# cat 6 what to know



## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

Im going to be running and terminating some cat 6 sometime this week, is there anything that i should know before doing this, or is it just the same as cat 5/5e? its not a large run,, under 500feet with all basement access.... :thumbsup::thumbup:


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

um, it should only be 300 feet would be a good starting point. 

Be sure to strip as little jacket as possible to eliminate failure.

do not add, or take away any of the twist

be sure its a cat 6 key stone

be sure its a cat 6 panel

if all of the patch panels, and cables are not cat6, the system will not be cat6. 

otherwise its just like cat5.


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

mikeh32 said:


> um, it should only be 300 feet would be a good starting point.
> 
> Be sure to strip as little jacket as possible to eliminate failure.
> 
> ...



its a bunch of shorter runs (meant that im working off of a 500ft roll)

there is no keystone jacks yet. its just going to be male ends on each end of wire

i did have them order a cat 6 hub

they are slowly replacing the whole building to cat 6


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

JoeKP said:


> its a bunch of shorter runs (meant that im working off of a 500ft roll)
> 
> there is no keystone jacks yet. its just going to be male ends on each end of wire
> 
> ...


until everything is cat6, the system will run at a cat5.

otherwise, sounds like you got it


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

JoeKP said:


> there is no keystone jacks yet. its just going to be male ends on each end of wire
> 
> they are slowly replacing the whole building to cat 6


Male ends? Not my preference, been to many jobs putting keystones on failed ends.

Plan on spending extra time if its cat6 with a spline. 5 may be becoming obsolete, but properly installed will still handle 1gb+


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

JoeKP said:


> its a bunch of shorter runs (meant that im working off of a 500ft roll)
> 
> there is no keystone jacks yet. its just going to be male ends on each end of wire
> 
> ...


WTF is a cat6 hub?


~Matt


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> WTF is a cat6 hub?
> 
> 
> ~Matt


i think he meant panel


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

mikeh32 said:


> i think he meant panel


Figured as well... He needs to get his terms correct.

~Matt


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Here is the latest CAT (6) fittings on the market.. 

http://www.telephoneparts.com/index.cgi?product=EZRJ45


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

B4T said:


> Here is the latest CAT (6) fittings on the market..
> 
> http://www.telephoneparts.com/index.cgi?product=EZRJ45






































must... resist... trolling...

I know you couldnt help it. :thumbup:

~Matt


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> must... resist... trolling...
> 
> I know you couldnt help it. :thumbup:
> 
> ~Matt


That was for the guys looking for an easier way of making up the terminations..

You are already an expert..


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

B4T said:


> That was for the guys looking for an easier way of making up the terminations..
> 
> You are already an expert..


There isnt anyone else in the world I would rather ask about pvc boxes or scotchcoat than you, my friend, the expert. :jester:


~Matt


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## egads (Sep 1, 2009)

It's not trolling, he's a thread whore. That is someone who must post something in every thread no matter what. At least this post was germane.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

egads said:


> It's not trolling, he's a thread whore. That is someone who must post something in every thread no matter what. At least this post was germane.


I have nothing to add...


~Matt


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I've had the misfortune of having to work with that stuff with the spline inside quite a bit lately. I'm almost resolved to hire out future cat6 work. I can't certify the install anyhow, but so far, no one has asked me to. Doesn't matter anyhow. Any cat5e network or better is going to be invisible to ordinary PC's that people are using on it anyhow. I've yet to be at a customer's site where they have PC's with greater than gigabit NIC's. Most people's MDF's are connected to the IDF's with fiber, so that speed is plenty fine already.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

egads said:


> It's not trolling, he's a thread whore. That is someone who must post something in every thread no matter what. At least this post was germane.


I thought the video was pretty good...the connectors the guy was using look a lot easyer than the old ones...


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## sarness (Sep 14, 2010)

Yeah, my first experience with the spline was interesting, I did like the keystones better though as I didn't need to untwist them.

I don't get all the hype really, I have customers running 1gb on c5, and have seen 10gb on 5e+. Sure c6 has more bandwidth, but how many people will actually use it? (Let alone pay for it?)


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## reddog552 (Oct 11, 2007)

*Cat 7*

Whats with the Cat 6 stuff I now installing Cat 7


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

sarness said:


> Yeah, my first experience with the spline was interesting, I did like the keystones better though as I didn't need to untwist them.
> 
> I don't get all the hype really, I have customers running 1gb on c5, and have seen 10gb on 5e+. Sure c6 has more bandwidth, but how many people will actually use it? (Let alone pay for it?)


