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PCClub

Junior Member
Sorry, I didn't know that offering help was not allowed. I didn't post any prices or anything. There was some tech questions about SMC products which weren't being answered and I thought that we would be able to help. 🙁

To answer another question, registration is the same as registering on any forum.

Do people just like cheap cat 5 cables or do you really like the more expensive types? For most cases, they function pretty much the same.


 
Cheap cables are exactly that - cheap. you WILL have problems, your network WILL be slow.

The most important part of any network is cabling - don't skimp there. Buy some good AMP or belden cables.
 
This almost sounds like the standard audio cable arguement. 😉

How much "slower" will it be? It is noticable enough to warrent the extra costs?
 
noticeably slower? probably not.

It is just excepted best practices in networking to use quality cabling...you don't have to buy the moon but certainly don't do a internet search and pick the absolute lowest price.

I've seen many of the so called CAT5 cables fail category 5 certification.
 
Here's my .02 since I used to do this a lot in my previous life:

A cheap cable and an expensive cable basically work at the same speed. But a flaky cable, one with broken conductors or poor termination, will cause CRC's and other transmission anomolies on the attached Ethernet segment. Then you will see some tangible network slowdowns, as indicated by Spidey. So what you need to measure is reliability -- not speed. A cheap cable may work fine for the first couple of months, then begin to degrade. You do not typically see this with quality pre-made cables. And quality pre-made Catgory 5 patch cables are stranded and do not exceed 10m in length. Anything longer isn't within Cat5 spec (which makes provisions for a total of 10m of stranded patch cable), but if it is made correctly it will still work and be fine for somebody's home network or small business.

Another factor in the cost of a cable is whether it is PVC-jacketed, riser-rated, or plenum-rated. People who aren't running their cables in a ceiling where the return-air system is shared don't need plenum-rated cable. If they aren't running cable between floors of a building, they don't need riser OR plenum-rated cable. Plain ol' PVC is fine for most applications. So I'd rather have a quality stranded PVC patch cables than some cheaply made plenum ones. Conversely, you sure wouldn't want to run PVC in a place where it violates fire codes.

Okay, so to answer the original post: I prefer a quality cable that fits the application -- I would usually spend a maximum of $12 for an amp or panduit patch cable from Graybar. And I would buy the cheapie Big Box O' Blue Cable (solid) for most small network installations. But I always paid extra for good termination -- no RJ-45's! Only Panduit or Ortronics modular gear, no matter if it was just two or three cable runs.
 


<< Sorry, I didn't know that offering help was not allowed. >>



You didn't offer help, you spammed the forums promoting your business. If you were actually trying to help, you would have linked directly to the forum that allegedly provided that help, instead of your business.



<< I didn't post any prices or anything. >>



The prices are all over the front page of your site that you linked in your attempt to &quot;help&quot;.

Geez, if you're going to try and grab some free advertising, you could at least try being more subtle about it.

Russ, NCNE
 
I have appologized on the top of this thread. I didn't know that TWO posting is considered SPAMMING. The only way to access the forum is through the front page. Sorry, I just need to clarify this.

To get back onto topic:

It is true that the area that would cause the most problem with a cheap network cable would be the head. Most people with a large network job will use a box of cable and to the crimping themselves. For most cases, brand X or brand Y of the same &quot;type&quot; of network cable would be the same. I find that going cheap there shouldn't be a problem. The head however, should be of better quality, and of course, your skill in crimping the head to the cable will affect the reliablity.

Thanks CTR for the info and thanks Spidey for your support.
 
Hate to correct you PCclub, but:



<< Most people with a large network job will use a box of cable and to the crimping themselves. >>



Actually this couldn't be further from the truth. Most pros I know dispise using hand crimped cables, if someone uses a handmade cable in my network they are severely reprimanded.
 
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