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Joeinamillion

What Cat cable, connectors, etc should I use?

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After reading this thread: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=44546 I started looking into my options. Now have so many new questions.

 

When I buy my Cat6 wire I plan to get 1000ft, and will have lots left over. I know it can be used for home network use, but what other uses? I've heard it can, with adapters, extend HDMI, VGA, USB. I've heard it can replace coax, and phone wire? Is any of this reasonable to do? Any other legit uses?

 

I guess plain Cat6 is good enough for me, and I know I want solid wire. But then there is shielded, unshielded, FTP, STP, UTP, direct bury and so on. Are these terms sometimes the same thing just said differently? For residential runs (some wire outdoors, some indoors, through walls etc) what is best. I'd like to buy one 1000ft box. But should I consider two 500ft boxes and get two types? I am currently considering Monoprice brand from Amazon as suggested by people here (although they are not getting good shipping to Canada reviews right now, and I don't know if there will be an import fee). There is a Canadian seller, but their prices are much higher.

 

Next, the connectors. The difference in prices is mind blowing (from 3.6ea cents to about $10ea). There are one piece, two pieces, punch down... ack! I was looking at these: http://www.amazon.ca/Shielded-Connectors-Stranded-Pieces-CNE43897/dp/B00J3HHDCE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423340090&sr=8-1&keywords=CAT6+RJ45+shielded+connectors

 

Are connectors with an outter metal shell better? Then I saw these, but they cost so much: http://www.amazon.ca/Platinum-Tools-Shielded-Connector-202022J/dp/B00CJWU8V8/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1423340399&sr=8-6&keywords=CAT6+RJ45+shielded+connectors

 

Some connectors say "use with strand or soild", and "use with Cat5e or Cat6" and some say "shielded for shielded Cat6", should I choose one that is not 'dual' use or doesn't it matter? Do I have to use a connector that says "for shielded" if I buy shielded cable?

 

Next up the tools: Some connectors look like they might be for use with a certain type of RJ45 crimper, and there seems to be a lot of different styles of crimpers. I want a good crimper, and I figure whatever the extra cost is for a good crimper I would save in frustration, ruined connectors, and if I sell the tool later I'd get some of that cash back. Here are some I've looked at:

http://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-RJ-45-Modular-Crimping-108139/dp/B009GUNHSW/ref=sr_1_4?m=A2LC44S2ULTA3L&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1423281432&sr=1-4&keywords=rj45++tool

 

http://www.amazon.ca/TRENDnet-RJ-11-RJ-45-Crimp-TC-CT68/dp/B0000AZK4G/ref=pd_rhf_ee_s_cp_6_XRFW?ie=UTF8&refRID=11X33K92WCXKY09DP4FA

 

http://www.idealindustries.ca/products/datacomm/tools/telemaster_telephone_tool.php or http://www.idealindustries.ca/products/prodSelect.php?prodId=33-396&div=2&l1=tools&l2=crimpers&l3=33-396

 

And lastly...

 

For neatness should I use a wall plate near the NVR, and patch cables from the wall to the NVR? or is a straight cable run to the NVR best? If I'm making my own cables I can change it later, right?

 

Do you folks recommend boots on the cables, they don't cost much and do look pretty.

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what is your application ? a one if home installation or continuous installations ?

see:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisted_pair

for info on UTP, STP only matched up for 1gb speeds so utp should probably do for you and assuming your cables are not running in a heavy industrial plant with lots of electrical noise thus the connectors wont need to be shielded then.

If running outdoor cable it should have suitable uv resistance and handle the outdoor temperatures, if going underground it should be of a duct grade quality- impervious to water.

The tools all look ok - haven't seen the last one before.

the standard should be kept throughout the full installation ie all cat5 kit or all cat 6. one cat5 item in a cat6 install results in the system being classed as cat5, so cables and boxes and connectors should all be of the same category throughout.

size of cable box -500ft or 1000ft = totally up to you.

from what I have read some cheaper cable instead of being copper is only tin with copper plating = less performance=more trouble.

if you use shielded cable and don't use shielded connectors - whats the point- you have failed to ground the shield to equipment which is the whole reason for using the shield in the first place.

I would run the cable straight into the dvr, I less joint to affect performance but either or, the dvr should be in a static place and not be getting moved around a lot thus not putting much pressure on the network cable ends going into the DVR.

cable boots are a nice finish and also support the cable.

good luck- there are also some handy cable testers which can do a basic continuity check by fitting a dongle at one end of the cable and the tester at the other end and leds or a display will show if there are broken or crossed wires- pretty cheap on ebay, test your cables before connecting anything up- good practice.

plenty of info on google.

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