Help with Gigabit NetWork Cabling

[TonyLock]

If I had a gigabit switch, do I need a special type of network cable?

Can I take advantage of the gigabit speed using this particular cable?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2281874

[modena]

I think technically cat5 will support gigabit at short distances but I have never seen anything older than cat5e used. In other words, yes the linked cable will work with gigabit speeds.

[Mr. Gibs]

I would say go for Cat6. 5e will support it but only over short distances, so might as well get the "better" one. Price difference is negligible too.

Really really quick google search yields: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Patch-Cable-Snagless-RJ45M/dp/B000CNBQAS

[Another Canuck]

Cat5e would be the minimum, Cat6 is recommended.

P.S. You can get cables far cheaper here: http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10232

[+BudMan MVC]

I see 2 people state over short distances..

? for you -- what do you consider short? 5 and 5e will support gig over the full length supported by any cable 100M.. So stop putting out nonsense.

From summary of 802.3ab (1000Base-T Standard)

UTP CAT5 cable was chosen because it represents the majority of all existing horizontally installed UTP cable. The designation for this physical layer interface is 1000BASE-T. It supports distances up to 100 meters.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=798775

Physical Layer Parameters and Specifications for 1000 Mb/s Operation Over 4-Pair of Category 5 Balanced Copper Cabling, Type 1000BASE-T

Is 5e or 6 better than just plain ole 5 -- sure.. Will you notice any speed difference, highly doubt it! Will you be able to run gig over Cat 5 = YES!! Unless there is something wrong with the cable run, your fine with just 5.. Its prob 5e anyway unless its really really old?

[chconline Veteran]

CAT5e should be sufficient... CAT5 is for short distances. I have CAT5e running through my entire house (It came with it) and I can sustain full Gigabit speeds anywhere. But hey, why not just get a CAT6...

[+BudMan MVC]

"CAT5 is for short distances"

Where are you people getting this nonsense from???

[+John Teacake MVC]

I have to agree with BudMan here. Whats the deal with "Short Distances"

[CPressland]

Which begs the ultimate question ;)

Difference between 5e and 6. :p

[Another Canuck]

Which begs the ultimate question ;)

Difference between 5e and 6. :p

Future-proofing... To some extent.

[|Rapture|]

Cat-6 is shielded to reduce crosstalk. Unless you share your house with some sort of high powered radio transmitter or need to run hundreds of parallel cables you don't need it.

[majortom1981]

Cat 5 works for gigabit. HEre at work i am using it with gigabit through the whole 3 story building with full gigabit speeds. So cat5e as posted on the link will work.

[xpablo]

If you want future proofing then go with Fiber! Cat 6 is good but over a long run there's considerable price difference.

And I totally agree with BudMan what's with the short distance, BS.?

100M = 328 feet, so if your under that, then cat 5 would be fine.

Personally though i would run at least cat5e.

[|Rapture|]

Cat5e would be the minimum, Cat6 is recommended.

Recommended by who? And why?

[Crisp]

If you want future proofing then go with Fiber!

Fiber isn't really something which has alot of support at the moment, I mean there are not many home user friendly routers which support it.

Also, is there anywhere which sells fiber cables longer than 5m? Fiber is also expensive.

[+BudMan MVC]

For the home user about 50 Cents more for a 7ft patch ;)

In the home there really is no difference that would come into play.

The difference comes down to details of the specification, but to the home user its not going to ever matter.. 5e is fine!

Cat 6 has tighter specifications for crosstalk and system noise and must be tested to 250Mhz, while cat 5 and 5e must meet 100Mhz, while 6a is 500Mhz. Cat 6 and 6a are rated for 10GBASE-T, but I highly doubt anyone is running that in their home ;)

If your suggesting the guy future proof -- he should install Cat 7 ;)

http://www.blackbox.com/Store/Detail.aspx/Category-7-S-FTP-Bulk-Cable-Solid-1000-MHz-PVC-CMR-Blue-1000-ft-304-8-m/EYNC770A%C4%821000

Category 7 S/FTP Bulk Cable, Solid, 1000-MHz, PVC CMR, Blue, 1000-ft. (304.8-m)

$1,016.95

Whats that $1 a foot, very reasonable ;)

[CPressland]

Fiber isn't really something which has alot of support at the moment, I mean there are not many home user friendly routers which support it.

