URGENT!! Can I put cat6 connectors onto cat7 cable?

[Snape88]

Hi guys,

This is just a quick fix and I intend to get a qualified cable engineer to do this properly at a later date.

I've recently bought a new build house and had cat7 cable put throughout but without any connectors on the wires.

I cannot find any cat 7 connectors to buy and need to work with my network on my Monday.

I have researched but cannot get a reassuring enough testimony that I can simply attach cat 6 connectors on to the ends of my cat 7 wires. I know at the least that it won't run at full speed but that is not so much of an issue. I just need the thing to work at a reasonable speed for Monday.

I've heard that cat7 is thicker than cat6 so not sure if it's feasible or not.

Any advise greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Spencer

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Short answer is yes. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_7_cable

 

[Snape88]

Ok thanks for the reply. The guy who sold me some cat 7 connectors recently (which I lost!) said that the punch tool in the crimper would crush the cat7 cable because it's thicker. Should I be concerned about that?

Thanks again

Spencer

 

[Tech_Greek]

There should be service loops at the end of each drop so when you go to put actual CAT7 connectors on you'll just cut off a little bit of slack and pull more down.

Are you using keystones or RJ45 connectors?

 

[Snape88]

I'm not sure what service loops are and the wires were only put in by a standard electrician who was just asked to leave a meter or so hanging out the wall. I'm using rj45 connectors.

Thanks

Spencer

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I'm not sure what service loops are and the wires were only put in by a standard electrician who was just asked to leave a meter or so hanging out the wall. I'm using rj45 connectors.

Thanks

Spencer

Service loops are a short lengths of slack in the cable to facilitate changing connectors stored behind wall plates. You probably know not all connectors are equal due to being made from different materials. I personally really dislike the clear plastic ones.

 

[Snape88]

Oh ok thanks I understand now.

If somebody could confirm that cat 7 cable definitely isn't too thick for cat 6 connectors I would really appreciate it.

Thanks again

Spencer

 

[Tech_Greek]

Oh ok thanks I understand now.

If somebody could confirm that cat 7 cable definitely isn't too thick for cat 6 connectors I would really appreciate it.

Thanks again

Spencer

It's not too thick. Cat 6 & Cat 7 both use RJ45 connectors. The difference is in the shielding and if it has a ground strap to crimp at the back but it doesn't sound like yours does.

Go to lowes, get the Cat 6 keystones and punch down tool. Strip the wire back and follow the T5B color code on both sides. Use a normal network cable to plug into the jacks.

http://youtu.be/M_OKjhOzNUo

 

[imagoon]

I'm not sure what service loops are and the wires were only put in by a standard electrician who was just asked to leave a meter or so hanging out the wall. I'm using rj45 connectors.

Thanks

Spencer

I wouldn't worry about it to much. Crimping RJ45 connectors on in wall cat cables is basically an automatic fail of the category spec anyway. You need to be attaching the cables to the CAT7 keystones.

 

[kevnich2]

I am curious why you would have had cat7 installed in a new house in the first place? If looking for top speed, go with cat6a. It will do 10gb, not that a home user really needs those speeds.

 

[Eug]

I am curious why you would have had cat7 installed in a new house in the first place? If looking for top speed, go with cat6a. It will do 10gb, not that a home user really needs those speeds.

Yeah, that was what I was wondering. Why would they put CAT7 everywhere? Strange, unless he gets the stuff dirt cheap. BTW, how thick are the cables?

But as a home user, I'm looking forward to 10GigE in the home. GigE is OK but is already a bottleneck for large file transfers, particularly backups, and video file transfers.

 

[azazel1024]

Yeah...cat5e can do 10GbE to 45m and cat6 to 55m. Cat6a to 100m.

Cat7 seems...overkill. Especially since it isn't actually a thing (IE there is no such thing as a Cat7 standard yet). Heck...if you have a need for it, cat6a will do 100/40GbE to 30m (and probably longer, but it isn't "certified" for longer than that as it is just for top of rack/end of row data center use at 40/100GbE).

I think by the time something like Cat7 might be needed for in home wiring, fiber will be so significantly faster there would be no point.

 

[namechamps]

A Cat7 cable with a cat6 connector is no longer cat7. There are no RJ45 connectors for Cat7. Ca7 requires a non-standard connector and is effectively dead. You can do 10GBit over Cat6a and 40Gbit over copper is very likely going to require a higher spec than Cat7 can support (interim spec for Cat8 being discussed now).

