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Cat5 or 6 for wiring up the house?


Tipex
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I'm in the process of routing some cables so when Sky Q is fitted at the weekend I don't have to argue with the installer about him running a cable all around the outside of the house and then around the room tacked to a skirting board, they often refuse to go in attics etc too so I'm getting all that done so he just has to connect both ends.

 

Also means I know the cable will be routed correctly and with the highest grade shielded cable possible without any kinks or sharp bends.

 

Anyway, while I'm running them it makes sense to run the network cables I need to run up in to the attic where the router is going to live once I've moved the BT cable.

 

I'll be running several cables to service the downstairs of the house, anyone recommend what type of cable I should use?

 

I ideally want to pick it up later today from Maplin and the options are Cat5e or Cat6 is it worth bothering with Cat6? or is that completely unnecessary?

 

Solid or stranded?

 

Shielded or unshielded?

 

'Normal' or 350mhz?

 

Alternatively, I could order from Amazon as Prime should see it here tomorrow, so if there is something better/significantly cheaper...

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I was always led to believe there was no point in Cat6 for this whatsoever - I think its been discussed on here in the past when I asked a similar question +++

I've made runs of normal unshielded cat5e all around my house via the loft too. Works great

Edited by Waylander
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When I cabled our place some years ago I used CAT5e shielded as there were all sorts of power cables nearby.  I got a drum of cable from Amazon I think and there was a choice of colours (I got orange so that the cables are easy to identify) I also got a cable tester at the same time just to make sure all the ends were terminated correctly.

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Think I'll order some CAT5e shielded, solid copper core then.

It will have to pass near power cables (at right angles wherever possible) so might as well get shielded, it certainly won't do any harm.

Might get a tester too then, thanks guys.

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Oh, and how many cables to each room?

Just the one and then stick a switch on it with however many ports I need for each room? Or run say, 4 separate cables to the lounge (TV, BluRay, Sky, games console) and having a big switch panel in the loft next to the router.

I guess the benefit of not having a switch in each room is one less power socket, one less box to hide, the downside being 4 RJ45 Sockets on the wall with 4 cables coming out of them.

Is there any technical benefit to either approach? Is one way more 'correct' than the other?

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Think I'll probably run 4 to the lounge, 4 to the games room, probably a couple to most other rooms.

 

Bedrooms are easy to add to at a later date but I want to make sure I have enough downstairs before I put the house back together.

 

All will terminate in proper faceplates in the wall.

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Proper faceplates usually have the facility to take 2 or 4 sockets neatly, so for rooms that have more than one device you may as well put several in while you're there.

Cabling in an office is always an 'N+1' problem, I'm sure a house will go the same way eventually.

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Good point, I'm going to run a spare to each room as well I think, so that'll be 5 to the lounge but leave one un-terminated in the back box, that should solve any future requirement issues or in the unlikely event of a cable failing it'll be a simple job to replace.

 

I'm a bit OCD about cables and sockets etc, everything has to be flush with the wall and neat so a 4 socket face plate will be perfect, just a shame all our walls are brick so it's going to be a pain in the arse drilling out for the back box, but I'm putting in 4 extra power sockets too so might as well go all out with the RJ45's as well as the TV/Sat sockets.

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Incidentally, first time I've purchased from Amazon since becoming a Prime member, the cable and bits should arrive tomorrow, we'll see, interesting to see the 'This product is available cheaper from other suppliers' line under the price, I thought Prime meant you got the best price and free next day delivery, seems a bit of a con trick.

Edited by Tipex
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Shielded is a bit OTT for a house. You only need a 50mm gap between data and electric which should be easy enough to do.

Direct runs from a hub v drops and in room hubs are a simple choice of ease of direct runs v less hassle to run fewer cables down through properties.

Half and half, as in all feeds to floor under Attic via attic hub, and runs to a hub on each other floor level, and local cable from the floor hub to points on that floor.

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Why not just use extenders with a switch at the end, will give you ample enough bandwidth for home use unless you're copying Gb files all the time

 

Some people just have to have all the gear so that they look the part.  And they get it from Amazon Prime, ignoring all the local suppliers who could get it to them cheaper and quicker...

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Sky Q goes in Saturday so I'm not worried about adding WiFi extenders.

 

Unfortunately there isn't really a local supplier I could use other than Maplin, so given how much cheaper Amazon are compared to them.

 

Yes shielded is probably a bit OTT, but there are a few runs where electrical cables are unavoidable and I just don't want to risk it, the stuff that's coming today is both shielded and braided, it will help physically protect the cable especially during installation and it was no more expensive than un-sheilded of comparable specification (solid copper not Copper Clad Aluminium) so was a no brainer really, having run cables in a previous life I know how frustrating it can be to find a damaged cable, and how much the braiding helps protect it.

 

As for all the gear, well, running multiple cables to each room reduces the amount of equipment I'll need, instead of a switch in every room I'll just have one big one hidden in the attic.

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Sky Q goes in Saturday so I'm not worried about adding WiFi extenders.

 

Unfortunately there isn't really a local supplier I could use other than Maplin, so given how much cheaper Amazon are compared to them.

 

Yes shielded is probably a bit OTT, but there are a few runs where electrical cables are unavoidable and I just don't want to risk it, the stuff that's coming today is both shielded and braided, it will help physically protect the cable especially during installation and it was no more expensive than un-sheilded of comparable specification (solid copper not Copper Clad Aluminium) so was a no brainer really, having run cables in a previous life I know how frustrating it can be to find a damaged cable, and how much the braiding helps protect it.

 

As for all the gear, well, running multiple cables to each room reduces the amount of equipment I'll need, instead of a switch in every room I'll just have one big one hidden in the attic.

 

Gosh, some people take stuff you post on the Internet so seriously, don't they? :coffee::roflmao:

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