Following advice from Tim and others in here I have laid in cat6 cables to all rooms likely to require a direct data connection.
Is there a simple way to common the star point of these cables without using individual plugs?
You have to plug them into a network switch.
You don't want to do that, get a patch panel and terminate each of them on the back of it.
You can't (well, shouldn't) 'star' connect UTP ethernet cables. The 'star' point in any wired UTP/ethernet network is a 'switch', i.e. a box of electronics with as many RJ45 sockets as cables you need to plug into it.
OK I have the switch. I suspect cat6 to RJ45 plug is beyond my abilities and tools.
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I thought Tim was getting individual surface mounted Cat6e / RJ45 / double sockets because there wasn't enough of a central point to justify a patch panel as such (although I think I did mention one)?
I think the nearest thing he has to a hub to the star would be in the lounge and carry 3 lines (links to kitchen, bedroom cupboard and study).
Cheers, T i m
We should be careful of conflating UTP with ethernet. It's possible to run other things down UTP.
The way to do this is to terminate all the cables at a patch panel in a convenient place (cupboard somewhere with power and a small amount of ventilation). You can choose to fit an ethernet switch, and then short patch leads (0.5m or whatever) between the switch and the patch panel.
If you want to use the UTP for something else, eg analogue phone or video, you instead buy an adaptor from that to UTP and connect that to the patch panel.
If you want to reconfigure, for example move the phone to another room, you just replug the patch leads.
You can cut corners here (eg skip the patch panel and fit plugs to your cables directly), but you lose out on robustness and flexibility.
Theo
Quite ... and why we were talking about terminating the Cat6e in wall boxes and buying ready made patch cables to go between them and the main / secondary switch / devices. ;-)
Are you ready for me to pop over then?
Cheers, T i m
p.s. Tim seems to have Cat6e because he mentioned a drain wire and foil screen. Now when I installed ~50 Cat5e STP cables (electricity generation station) I used proper STP patch cables and patch panel and Ethernet switch etc (I can't remember which one provided the final earth(s)).
I was my plan to simply ignore the screen for Tim as he really only needs Cat5e spec for this current (Gb networking) job and it could be picked up in the future, should it be required for a specific application? Or shouldn't it actually be *S*TP?
Cheers, T i m
Errm yes, this is actually preferable. Then you patch across to your network switch.
And as mentioned elsewhere, Tim has described the cable he had installed as STP? Now, it could be that it's std Cat6e and I believe that comes with a drain wire and foil screen?
The nearest he has to that is a cupboard in the (upstairs) lounge and that's where the BT cable will terminate, along with 3 runs to other places. I was thinking either single or double plastic surface mount wall boxes in the cupboard and pre made patch cables used as you suggest ...
Ignoring the spec of the hub / switch in whatever router he ends up with, that could end up being the only device he needs at that location, for now anyway. That said, I believe he did order 2 x 5 port Gb switches for the job.
I believe he has some Cat5 run in for the BT line stuff.
Quite, or plug them in as needed etc.
As Tim seemed reluctant to fit any of this himself, I offered to help and he won't get any plugs crimped directly to the (solid) cables if I'm doing it (even if there are such plugs for solid Cat6e). ;-)
Cheers, T i m
Is not that difficult with an appropriate crimp tool. However terminating solid core cable is easier into either a socket, or a patch panel, where you can then use pre-made patch leads for connecting stuff up.
In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, T i m snipped-for-privacy@spaced.me.uk> writes
Yes. 3 way. I was wondering about ways to get more done before calling you out. You did express some nervousness about fitting RJ45 plugs to cat6:-)
Current plan is router to switch. Switch outlets to cables.
Ok, I will make up the odd patch cable, like if I have to poke a 'patch' cable though something without the plug but other than that, it's generally cheaper (even in components) to buy them ready made.
Quite, and I have my Krone / 'punch down' tool at the ready for him, along with fine cutters, strong glasses and cable tester. ;-)
Damn right!
Cheers, T i m
Well without a patch panel, either terminate all the "central" cables onto RJ45 sockets, so they can be patched into a switch as and when required, or be really cheapskate and crimp RJ45 plugs straight onto them, and plug them direct into a switch.
You can get pretty small/cheap patch panels e.g.
Well that's the only sort of plug that's going to work for you really. Ethernet/UTP networking is built with 'patch cables' consisting of UTP with one RJ45 plug on each end. You then build your network by plugging these in as required. A home network will usually just have a switch to interconnect the different devices on the network, bigger more complex networks may well have patch panels as well, but whatever you have, all the interconnecting is done with the same simple 'patch cables'.
Check.
Don't worry about that mate, happy to pop over / help anytime.
Well yes, to the point where I wouldn't. ;-)
The (solid) Cat6e was going to be terminated (both ends) in wall boxes, with bought in patch cables between them and the devices (switch, router, PC's etc).
So, The Cat6e (data) and Cat5 (BT) terminates in your lounge cupboard. The Cat6e goes into surface mount wall boxes with either a single or double faceplate (double may be hard work because of the inflexibility of the Cat6e cable that you have already mentioned). The Cat5 will be terminated by BT into their master box and they may be happy to also connect your 'extension' Cat5 run from there back to your study and a slave box.
The same Cat6e / wall box solution will be used in A's bedroom cupboard and the two sockets 'joined' by a patch cable (to get data back to the study) or go in and out one of the switches, if you decided you wanted another data connection there (wired printer or another access point etc).
Cheers, T i m
I'll be doing the former I think. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
p.s. I recently replaced a 'hand made' Cat6 patch cable with a production Cat5e cable because it failed in use after a few years.
I questioned the use of crimped connectors directly on the end of the solid cables when he had it all installed but ... ;-(
Cheers, T i m
I don't think Tim was questioning the plug Chris, more the doing it (and I can't blame him, it's not 'fun', even with modularised plugs). ;-)
I think he may have forgotten (too much 'Xmyth spirit?) we were going to terminate the Cat6 runs in RJ45 surface wall boxes and used pre-made patch cables to hook it all up.
I think after the electrician ran the Cat6 in a bit of a loop-in layout, I have had a look at it and he has such run some extra Cat6 in and some Cat5 for the BT side.
The only distraction from what could have been a true star is one run (lounge to study) goes though a bedroom cupboard but that can either be just passively 'patched through' or actively joined using one of the two switches he has lined up.
Given he seems to have good wireless coverage throughout the house (we tested that with my spare AP) the only wired connection I believe he expects to use straight away is to his PC in the study. All the rest will be wireless, to start with anyway (laptops, tablets, phones etc).
Cheers, T i m
It also mentions it in the preparing cables section: "Finally use a permanent marker or some other system to label each end."
Indeed, much quicker. You can do it by terminating all the sockets and then injecting a tone to trace the right cable to terminate at the patch panel, but it can be a slow way of working - especially if working alone!
I remember years ago having a special set of cable labels - they had a whit section to write on, and then a long clear tail that would wind right round the cable several times. This fully encapsulating the written on bit. With hind site the main failing was the supplied pen - the ink fades and blurs with time, such that a number of years later, many are now unreadable. (whereas cables where I wrote directly on the sheath with a pencil or a sharpie are still easy to read).
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