Cat 5e v's Cat 6?

[Greenie9657]

Hi all. Now that I'm back from my travels I'm starting to route into the walls network cable for wired Internet. I've been studying the difference between cat5e and cat6 and was just wondering what the experts think. Obviously cat 6 is faster but is it worth getting? I was thinking maybe future proof the house now rather than change it all later! Also I need to take the signal into my attic and use a switch to split it. Can anyone recommend a good website or shop? I need to split at least 16 times. I also need a tv aerial and radio splitter/amp. Hope this makes sense.
Thanks again

 

[RF Lighting]

For the difference in price these days, I'd use cat6 just for a bit of future proofing, and it does seem to perform better for things like sending video signals etc too.

I have a netgear switch at home which you just plug in and forget about. It's been running my network faultlessly for years.

I got mine from ebuyer.

 

[Greenie9657]

Thanks RF. Is there any local shops that stock cat6 (pc world, maplin etc) or is it best mail ordering it?

 

[Sureitsoff?]

very good price for cat6 here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cat6-UTP-...uting_NetworkingCables_RL&hash=item19d8927bb7

it would be a good price even for cat5!!

 

[RF Lighting]

I get mine mail order. If you're buying from the likes of eBay, make sure it says that the wires are solid copper. There is a lot of cheap cat 5e and cat 6 on eBay which has copper coated aluminium wires. You may see mention of CCA in the item description or no mention of it at all.

The sellers selling genuine copper wire will state that it is copper wire in the description as the cable in the link above does.

 

[Greenie9657]

very good price for cat6 here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cat6-UTP-...uting_NetworkingCables_RL&hash=item19d8927bb7

it would be a good price even for cat5!!

What a find mate. many thanks.
Ive just made an offer but if its declined ill pay full price anyway. How can i be sure its genuine cat6?

 

[Sally2000]

Try www.lindy.co.uk
Their cables are top quality and not overpriced. Very quick service too.

 

[Greenie9657]

On the ebay listing is doesnt say whether or not the cable is solid or stranded. Does it matter and what does it mean?

thanks

 

[AlanE]

For fixed wiring you need solid to fit sockets etc.

That ebay listing is for stranded. It says the item on offer is yellow patch cable. That's stranded.

 

[bernardgreen]

Don't forget that the raw ADSL delivered to the house on telephone cable loses quality when it moves onto a CAT type cable. If your modem / router is not located at the NTE 5 ( where the incoming phone cable is terminated ) then run a CW 1308 pair from there to the modem / router for the ADSL signal.

 

[ironsidebod]

Don't forget that the raw ADSL delivered to the house on telephone cable loses quality when it moves onto a CAT type cable. If your modem / router is not located at the NTE 5 ( where the incoming phone cable is terminated ) then run a CW 1308 pair from there to the modem / router for the ADSL signal.

Please stop persisting with this. It's already been demonstrated this does not happen in practice even if theoretically it should. The biggest difference most people can make to signal quality for their ADSL is to remove the bell wire from the extension wiring.

 

[cocjh1]

I've just installed CAT6 in my house. Had some runs going external so bought protected cable from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007VCVODC/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I found the plugs harder to crimp than on 5e. Well the crimping was fine, but the trimming and inserting into the plugs was harder, leading to failed continuity checks. Found some plugs that come with 'load bars' which returned my crimp success rate to 100%. They are not cheap, but recommend if you get stuck..

 

[bernardgreen]

Please stop persisting with this. It's already been demonstrated this does not happen in practice even if theoretically it should.

After replacing approx 8 metres of CAT5 with CW1308 the broadband improved noticable. ( my friend cannot recall the
actual data rates involved ) The house is about 3 miles of cable route from the exchange.

The biggest difference most people can make to signal quality for their ADSL is to remove the bell wire from the extension wiring.

No the best option is to fit a NTE 5 with a filtered front plate and totally separate the internal phone wiring from the ADSL wiring. If there is a BT ( Openreach ) NTE 5 then change the front part to a filtered plate.

http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters-faceplates.htm is one of many sources

If the existing BT master socket is not an NTE 5 then fit your own NTE 5 next to it, Use a lead with plug to connect the NTE 5 to the existing master socket. The latest filter plates include a bell wire filter as well. Not all phones will work without the bell wire as they depend on the bell capacitor in the master socket or NTE 5

Some people have replaced their BT master sockets with an NTE 5. This does work but can create non technical problems if there is ever a fault on the line and an Openreach technician has to call.

 

[jabuzzard]

Please stop persisting with this. It's already been demonstrated this does not happen in practice even if theoretically it should.

After replacing approx 8 metres of CAT5 with CW1308 the broadband improved noticable. ( my friend cannot recall the
actual data rates involved ) The house is about 3 miles of cable route from the exchange.

Then this had nothing to do with the switch from Cat5 to CW1308. For example if you have a FTTC installation and want the modem installed away from the NTE5 the BT engineer will run the filtered xDSL signal to the the modem in Cat5e.

The difference your friend noticed was either down to better termination of the new cable or the fact the old cable was damaged.

The biggest difference most people can make to signal quality for their ADSL is to remove the bell wire from the extension wiring.

No the best option is to fit a NTE 5 with a filtered front plate and totally separate the internal phone wiring from the ADSL wiring. If there is a BT ( Openreach ) NTE 5 then change the front part to a filtered plate.

http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters-faceplates.htm is one of many sources

That at least is correct.

If the existing BT master socket is not an NTE 5 then fit your own NTE 5 next to it, Use a lead with plug to connect the NTE 5 to the existing master socket. The latest filter plates include a bell wire filter as well. Not all phones will work without the bell wire as they depend on the bell capacitor in the master socket or NTE 5

Some people have replaced their BT master sockets with an NTE 5. This does work but can create non technical problems if there is ever a fault on the line and an Openreach technician has to call.

If you wish to replace any BT master socket with an NTE5 and not have problems buy a genuine Openreach NTE5 from eBay with the Openreach logo all over it

 

[bernardgreen]

If you wish to replace any BT master socket with an NTE5 and not have problems buy a genuine Openreach NTE5 from eBay with the Openreach logo all over it

Are you sure they are genuine enough to [a] work correctly and convince an OpenReach technician it is not a fake.