Advice Network Cables

[MYstIC G]

Since we're all going to be stuck inside a darn sight longer, I'm toying with the idea of running wired cabling to get the most out of the new broadband install.

Our central heating pipework neatly goes around the edges of all the rooms so I should be able to get away with just running it in close proximity without too many issues.

I'm good enough at making cables that I'm looking to make them myself, purely because I don't want reams of coiled up cable in places where pre-made might be too long.

Everything is 1GB and the runs would basically end up being something like: FTTP ->>> BT Home Hub Router <---> Lounge Switch <---> Bedroom Switch

I'm finding it hard to settle on what networking cable to use. However, I'll be smegged if I know the difference in any meaningful way between types of cable, how important shielding is, etc.

From what I'm reading I should likely use Cat6A and avoid Amazon like the plague as there it's likely to all be cheap aluminium core stuff?

I'm sure we've got plenty of networking junkies left here who can guide me to the right path!

 

[old.Osy]

It's either CAT6A or CAT6E.

CAT6A is ok I guess, but CAT6E goes above the rated throughoutput and has better shielding. Again, you wouldn't go wrong with CAT6A especially for short distances inside the house (if you have a large property and you may run lines over 100m, then CAT6E is definetely required)

But, If I'd run cabling today for a normal flat, I'd use CAT6A. Regular UTP shielding (unless you run POE and or have large electrical transformers inside the house ), with LSZH (low smoke, zero halogen) coat.

The price difference isn't that high, and even so, at the amount of liniar meters you have you will not break the bank.

Stray away from unknown brands though; top off my head, you want 3M, Panduit, Schrack as top, Roline & AMP as medium. I'm pretty sure there may be other good brands which I'm not aware of.

 

[Embattle]

Personally I've only got 3 truly wired connections in place, the first runs from the router to a switch which is screwed to the underside of my desk and then one cable runs to the Tesla Backup Gateway 2 and the other to my desktop. The rest of the stuff such as the main TV, BT Youview Box , PS4 and Nas are wired to one of the mesh satellites. All the cables are cat 6 since it isn't really any more expensive and would allow any future hardware changes, I couldn't really use staples on the run to my computer as the skirting board isn't suitable so I used:


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[Krazeh]

From what I'm reading I should likely use Cat6A

Cat6a will provide future proofing for the network, but is probably unnecessary for short runs in a domestic setting. Cat6 will do 1gbit no problem and should support 10gbit over distances of 37-55m (depending on the environment). Having said that, if you can afford the extra for 6a it's probably worth going for it.

 

[smurkin]

I don't suppose anyone knows where to get cable which is both shielded and earthed? Its for an outside antenna...

 

[old.Osy]

I don't suppose anyone knows where to get cable which is both shielded and earthed? Its for an outside antenna...

Late reply, but you want SFTP cable

 

[smurkin]

Late reply, but you want SFTP cable

Thanks. I was more concerned about the earth but I managed to speak to one of the guys who installs our neighbourhood fibre wifi and he said they usually only run an earth for antenna's on tall buildings and mine's under the eves so I installed with STP cable in the end. Not quite as good but it seems to work well.

 

[MYstIC G]

So I didn't fully get the chance to get around to this but it's been getting on my nerves again so I'm going to get cracking now.

Picking a reel of cable up just kept turning into a nightmare because there was always something wrong, i.e. awful colour, not right CAT type, sure but you can only have an expensive 300m box, etc.

I've decided to buy a couple of these and just try runing them between the rooms rifts, just to make sure what I've got in mind is actually going to work. If it does I'll put the holes in the walls, cut down the lengths if necessary, etc., etc.

Also those clips you suggested looked really useful @Embattle so I've picked up a pack of the transparent ones as they'll also probably be handy to do some cable tidying along my desk.

 

[MYstIC G]

So, I ran the cable along the corridor to test...



Suffice to say I think the powerline adapters will be going!

 

[Jupitus]

So, I ran the cable along the corridor to test...

View attachment 43932View attachment 43933

Suffice to say I think the powerline adapters will be going!

Aren't he powerline adapters rated as 100Mbps anyway? Nice uplift though

 

[MYstIC G]

I've got these dLAN 1200+ WiFi ac Powerline

They're stated as 1200Mbps but iirc I read somewhere once that's some daft combination of 600Mbps in each direction as that's how most powerline stuff was marketed.

