# cat 5 limitations



## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

I'm lost when it comes to data/network, I









had a customer ask if I could add a jack for a computer and wasn't sure? There is one cat 5 coming to this box that the phone plugs into. Can you get more than one Jack from one cat 5 cable? Forgive my ignorance.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

100 based T, yes.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

If the far end of that cable lands in a rack, you will have to get creative.


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## Edrick (Jun 6, 2010)

Can you yes, should you usually no. Is it conduit all the way back is it easy to pull another line? 100 only uses 2 of 4 pairs so technically you can


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

Yeah, just put a dual face plate on at the field end and split them across two jacks then make it easy for yourself and put an RJ45 splitter at the rack end, its probabally already hacked up anyone.


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## crazyboy (Nov 8, 2008)

It's hack, but it'll work.


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## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

He would I do this, pick a certain pair from cat5 to put on new jack, or split all wires and put them on the jacks?


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## ablyss (Feb 8, 2014)

The only way to supply two IP data connections with one cat5 is to put in a network switch. There is no other way. Unless you use the one computer as a router to NAT other pc's

Adding two or more phone lines is possible. But not ethernet and phone together unless DSL


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

GEORGE D said:


> He would I do this, pick a certain pair from cat5 to put on new jack, or split all wires and put them on the jacks?


First, find out what pins the phone system is using. It may only be two or it could be using pins 1, 2, 3, 6 or some other configuration.


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## Stuff (Oct 14, 2012)

Says "Time clock" written on the beam and looks like that is what is there on the left. Older clocks contain an analog modem so only use one pair. New ones use ethernet. Looks like there is a separate power feed so no PoE worries and would only need 2 pair.


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## ElectricJoeNJ (Feb 24, 2011)

ablyss said:


> The only way to supply two IP data connections with one cat5 is to put in a network switch. There is no other way. Unless you use the one computer as a router to NAT other pc's
> 
> Adding two or more phone lines is possible. But not ethernet and phone together unless DSL


Incorrect. As already stated 100 connections only require 2 pairs so you can get 2 connections from one cat 5. Or 2 phone connections and one data connection


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## ablyss (Feb 8, 2014)

ElectricJoeNJ said:


> Incorrect. As already stated 100 connections only require 2 pairs so you can get 2 connections from one cat 5. Or 2 phone connections and one data connection


Wow, I didn't know that. So one Cat5e can feed phone/fax/ and data.
What is the speed/frequency of the data? 100Mbs ?


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

crazyboy said:


> It's hack, but it'll work.


Define "Hack", it does meet all specifications and codes I am aware of. It's not even excluded in the TP-76XXX.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Is that rigid conduit being used for data? Talk about overkill.

You can definitely hack another jack in there using one Cat5. It isn't suggested and it isn't proper but it is doable.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

ablyss said:


> Wow, I didn't know that. So one Cat5e can feed phone/fax/ and data.
> What is the speed/frequency of the data? 100Mbs ?


Not only that but if there is a 3pr cat3 with a pots line on it, you can take the 2 spare pair for a 100 based T connection.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

jza said:


> Is that rigid conduit being used for data? Talk about overkill.
> 
> You can definitely hack another jack in there using one Cat5. It isn't suggested and it isn't proper but it is doable.


Looks like aluminum.


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## JustinG (Sep 4, 2012)

Is that an VOIP phone? If so, some have a built in switch for a computer to plug into. Take it off the wall and have a look.


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

Do it the right way and run another cable!


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## ttech (Jun 1, 2010)

Theoretically a Cat5 cable needs to be certified to be a cat5 cable assembly. 

The first test is wiremap. If wiremap doesn't pass the cable is not really a cat 5 cable assembly.


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## ablyss (Feb 8, 2014)

Just to clarify, 

If you have an existing CAT5 data line setup as 1000TX base and decided to split it up into multiple 100TX base, the overall data speed for each line is now 100MB/s, correct ?


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## ElectricJoeNJ (Feb 24, 2011)

ablyss said:


> Just to clarify,
> 
> If you have an existing CAT5 data line setup as 1000TX base and decided to split it up into multiple 100TX base, the overall data speed for each line is now 100MB/s, correct ?


Correct. But can you get 1000tx on cat5??


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

You can get 2 100mb from one cat5 cable. 

No, you can't get 1000tx from 5 (well, yes, but not recommend) , but yes from 5e.


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## FlyingSparks (Dec 10, 2012)

ablyss said:


> Just to clarify,
> 
> If you have an existing CAT5 data line setup as 1000TX base and decided to split it up into multiple 100TX base, the overall data speed for each line is now 100MB/s, correct ?


Noooo! Gigabit at theoretical maximum is 125MB/s. For this a small network switch should be used or run another drop.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

FlyingSparks said:


> Noooo! Gigabit at theoretical maximum is 125MB/s. For this a small network switch should be used or run another drop.


byte = 8 bits; 125X8= 1G(bits)/s


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## ablyss (Feb 8, 2014)

sarness said:


> You can get 2 100mb from one cat5 cable.
> 
> No, you can't get 1000tx from 5 (well, yes, but not recommend) , but yes from 5e.


Just two? Why not four ?


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

ablyss said:


> Just two? Why not four ?


I can get whatever I tell General Cable to make me and the boss wants to pay for, haah.


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## FlyingSparks (Dec 10, 2012)

five.five-six said:


> byte = 8 bits; 125X8= 1G(bits)/s


Yeah...


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## ablyss (Feb 8, 2014)

chewy said:


> I can get whatever I tell General Cable to make me and the boss wants to pay for, haah.


Chew-man, I'm finding it challenging to retort to this comment...I'm befuddled!!


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

ablyss said:


> Chew-man, I'm finding it challenging to retort to this comment...I'm befuddled!!


Just messing with you, you know like 50pr cat5e?


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## ablyss (Feb 8, 2014)

chewy said:


> Just messing with you, you know like 50pr cat5e?


Yeah


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## ablyss (Feb 8, 2014)

chewy said:


> Just messing with you, you know like 50pr cat5e?


That stuff is huge!


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

ablyss said:


> That stuff is huge!


Biggest Ive had was 400pr Cat3, forklift couldnt lift it up onto jacks so we had to put a cheater bar on the trailers winch to crank it up into the cradle.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

chewy said:


> Just messing with you, you know like 50pr cat5e?


My distributor stocks 25 pair at the distribution hub.


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

100 requires 2 pairs, hence you can get two separate 100's from each cable. 

1000 uses all 4 pairs so only one device. 

Want more? Just run 5e at 1000 and put a switch on the end.

The original spec of ether net was, 

W/Bl was voice
W/Or was data transmit
W/Gr was data receive 
W/Br was for mainframe connections 

There was also a brief stint of 200 which used two pairs to transmit and two pairs to receive. 

5e at 1000 is certainly doable, but not me then 50' or so over 5 in my experience.


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## jeffmoss26 (Dec 8, 2011)

We have a bunch of 25 pair cat 5 running through our building...it needs to come out and go right to the scrap yard!


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## ElectricJoeNJ (Feb 24, 2011)

jeffmoss26 said:


> We have a bunch of 25 pair cat 5 running through our building...it needs to come out and go right to the scrap yard!


Yeah. Easy money. I get 1.12 here for phone wire


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