Well this install is at a tv studio. So they do alot of data transfer. And have multiple computers with data access that run the stations So hopefully they will see the difference making the transition from wireless to cat 6


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## hbiss (Mar 1, 2008)

MDShunk said:


> I'm almost resolved to hire out future cat6 work.


Ahhh, so you're finally thinking like me now!:whistling2:

_its just going to be male ends on each end of wire._

Yeah, good luck with that. Do yourself a BIG favor and put keystones on the ends even if you don't put plates on the wall. Use a patch cable to connect the equipment to the jack. Oh, and get yourself a wiremap tester to check your work. 


-Hal


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

hbiss said:


> Ahhh, so you're finally thinking like me now!:whistling2:


No. I've always been an asshole.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

MDShunk said:


> No. I've always been an asshole.


That was pretty quick for a sick guy.. :laughing:


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## crosport (Apr 4, 2010)

hbiss said:


> Ahhh, so you're finally thinking like me now!:whistling2:
> 
> _its just going to be male ends on each end of wire._
> 
> ...


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

I didnt want to say anything, but yeah... Your idea is ****ing crazy. You are going to have issues galore, and long term issues. 

are you going to certify the install too?


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

JoeKP said:


> ...its just going to be male ends on each end of wire...


Oh hell no. That is a true pain in the ass. I tried to bail a friend out that tried that, I never said so many curse words in a day. Took me and a low volt tech to get all the issues worked out, we ended up redoing it all with keystones.


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## hbiss (Mar 1, 2008)

MDShunk said:


> No. I've always been an asshole.


The first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem. Congratulations.:laughing:

-Hal


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

Jlarson said:


> Oh hell no. That is a true pain in the ass. I tried to bail a friend out that tried that, I never said so many curse words in a day. Took me and a low volt tech to get all the issues worked out, we ended up redoing it all with keystones.


I went in the other day to make a short cable (from the modem to the first HUB) and it was such a pain to make up the cable. I don't know how, but when i compressed the fittings on each end, one side bent the wires over just a bit so they wouldn't pierce the wire, and the other side just didn't cut the insulation. I don't know if it was the cheapo Home Depot wire they bought or the Ideal connectors they bought....  After that fiasco, I went online to amazon and bought keystone jacks, plates and patch cables for the whole building....


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

B4T said:


> Here is the latest CAT (6) fittings on the market..
> 
> http://www.telephoneparts.com/index.cgi?product=EZRJ45


Those EZ jacks are the only way to go :thumbup: 

Had to use them for the first time recently on stranded cat 5 and I don't think I could ever go back now


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## johnsmithabe (May 3, 2011)

with out this much complication, i think cat 5 is much better.


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

johnsmithabe said:


> with out this much complication, i think cat 5 is much better.


Well. They already bought all the stuff. But the install date is being pushed back until a sexual assault charge is pushed away... Stupid blonde in the office causing drama...

Sent from my tracfone prepaid phone.


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

*Ethernet cable?*

Hi, I need to add a router at home,(not a big techie here )

It's for a dual; band wireless router- NetGear-wndr3300.

It has a short 8 pr cable.

Is this cat 5 or 6? Looking to carry 5GHZ.
The run is going to be 90'.

Not sure of the particulars. Just looking to get a jack at the TV location and the computer location. To open up any options we may need.

Thanx.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

5 is fine


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

5 will be more then enough


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## gswimfrk (Jan 19, 2013)

leland said:


> Hi, I need to add a router at home,(not a big techie here )
> 
> It's for a dual; band wireless router- NetGear-wndr3300.
> 
> ...


Careful here, 5Ghz is an electromagnetic wave frequency, it is not used to describe data transfer rates across a 4 pair copper cat cable. 

You probably mean you need 10/100 or Fast-ethernet seeing that the Netgear WNDR3300 is not a gigabit router. Generally if you need a reliable gigabit link (1000), always use all CAT 6 or higher components. If you go the 10/100 route, cat 5 or higher will suffice. 

Good luck with your project, if it is going through the walls, I would just put in a cat 6 to be "future ready".... (at least we can try).