 

[kevnich2]

Sadly sounds like the op just googled what the latest cable was and had them install it without actually knowing what it really was. Hate to see how much it cost extra but whatever at this point. Cat6a would technically have been overkill imo as the only ones that really truly need extra speed are likely those that know differences in the cabling as well. I doubt op is really going to be running a 10gbe network at home for autocad or hd video editing.

In any case, put keystones on the cable, not plastic rj45 ends.

 

[Mushkins]

Sadly sounds like the op just googled what the latest cable was and had them install it without actually knowing what it really was. Hate to see how much it cost extra but whatever at this point. Cat6a would technically have been overkill imo as the only ones that really truly need extra speed are likely those that know differences in the cabling as well. I doubt op is really going to be running a 10gbe network at home for autocad or hd video editing.

In any case, put keystones on the cable, not plastic rj45 ends.

This is a necro thread from over a year ago. I'm assuming the OP sorted this out by now (hopefully).

 

[kevnich2]

This is a necro thread from over a year ago. I'm assuming the OP sorted this out by now (hopefully).

Heh just now realized that, haha. Thanks

 

[dryfly]

I wouldn't worry about it to much. Crimping RJ45 connectors on in wall cat cables is basically an automatic fail of the category spec anyway. You need to be attaching the cables to the CAT7 keystones.

Are you saying you can't bring a run of CAT5 out of the wall and connect a RJ45 connector then straight to the device?? That you have to use Keystone and then a jumper cable to the device??

 

[matricks]

Are you saying you can't bring a run of CAT5 out of the wall and connect a RJ45 connector then straight to the device?? That you have to use Keystone and then a jumper cable to the device??

If you are going to do it according to specifications, yes, you have to use keystone jacks in the wall.

 

[dryfly]

If you are going to do it according to specifications, yes, you have to use keystone jacks in the wall.

OK, but it doesn't affect performance, right??

I've pulled very little CAT cable but I've always viewed it as other wiring in that the more the splices or connectors, the more the chance for problems.

One thing for sure, the keystone connectors make the installation look better.

 

[imagoon]

OK, but it doesn't affect performance, right??

I've pulled very little CAT cable but I've always viewed it as other wiring in that the more the splices or connectors, the more the chance for problems.

One thing for sure, the keystone connectors make the installation look better.

It can and does. Running a cable out of the wall to an RJ45 connector may work but it will never be in "spec."

In this case, the spec expects you to use a patch cable and keystone. The spec is designed for a stranded patch cable at each end, keystone/patch panel and solid cable in the walls.

Most in wall cable is solid core copper (or worse CCA, total crap) which is not designed to handle day to day movements which will eventually break the cable, most times right at the RJ45 connector. IE Less connectors -> more problems.

I have seen instances of longer runs that were having issues on a tester where some tech in the past plugged RJ45 ends on a solid core patch cable on both ends that would then test and validate after terminating with keystones, and proceed to work fine for years with patch cables on the end. It is rare and normally appears in noisy environments.

It sounds crazy but I have seen this a lot with cabling "systems." IE a Mohawk jack on both ends with Mohawk cable in the middle validates fine but Leviton ends on the Mohawk cable failed etc. Basically the vendor uses the keystones to "tune the cable" etc.

 

[dryfly]

OK that makes sense. I thought about the solid cable issue after I posted and assumed that was what make the install "in spec". I have been fine with just running the solid out of the wall but it's in situations where the cable is never moved. I'm presently installing an IP camera system and redoing my network so will clean up everything with keystone jacks. thanks for your input.

 

[kevnich2]

Yeah if your going to do in the wall solid cable, take the time to put proper keystones on it on both ends or keystones on one end and a patch panel on the other end. Use proper stranded patch cables to connect it to the end devices. That's the other reason NOT to make your own patch cables as well.

 

[dryfly]

Yeah if your going to do in the wall solid cable, take the time to put proper keystones on it on both ends or keystones on one end and a patch panel on the other end. Use proper stranded patch cables to connect it to the end devices. That's the other reason NOT to make your own patch cables as well.

Well, the other end will be the cameras. Since there is no movement once installed, I think it's common practice to just put an RJ45 on the end of the solid CAT and go into the camera port.

I will definitely use the pre-made stranded at the switch.