Also, is there anywhere which sells fiber cables longer than 5m? Fiber is also expensive.

We have fiber running from our coms-cabinet to our server room, which is about 50 meters. And no, i'm not telling you where we got it :p

[Crisp]

We have fiber running from our coms-cabinet to our server room, which is about 50 meters. And no, i'm not telling you where we got it :p

Loads of places sell it, but it's so damn expensive!

http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/lindy-100m-fibre-optic-cable-sc-to-sc-50/125um-om2.html

[+BudMan MVC]

'is there anywhere which sells fiber cables longer than 5m?"

Sure - like anywhere that would sell computer supplies

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=214684

Belkin 600' Multimode SC/SC Duplex Fiber Optic Patch Cable

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=1984028

Tripp Lite 100 Meter SC/SC Duplex 62.5/125 Multimode Fiber cable, 330ft

Clearly long enough for any HOME ;) hehehe

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10237#1023704

From 1 to 40 Meters

etc.. etc..

[Another Canuck]

Recommended by who? And why?

By me, because the price difference between 5e and 6 is negligible yet you're future-proofing that much more.

I agree with BudMan, et. al. that the distance argument is BS. You could run Cat5 if you want (can you even buy that anymore?) but why when Cat6 is just pennies more? Cat6 will probably be the home standard for years and years to come.

'is there anywhere which sells fiber cables longer than 5m?"

Sure - like anywhere that would sell computer supplies

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=214684

Belkin 600' Multimode SC/SC Duplex Fiber Optic Patch Cable

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=1984028

Tripp Lite 100 Meter SC/SC Duplex 62.5/125 Multimode Fiber cable, 330ft

Clearly long enough for any HOME ;) hehehe

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10237#1023704

From 1 to 40 Meters

etc.. etc..

Sure the cabling is cheap, now to find some fibre equipment for a home user budget lol

[+BudMan MVC]

Well you can do it for sure.. TP-LINK has some really cheap media converters you could use to go from copper to fiber, and then back from fiber to copper. Like $60 each, you could pickup their 16 port gig smart switch with 2 SFP pors for like $260, then modules for it for like $120 each.

Thats doable even on a home budget ;) Not sure why anyone would -- but it is doable.

[chconline Veteran]

CAT5 has far end crosstalk issues. CAT5e generally has higher specifications, but a "good" CAT5 cable (Or short one) should work within 1000Mbps specs. This is why it is generally recommended for using a CAT5 cable for short distances only for 1000mbps performance. Either way the performance degradation is going to be significant depending on the quality and length of the cable.

[|Rapture|]

Cat6 will probably be the home standard for years and years to come.

Because people who know nothing about networking insist on using it unnecessarily.

[+BudMan MVC]

"it is generally recommended for using a CAT5 cable for short distances only for 1000mbps performance. "

Again this short distance nonsense... What part do you people not understand about the freaking gig standard clearly calling for it to work over Cat 5 for up to 100M

If you going to say only short distances -- then at least mention what you mean my short.. Is it 1M, 10M, 20M, 99M what???

The spec calls for it to work to 100M, so unless there something wrong with your cable it will work.. I would not call 100M short ;)

[Another Canuck]

Because people who know nothing about networking insist on using it unnecessarily.

That makes no sense whatsoever. And I think you know what I mean, stop trying to over-complicate it.

If you have Cat5(e) lying around, use it. If you're buying new cable, buy Cat6.

Given that Cat6 is is dirt cheap, I don't see any point in arguing that.