Discuss Self build - wiring a new network. Advice please. in the Computer and Networking Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Funny old story, we did an install for a bit of a geek once. He was adamant he wanted cat6 so that's what we installed. It was like Microsoft hq by the time we'd done, but he didn't want to spend a penny more on the electrical install (new fusebox at same time) than he had too - fit the cheapest carp available. Strange that ain't it, the networking had to be the best of the best, but he wasn't interested in spending money on a system that might actually cause harm.
 
I did a lot of reading around before I posted and I know there is debate about cat6 or cat5e.

I'll likely go cat5e I suspect. But if there is a good price on cat6 then...

I see CPC have what looks like an offer on cable at the moment - but my earlier post took a while to get approved so I think it missed its place in the conversation, so to speak. :)

Would this be a good buy...
PP7106 - PRO POWER - Multipair Unscreened Cable, 25 AWG, 0.2 mm², 1 x 0.5mm², 328 ft, 100 m | CPC UK
 
get 10gb cat6 for future proof or run conduit so you can network them all later.

nvme ssd's are running at 2500MB/s now so wont be long till your internal network can saturate the bandwith

thats just m.2 ssd.


10gb switches are expensive atm and are a couple years out till there affordable but combing that with the massive price drop in ssd's its worth looking.
 
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I did a lot of reading around before I posted and I know there is debate about cat6 or cat5e.

I'll likely go cat5e I suspect. But if there is a good price on cat6 then...

I see CPC have what looks like an offer on cable at the moment - but my earlier post took a while to get approved so I think it missed its place in the conversation, so to speak. :)

Would this be a good buy...
PP7106 - PRO POWER - Multipair Unscreened Cable, 25 AWG, 0.2 mm², 1 x 0.5mm², 328 ft, 100 m | CPC UK
Hi mate, we buy 305m for about 40 I think so that looks a pretty good price
 
get 10gb cat6 for future proof or run conduit so you can network them all later.

nvme ssd's are running at 2500MB/s now so wont be long till your internal network can saturate the bandwith

thats just m.2 ssd.


10gb switches are expensive atm and are a couple years out till there affordable but combing that with the massive price drop in ssd's its worth looking.
But what's going to take up that bandwidth? BT are streaming 4k video now over a standard fibre connection (20meg or better). So streaming 10 4k videos at a time from a local nas isn't going to use the bandwidth capabilities of cat 5e.

There's honestly nothing in a domestic setting that needs cat6 or will anytime in the next 20 years.
 
But what's going to take up that bandwidth? BT are streaming 4k video now over a standard fibre connection (20meg or better). So streaming 10 4k videos at a time from a local nas isn't going to use the bandwidth capabilities of cat 5e.

There's honestly nothing in a domestic setting that needs cat6 or will anytime in the next 20 years.
i dont agree with that, 20 years ago we were using 20gb hard drives and floppy disks!!!!

anyway 4k isnt really 4k if you compare it to 480,720 and 1080


technically if you go by the naming convention used for 4k all1080 screens are really 2k
 
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i dont agree with that, 20 years ago we were using 20gb hard drives and floppy disks!!!!
We were still using them 10 years ago mate. Cat6 has been around for years, it's designed for media/data heavy applications. Yep I agree technology takes off at an unbelievable rate but cat5e is typically used at not even a fraction of its limitation. You can't compare the growth of local storage to networking.

It's a bit like recommending a 15 way consumer unit for an install of 4 circuits. Yeah there's the possibility of needing some room for expansion but not 11 spare ways worth.

Honestly, our network at work is classed as extremely data heavy, if I showed you usage, network never breaches 1% even in peak times.
 
unless you want to run a server farm you wont need any more than standard cat5 100 mbits/s.
stay away from CCA cable, get proper copper one.
 
We were still using them 10 years ago mate. Cat6 has been around for years, it's designed for media/data heavy applications. Yep I agree technology takes off at an unbelievable rate but cat5e is typically used at not even a fraction of its limitation. You can't compare the growth of local storage to networking.

It's a bit like recommending a 15 way consumer unit for an install of 4 circuits. Yeah there's the possibility of needing some room for expansion but not 11 spare ways worth.

Honestly, our network at work is classed as extremely data heavy, if I showed you usage, network never breaches 1% even in peak times.
they have had bms for 30 years and still use the same systems today

why do they need to upgrade?
 
Aww come on mate, I've made a pretty solid argument why cat5e is sufficient. That comment is nothing more than to get a rise out of me surely?
for most people cat3 is sufficent. depends what people want and do.

i regually backup iso backups.

anyway for the price differencr i would use cat6e

18p a metre vs 25p a meter not much in it
 
i wouldnt install cat6 a lot of cat6 has the same rating as cat5e thats why i said 6e.



There's no such thing as a cat6e standard, it was a gimmick by manufacturers to con people into thinking that their cat6 is better than other cat6.
There is a cat6a standard in existence though, it has a slightly better crosstalk resistance at very high frequencies. But just to complicate things there is a difference between IEC cat6a and TIA cat6a.
You could of course go up to cat7 but then the connectors aren't compatible.
 
There's no such thing as a cat6e standard, it was a gimmick by manufacturers to con people into thinking that their cat6 is better than other cat6.
There is a cat6a standard in existence though, it has a slightly better crosstalk resistance at very high frequencies. But just to complicate things there is a difference between IEC cat6a and TIA cat6a.
You could of course go up to cat7 but then the connectors aren't compatible.
true cat6 comes in 1gbs and 10gbs cat6e is easier to say though ^^

none of these data cables will hit there rated speed though
 
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Wanted to post back just to say thanks for all the advice and let you know what the outcome is...

I have bought 305m of Excel 100-060 cable (£45 delivered)
Category 5e Unscreened (U/UTP) Cable - LSOH | Excel Networking

And also a 24 port patch panel (£10.35 delivered)
RJ45 Cat5e 24 Port Ethernet Network Patch Panel 1U 19" Wall Mounted Bracket Rack | eBay

I plan to run a lot more cable runs than I will initially need and then terminate them in the patch panel to future proof the install.

As far as needing the higher spec of cat6 goes, my final thinking was this. Given that even streaming 4K from Netflix or Amazon only requires 20mbs, a decent cat5e solid copper cable, capable of up to 1gigabit in speed is going to give me all the future proofing I need. An old work colleague (IT Manager) has advised me on the best way to terminate the runs, hence the simple patch panel.

Anyway, cheers all for the advice and comments. Great forum and as I am currently undertaking a self build project that is just about to get into the ground, you may find me asking more questions over the next few weeks.

All the best :)
 
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