Either way I never cared about the ceiling before full fibre as the incoming broadband was never anywhere close to maxing out the powerline adapters.

With this though, it's convinced me that it's the little things that matter so the cables will be going in and anything I can get a wired connection near will be going wired.

I guess I might also have to look at sorting out some proper Wi-Fi now as well!

 

[Jupitus]

I've got these dLAN 1200+ WiFi ac Powerline

They're stated as 1200Mbps but iirc I read somewhere once that's some daft combination of 600Mbps in each direction as that's how most powerline stuff was marketed.

Either way I never cared about the ceiling before full fibre as the incoming broadband was never anywhere close to maxing out the powerline adapters.

With this though, it's convinced me that it's the little things that matter so the cables will be going in and anything I can get a wired connection near will be going wired.

I guess I might also have to look at sorting out some proper Wi-Fi now as well!

Yup - fully wired here including having had a friend with a 3ft drill bit punch from lounge to the next room!!

 

[smurkin]

I've got these dLAN 1200+ WiFi ac Powerline

They're stated as 1200Mbps but iirc I read somewhere once that's some daft combination of 600Mbps in each direction as that's how most powerline stuff was marketed.

Either way I never cared about the ceiling before full fibre as the incoming broadband was never anywhere close to maxing out the powerline adapters.

With this though, it's convinced me that it's the little things that matter so the cables will be going in and anything I can get a wired connection near will be going wired.

I guess I might also have to look at sorting out some proper Wi-Fi now as well!

See here for some quickish wifi:

I just got one of these stealth fighter jobbies as my old Netgear router got stuck in an endless power cycle - so bad that even the hardware reset button didn't work .

View attachment 43835

I connected my synology with 2xGbps LANs with link aggregation and it can do wifi AX file transfers at just under 1Gbps in the same room peaking at about 1.2 Gbps - there seems some sort of bottleneck in the synology, can't figure out where. Its pretty quick. Pointlessly so. Should be good for running back-ups though.

View attachment 43837

 

[smurkin]

See here for some quickish wifi:

That's a router mind. You could look at a wireless 6 access point...

 

[Moriath]

I got a nighthawk 8000p i think it is and a netgear nighthawk mesh / repeater and just use wifi. I get 350+ download on my pc and over 150 on the third floor.
happy enough and i dont fps online so delay doesnt matter. Wouldnt anyway i am shite now lol

 

[MYstIC G]

I could get one of the BT extenders to go with the Home Hub but I prefer having not having to rely on any ISPs box. I've moved things like DNS/DHCP to a Raspberry Pi because I used to get annoyed when the ISP router would go wonky and then the LAN would have issues.

 

[Moriath]

I could get one of the BT extenders to go with the Home Hub but I prefer having not having to rely on any ISPs box. I've moved things like DNS/DHCP to a Raspberry Pi because I used to get annoyed when the ISP router would go wonky and then the LAN would have issues.

Yeah thats why i only use my isp router as the modem. And have my own routers and such to actually do the stuff that matters.
wifi and all is turned off on my isp router. Just one cable to my 8000p router.

 

[Ormorof]

Im also hitting limit of my powerline setup

Renovation by housing company next year (delayed due to corona) and ive put in suggestion for putting proper cables through walls but not holding my breath

 

[MYstIC G]

Im also hitting limit of my powerline setup

Renovation by housing company next year (delayed due to corona) and ive put in suggestion for putting proper cables through walls but not holding my breath

Do it! One of my regrets with all of this right now is that when my place was re-wired I didn't have the funds to pull networking cables at the same time.

 

[dysfunction]

Do it! One of my regrets with all of this right now is that when my place was re-wired I didn't have the funds to pull networking cables at the same time.

Does a regular electrician do that kind of thing?
I'm thinking of getting my house rewired and thinking about adding some network cables in also.

 

[MYstIC G]

Does a regular electrician do that kind of thing?
I'm thinking of getting my house rewired and thinking about adding some network cables in also.

They don't all do it but I'd definitely speak to whoever you've got in mind about if they can. Most I've dealt with over the years will generally at least run the cable and do the backing boxes even if they won't hook up the faceplates, etc.

 

[Embattle]

The real world figures of powerline is even worse than WIFI, originally they advertised the speed on the adapter at what ever physical port they had attached to the circuit board.