Cat5e RJ45 surface mount on skirting or wall

[bejay]

I've raised floorboards to run Cat5e cabling to 5 rooms from the vicinity of my broadband cable modem so I can run broadband to any of these rooms. The 5 cables come up through the floorboard close to the modem and I've managed to preserve the Cat5e plugs on each end of the cables.

Can someone suggest a suitable surface mount single RJ45 for each room, to mount on the skirting board perhaps, but one which takes the RJ45 plug direct? The only ones I've seen assume the cable is a bunch of wires and needs to be wired into the mount.

I'm also uncertain how to manage the 5 RJ45 cables next to my cable modem.?

 

[djrock]

I haven’t seen any rj45 faceplates that allow you to plug an rj45 connector into the back of it. Since when running cat5e you don’t usually have rj45 connector on the cable.

Is it just a cable modem you have or do you have a router as well?

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

As djrock says, you don't normally have an rj45 plug on a cat 5 networking cable unless it's a patch lead. It might be easier to cut the plugs off and reterminate if you want proper wall mounted sockets. You'll need a proper punchdown tool and will need to follow standards to do this.

If you're looking for a simple double socket adaptor then these do exist and there's one on this site:

http://www.revealcable.co.uk/acatalog/Networking.html

It's the first one on the page that you would need.

The overall end-to-end length of your network cables, including patches should not exceed 100m - unlikely in the average house, but important anyway.

 

[ChrisJ78]

How far can you go with CAT6 or is it the same as CAT5/5e at 100m?

 

[gblades]

Yes still 100M. If you want longer wither use a 2nd switch to boost the signal or use fibre.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

How far can you go with CAT6 or is it the same as CAT5/5e at 100m?

The maximum length is the same for 10/100/1000baseT. For 10GbaseT the maximum length is 55m for a clean (low electrical noise, separated data cables) environment or 37m for a noisy (higher electrical noise, bunched data cables) environment. Cat 6a permits runs up to 100m.

The maximum length of a single run is actually 10 metres less to allow for 2 x 5m patch cables in the circuit (i.e. a 100m maximum length means 90m + 2 patch cables up to 5m in length).

 

[bejay]

Thank you for the responses.

I didn't intend to run the Cat5e cables to a router, I had hoped to have a bunch of cat5e wall sockets so I could manually select which to connect to the cable modem depending which room I had my laptop. It could be the only option is to direct the cables from the floorboard vertically using trunking to a shelf and collect all the loose cables there and use an inline coupler to connect one of them to a flylead to the modem.

I dont exceed the 100m or anywhere near that range. But I did have problems routing the cat5e cable to avoid direct contact with mains cables, the cat5e cable comes close to these but always at right angles. I have tried to prevent cables touching the hot Central Heating pipes. I've not found any information if the central heating under the floorboards can cause damage or deterioration of cat5e cables. I'm hoping the bunched collection of aerial, cat5e and telephone cables dont cause additional interference.

Its going to be interesting to see if all the work is successful or not.

 

[ChrisJ78]

You just want to have a bunch of cat 5 cables by the modem, and switch between each one when you move room?

Why not get a router to connect to the modem, and then plug all of your cables in to save the inconvenience. What if you have another computer connected in the future too.

 

[wanleg]

Why not get a router to connect to the modem, and then plug all of your cables in to save the inconvenience

All routers i've seen usually only have 4 ports.....you're going to need a small switch if you go down this route.

I can't help thinking wireless or home plug might have been a simpler solution here.

From what you have described it sounds like you should have no problems to me.

Don't rule out buying facia plates, modules, boxes and a punch down tool to finish the job in each room.....I believe it's not that difficult to get to grips with.

 

[djrock]

All routers i've seen usually only have 4 ports.....you're going to need a small switch if you go down this route

You can get routers with 8 ports.

I can't help thinking wireless or home plug might have been a simpler solution here.

Cat5e is the best option. Cheap and reliable.

 

[kjacko]

8-port switches can be had very cheap.
But i'd prefer to put a router in the mix too.

You could use a homeplug and just cart it around with your laptop from room to room i suppose, not ideal though really.

If you've gone to the trouble of laying the cabling under the floor, i'd really suggest you finish the job properly with a switch/router setup and some faceplates. you'll also learn a good deal other than just data cabling.
As mentioned you could use couplers, but its a bodge affair really. Lol, they'll look damned fugly sticking out of your skirting boards.

You've has plenty of advice now, pick a window.

 

[gblades]

If you can put in a cable then do it.

Normal 802.11b/g wireless runs up to 54Mbps or 108Mbps with compatible adapters. Typically given the distance between the machine and the router you may only get a 22Mbps connection and this together with other overheads of wireless means it is only good for up to 16Mbps internet. Any higher then in order to benefit from the full speed you need the newer wireless standards which may mean you needing additional adapters for your computers and more expensive routers.

Homeplug is ok but can suffer from interferance from other users.

Even if you get a 4 port router you can easily buy a very cheap 4, 6 or 8 port switch and connect that to it aswell.

 

[mikeyd]

You could make your own faceplates up. Google rj45 panel mount coupler and mount them in a blanking plate.

 

[NatB]

You would be much better getting yourself a router/switch for all the cables to plug into then only cable from your modem/router to the switch. This means you don't need to plug/unplug depending on where you are.

Switches are cheap as chips...http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8-Port-10-100-Fast-Ethernet-Network-LAN-Switch-hub-RJ45_W0QQitemZ250458098636QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_NetworkSwitches_RL?hash=item3a50774bcc


The solution should you not want to get a router is http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RJ45-Extensio...vr_id=&cguid=fb78d53b1230a0e203e500e5fce5bc33

Plug a cable from your modem/router to this and then plug in whichever cable you want.

 

[Hipokondriak]

I can vouch for all the advice you have been given...

If you can, cut the ends off and use faceplate RJ45 sockets in each room, and at the other end, get a switched router and then plug you modem into the WAN port and the other RJ45 leads into the spare LAN ports.

It will look neater. And if you snag your existing setup, you may break your wire and have to lift up floorboards to run another in.

It is very easy to do at the face plate end as most RJ45 jacks are colour coded these days. Inside the cut off cable, there will be eight wires each in a twisted pair of one wire with solid colour with a white band and a white wire with a colour band. 2x4 pairs = 8 wires.

There are two types of wiring - coded version A or B. I haven't got a clue which they refer to but I have been using A for ages with no problems. Just be consistent and don't mix the two.

A N Other option is to buy a double face plate and connect the terminals inside the jack from socket one to socket two. Screw the faceplate down and plug one cable from the router to one side and your lappy to the other. Messy...