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## gswimfrk (Jan 19, 2013)

randas said:


> Those EZ jacks are the only way to go :thumbup:
> 
> Had to use them for the first time recently on stranded cat 5 and I don't think I could ever go back now


I heard of this product too!! But beware... If you get a chance to look at the product, notice where the wires poke through on the CAT 6 connectors are not staggered like most other standard connectors. This has the potential of causing poor NEXT numbers. 

In general, I prefer to use factory patch cords... :jester: just my 2 cents.


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## triden (Jun 13, 2012)

MDShunk said:


> I've had the misfortune of having to work with that stuff with the spline inside quite a bit lately. I'm almost resolved to hire out future cat6 work. I can't certify the install anyhow, but so far, no one has asked me to. Doesn't matter anyhow. Any cat5e network or better is going to be invisible to ordinary PC's that people are using on it anyhow. I've yet to be at a customer's site where they have PC's with greater than gigabit NIC's. Most people's MDF's are connected to the IDF's with fiber, so that speed is plenty fine already.


This is an old thread, but I will play anyhow.

Cat6 has about double the bandwidth of the average cat5e cable. If you connect together two gigabit network cards with cat5e, you will not get gigabit transfer speeds. This is especially true on runs of 100 feet or more. Cat6 on the other hand will give you much faster transfer rates even on gigabit network equipment. Also remember that cat6 has much better interference rejection and minimizes cable crosstalk which is what you want when you have a bundle of cat6 cables running beside each other.


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

I hate to say it, but I'm still doing this project  . Still waiting to order more patch cords and keystones.


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## great68 (Dec 31, 2012)

You guys still using 5 & 6. :laughing: just finished our 3rd Cat 8 install


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## CDN EC (Jul 31, 2011)

triden said:


> This is an old thread, but I will play anyhow.
> 
> Cat6 has about double the bandwidth of the average cat5e cable. If you connect together two gigabit network cards with cat5e, you will not get gigabit transfer speeds. This is especially true on runs of 100 feet or more. Cat6 on the other hand will give you much faster transfer rates even on gigabit network equipment. Also remember that cat6 has much better interference rejection and minimizes cable crosstalk which is what you want when you have a bundle of cat6 cables running beside each other.


How about with shorter runs? I was told by multiple data guys working on the server room of a stock brokerage that short runs (IIRC 50' or under) of Cat6 were really prone to crosstalk.

Anyone know if this is true for all Cat6 or just a specific brand?


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## triden (Jun 13, 2012)

It shouldn't be near as bad as cat5e would be. Technically, the longer the run, the worse it would be as the twisted pairs have more time to 'talk' to each other. It could be that what they are saying is just here-say and is based on a gut feeling...and we know how that goes. Cat6 has two pairs that are twisted tighter than the other, so talk between pairs and talk between cables are lower. Cat6a on the other hand twists all the pairs together which really minimizes crosstalk between cable runs and is ideal for long high-bandwidth connections.


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## CDN EC (Jul 31, 2011)

The thing I find weird about it is they were cabling a data centre for a stock-brokerage - basically spec'd to be as fast and clean as possible for trading. They weren't joking around, they were using Belden cable IIRC, but curious if that whole thing came to be maybe not because of the cable or system-generated issues or who-knows-what, but they weren't kidding about it anyway.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

CDN EC said:


> The thing I find weird about it is they were cabling a data centre for a stock-brokerage - basically spec'd to be as fast and clean as possible for trading. They weren't joking around, they were using Belden cable IIRC, but curious if that whole thing came to be maybe not because of the cable or system-generated issues or who-knows-what, but they weren't kidding about it anyway.


Beldens the nicest stuff Ive used, if the wiremaps correct then its going to certify, no next, fext or star passes with that stuff.


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## Marcus (Mar 30, 2010)

Belden, Panduit or Systimax is all I have used, mostly. I really like a job where everything is spec'd 100% Panduit - awesome stuff to work with especially the 45deg. patch panels.

Panduit panels are also great with all of the insert mechs you can use - TV, audio, fibre, etc. Large MATV systems (and sometimes CCTV) I'll use all rackmount gear & have all of my RG6's terminated to Panduit panels with straight through F-Type mechs. Make up a heap of flyleads and you have a real slick install.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Best cabling in the whole wide world, and many systems seem to still have switch glitches and software issues anyhow. :laughing:


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