say he had to buy it from there. I'll edit my post.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Go to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot get the 1000' spool and they will have all of the wall plates/jacks you could imagine. The jacks that I bought came with a cheapy little plastic punch tool that worked just fine for the task. Also get a patch panel for wherever the wiring ends up.

Also, I thought I would never use all 1000' but the box is getting awefully light. How many devices? Just my entertainment center took 6x70ft runs. Another 4x60 to my desk, 2x80 upstairs, 1x200 to the garage... It adds up quickly.

Sorry, new to this stuff. what's a patch panel?

Looks like this (for illustration purpose only). This one has LED to indicate if it is connected.

http://www.bestlinknetware.com...-detail.asp?sku=102228

usually goes in the server room. in your case mechanical room, and you have one socket in the room wired to one port on the patch panel. Then you use patch cables to connect these to the router. You can skip it and just terminate the end with a connector and patch directly into the router. It's fine for home use.

I still dont understand why I need a patch panel. I was thinking of getting a multi-hole keystone wallplate in the room my router will be. Then from that room, I will run wires out to all other rooms ending in a one hole keystone wallplate. Each RJ45 connector in the multi-hole keystone will connect to a different router port via a small patch cable. Will this not work?

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: DaveJ
Why not just get something like this? It's an RJ45 coupler that attaches to a standard keystone wallplate... that way you don't have to mess with toolless or punchdown jacks at all, you can just use regular cables.

yea that would work and I was considering that option, but I wanted the coupler to be white for aesthetic reasons and monoprice only carries black RJ45 couplers.

 

[sjwaste]

Originally posted by: DaveJ
Why not just get something like this? It's an RJ45 coupler that attaches to a standard keystone wallplate... that way you don't have to mess with toolless or punchdown jacks at all, you can just use regular cables.

Just FYI, Monoprice carries these, they were just in another section:

http://www.monoprice.com/produ...id=1073&seq=1&format=2

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: sdifox

Originally posted by: Aharami

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
Go to Menards/Lowes/Home Depot get the 1000' spool and they will have all of the wall plates/jacks you could imagine. The jacks that I bought came with a cheapy little plastic punch tool that worked just fine for the task. Also get a patch panel for wherever the wiring ends up.

Also, I thought I would never use all 1000' but the box is getting awefully light. How many devices? Just my entertainment center took 6x70ft runs. Another 4x60 to my desk, 2x80 upstairs, 1x200 to the garage... It adds up quickly.

Sorry, new to this stuff. what's a patch panel?

Looks like this (for illustration purpose only). This one has LED to indicate if it is connected.

http://www.bestlinknetware.com...-detail.asp?sku=102228

usually goes in the server room. in your case mechanical room, and you have one socket in the room wired to one port on the patch panel. Then you use patch cables to connect these to the router. You can skip it and just terminate the end with a connector and patch directly into the router. It's fine for home use.

I still dont understand why I need a patch panel. I was thinking of getting a multi-hole keystone wallplate in the room my router will be. Then from that room, I will run wires out to all other rooms ending in a one hole keystone wallplate. Each RJ45 connector in the multi-hole keystone will connect to a different router port via a small patch cable. Will this not work?

That is why I included the bolded sentence. You don't need a patch panel, it's just neater.