What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

[southernboys]

Hey guys looking through an old post came across a common situation. The wrapping of the brown and green wires. Just wondering how the majority of you guys do this. Around the cable or something else. Also what are the brown and green wires for. Also is it pretty standard across us to land the or under the black and orwh next to it. If I had phone jack with me I could remember the color code. Thanks

 

[hurk27]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Green = Blue/white = Tip1
Red = Blue = Ring1 1st pair
Black = Orange/white = Tip2
Yellow = Orange = Ring2 2nd pair

Green and brown pairs are 3rd and 4th pairs in a 4 line system or when used as a network cable.
I do as you wrap them around the others or fold them into the back of the box.
under no circumstance cut them off as you never know when they will be needed

 

[jimwalker]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Some now run cat 5 or even 6 to phones.Added plus if they hook to a computer someday.Leave extra wire in wall do not cut any off or any unused pairs

 

[jimwalker]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover



[ August 25, 2005, 06:16 AM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]

 

[mkoloj]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Originally posted by jimwalker:
Some now run cat 5 or even 6 to phones.Added plus if they hook to a computer someday.Leave extra wire in wall do not cut any off or any unused pairs

Are you proposing that the network and phone share a cable ???
If yes I would like to see how this looks on the other end of that cable.

 

[arjo_reich]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Originally posted by mkoloj:

Originally posted by jimwalker:
Some now run cat 5 or even 6 to phones.Added plus if they hook to a computer someday.Leave extra wire in wall do not cut any off or any unused pairs

Are you proposing that the network and phone share a cable ???
If yes I would like to see how this looks on the other end of that cable.

The thing to be careful about this is that, even though 100 Mbps networks only require two of the four pairs of twisted wires, Gigabit (1000 Mbps) networks require all four paires of the wire.

 

[mkoloj]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Originally posted by arjo_reich:

Originally posted by mkoloj:

Originally posted by jimwalker:
Some now run cat 5 or even 6 to phones.Added plus if they hook to a computer someday.Leave extra wire in wall do not cut any off or any unused pairs

Are you proposing that the network and phone share a cable ???
If yes I would like to see how this looks on the other end of that cable.

The thing to be careful about this is that, even though 100 Mbps networks only require two of the four pairs of twisted wires, Gigabit (1000 Mbps) networks require all four paires of the wire.

I understand that gigabit needs 4 pairs, and definitely do not advocate using a single cable for both. I would just like to see what kind of mess is left behind when the cables are broken out and used for both purposes.

As for the extra pairs when using 4 pair cable for a 2 pair connection, take it and wrap it around your finger and then remove your finger (very important step) and put it in the wall for possibly adding another line later on down the road. Some people (a lot of telco techs)wrap it back around the jacket. As seen here in a post by our friend arjo_reich: http://www.mikeholt.com/codeforum/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000354

 

[mkoloj]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Originally posted by arjo_reich:

Originally posted by mkoloj:

Originally posted by jimwalker:
Some now run cat 5 or even 6 to phones.Added plus if they hook to a computer someday.Leave extra wire in wall do not cut any off or any unused pairs

Are you proposing that the network and phone share a cable ???
If yes I would like to see how this looks on the other end of that cable.

The thing to be careful about this is that, even though 100 Mbps networks only require two of the four pairs of twisted wires, Gigabit (1000 Mbps) networks require all four paires of the wire.

I understand that gigabit needs 4 pairs, and definitely do not advocate using a single cable for both. I would just like to see what kind of mess is left behind when the cables are broken out and used for both purposes.

As for the extra pairs when using 4 pair cable for a 2 pair connection, take it and wrap it around your finger and then remove your finger (very important step) and put it in the wall for possibly adding another line later on down the road. Some people (a lot of telco techs)wrap it back around the jacket, which I am not a fan of. As seen here in a post by our friend arjo_reich: http://www.mikeholt.com/codeforum/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000354

 

[jimwalker]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

What im suggesting is they could set up a router.A phone is an easy cure with cordless anymore.No matter what we install in 5 years it will be out dated.Will likely be pulling cat 6 in my own shortly.Fiber optic is going down our street right now.The roadrunner just met its match

 

