What's the difference between various cat5 cables?

[TakedownCA]

I'm plan on hooking up my first network using a Netgear RT314 and was wondering which cables I need to buy? What are the different types of cat5 cable available and the purpose of each? I know that crossover is for connecting computer to computer or hub to hub, but what's a patch cable, etc? Thanks for the help. Also, while you guys are at it. What's a WAN port?

Mahir

 

[sohcrates]

cat5 really doesn't have that many varieties. a crossover cable has the wires literally "crossed" so that two machines could talk to each other with a direct cable connection (which wouldn't be possible with a regular cable)

"patch cords" are another term for cat5 cable...usually this refers to shorter cables, that are used to "patch" between switches in large LAN setups.

really, the only variation of cat5 i've seen is "cat5e" which supposedly is a better quality cat5 cable, but i haven't been able to verify that.

 

[vi edit]

A WAN port is what you use to connect your router/switch/hub to a network outside of your lan.

In a home/small office it would usually be the port that you would plug the patch cable running out of your cable or DSL modem into.

 

[Eug]

The gourmet cook / networking guy that sold me some spices and put in a few RJ-45 jacks in my home uses only CAT-5e, because it is a higher standard than plain CAT-5. (However, he just calls it CAT-5 so people don't confused.)

So, I now have all of 1 foot of CAT-5e in my home, in a wall between the master bedroom and the 2nd bedroom (where my router will be). The rest of the house will be phoneline networked.

By the way, after watching him put in the jacks, it seems the installation of the box, etc, is remarkably easy. The tricky part is the termination it seems. How important is the crimping tool, and what should I look for in a crimping tool if I decide to add a couple of jacks?

 

[sohcrates]

when i wired my house, i didn't use a crimping tool. you can go to home dept, etc. and get jacks that only require you to place the wires inside and then they "self-crimp" when you close them. it's totally worth it. they are, of course, more expensive that normal jacks, BUT, from what i've seen, crimping tools for RJ-45 cable are expensive (~40 bucks) unless you can justify that cost by having a LOT of jacks to put in.

it cost me about 40 bucks total to put in 4 jacks along with 4 wall plates...which is the cost of the crimper alone!

 

[Russ]

<< and get jacks that only require you to place the wires inside and then they &quot;self-crimp&quot; when you close them. >>



These are called Keystone Jacks, and they make wiring a HELL of a lot easier. While Home Depot is a fantastic source for Cat5 cable (cheaper then the web), they are not for jacks and modular plugs (RJ45). In the case of the wall jacks, they're about three times too expensive, and RJ45 plugs, about five times.

Check around on the web for these and you can get better deals. But, unless you're buying a bunch, Home Depot might be the choice.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Eug]

Thanks people, I will look into it. As for stores, I found out I live beside a place that caters to electricians, etc. The networking guy discovered he needed an extra piece and just ran across the street to the store.

I'm set. There is also a hardware store next door, and the Glidden and Benjamin Moore paint warehouses down the street.

Living in the warehouse district can have its benefits.