Re: CAT-5 wiring details

["Mark McCall" <mark@xxxxxxx>]

> Having (mostly) decided on my cabling requirements I would appreciate
> any advice on the type of cable to use - or more specifically where
> *not* to use CAT-5.

Chris, I've started tidying up the Wiring Guide over the last few days.
Check it out...
http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/wiring/index.html

The on-line version is now ahead of the zipped up one in the downloads
section.

> My requirements are phone and data, IR transmission and reception,
> sensor and control signals for Homevision and sensor and doorstation
> signals to Comfort. My real question is how flexible should I go?

CAT5 should be fine for all these except Comfort doorstation I think. 
Nigel
Orr may be able to give you more info on using Comfort without shielded
8-core.

> I have read different advice regarding Cat-5 cables. Should I bite
> the bullet and run shielded cable thoughout to allow flexibility.

I think this is major overkill Chris.  But, If money is no object though I
don't know if there are any disadvantages in doing this?

> If I did this would this be OK for Comfort sensors and doorstations
> or does COmfort really need 8 core screened alarm cable?

Nigel or Andy??

> Should I look at having a patch panel that alows me to reconfigure
> *any* socket or should I just do this with phone, data and spares?

I have only punched my data sockets into the patch panel so far.  Some for
ISDN go straight from the Home Highway box to the sockets.

> Would it be safer to hardwire sensors in to Comfort and accept that
> their positions would always be fixed? Could I live with hardwiring
> Homevision inputs as things like radiator and curtain positions are
> unlikely to change?

Sounds sensible.  That's what I have been doing.

> Should I look at Cat-6 with an eye to the future? Should I run some
> sort of fiber at the same time? I don't know too much about this!

CAT6 still isn't officially agreed I think?  I didn't put in any fibre so I
can't really comment on that one.  As far as I know CAT5 will run a 1
Gigabit LAN.

> I lot of questions I know but I would really appreciate some other
> opinions. I know some poeple on the list use Homevision and Comfort
> so any suggestion regarding interfacing would be useful.

Make sure and try ACE.  I have found it to be the "missing link"
between
HomeVision and Comfort.  Together with the Comfort Web Interface you will
have a very flexible system.

> I am also looking for CAT-5 wallplates in brass or stainless rather
> than the ubiquitous white or ivory coloured plastic. Has anyone seen
> these or will I have to mount CAT-5 sockets onto blanking plates?

Dunno about this one although I'm sure there are stainless steel ones
available for schools and the like somewhere.

Regards

M.




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