[mkoloj]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

http://www22.verizon.com/fiosforhome/channels/fios/root/package.asp

Check out that link you (in some areas) can get a claimed 15 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload connection for $5 more than I am paying for my cable modem at home. I tried to look for what Cablevision claims its residential conection to be and could only find info for a business cable modem service that offered 10Mbps down and 1 Mbps up for $79.95.
For the average person surfing the web at home this bandwidth is a little bit of overkill. Unless you are of the breed that need the latest and greatest even if it is unnecessary or running a home Office running some intense applications then you can probably get along just fine with basic DSL.
A lot of people are buying into the whole Cat 6 bug (Cha-Ching!!) but I could see it ending up just like Cat 4, which I barely see at all. There is something about the even numbered categories of comm cabling that just doesn't seem to catch on. IMO you might see the need for Cat 6 to be more hype than necessity, Cat 7 is already offered and uses different connectors which will make it necessary to place your current network hardware that uses 8pos modular connectors next to your VCR.
Although they do offer a patch cord that is backward compatible and has an 8pin (Rj-45) modular plug on one end so you can use your existing hardware it is not said to support the speed that Cat 7 is capable of.
Here is what is next in line when a lot of the Cat 6 ends up on Ebay.

Connectors:
http://siemon.com/e-catalog/ECAT_GI_page.aspx?GI_ID=wa_tera-4-pair-outlet

Cable:
http://siemon.com/e-catalog/ECAT_GI_page.aspx?GI_ID=cable_tera_1200_mhz

[ August 26, 2005, 09:15 AM: Message edited by: mkoloj ]

 

[ryan_618]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Strip it and recycle it

 

[mkoloj]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Originally posted by ryan_618:
Strip it and recycle it

Ryan: I hope you are not implying to strip the 24 awg conductors and head to the scrap yard ??

 

[ryan_618]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Originally posted by mkoloj:

Originally posted by ryan_618:
Strip it and recycle it

 

[mkoloj]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

That would be one cruel thing to make someone do.
I wonder what the ratio of copper to jacket is in 24awg comm cabling.
I believe I remember that a 1000' reel of CMR Cat 5e weighs in at about 25 lbs. Take away the outer jacket and then the individual insulation on each conductor and you might be better off making a cooper wool sweater.

 

[iwire]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Cat 5 is worth scrapping, it adds up pretty quick without stripping it.

It's not as nice as some 600 Kcmil CU but it is worth the effort to bring it to the scrap yard.

 

[hbiss]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Cat 7 is already offered and uses different connectors

Ugh! The day I have to do that is the day I quit doing data wiring. Is that stuff shielded? What a PITA, it's really getting ridiculous. How much will you have to charge to make any money?

Hey, one good thing though. How many of you are going to use CAT 7 wire for everything low voltage heh?

-Hal

 

[jimwalker]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

"Ugh! The day I have to do that is the day I quit doing data wiring. Is that stuff shielded? What a PITA, it's really getting ridiculous. How much will you have to charge to make any money?"

Just whats so hard about it ? The more that pass it up the higher the price goes.

 

[hbiss]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

Just whats so hard about it?

Most guys can't even get CAT5e terminations right what do you think is going to happen with this?

To the point, I posed a question a little while ago and I never got an answer. True, CAT 7 (or even CAT 5e) terminations are no problem if you only are doing a few. What happens when you get a large job with 100's or 1000's of terminations? What kind of worker are you going to find that will do that repetitive BS day in and day out and do it right?

That's the problem, nobody with any intelligence is going to want do it, not to mention company liability for carpel tunnel and other repetitive motion problems.

One reason UTP replaced the old RG-58 thinnet, was because it was easier and more efficient to terminate than putting BNC connectors on coax. Seems that with each new generation UTP becomes a magnitude more fussy or difficult and CAT 7 takes a quantum leap.

It's going to come to the point where nobody is going to want to do this stuff and few of those who do will do it properly.

-Hal

 

[jimwalker]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

How is that any differant than a guy putting in hundreds of outlets or wiring in 100's of lay ins ? Sure it's booring work but with good pay you can find guys that can and will do it.As electricians we often get assigned booring jobs.For last 2 days i been putting in cutin boxes and piping to above ceiling for fire.intercom.and door openers.Easy job but very booring.

 

[hbiss]

Re: What to do with two pairs of cat5 leftover

I knew you were going to say that. Try doing 100 or so data jacks sometime.

It doesn't take a lot of skill to do what you are talking about. Fat fingers aren't a problem. I would take installing 100 receptacles over 100 data jacks any day.

Terminating data cables is more intricate (for lack of a better word) and you need to keep your concentration. It is also murder on your hands, fingers and wrists because you have to untwist those damn tightly twisted pairs. It also requires a certain amount of dexterity.

Believe me, been there and done that and it looks like it's only getting worse.

-Hal

[ August 27, 2005, 07:19 PM: Message edited by: hbiss ]