RE: Length of patch cables for CAT5

["Mick Furlong" <hiltoneltd@xxxxxxx>]

Steve,

I guess it depends on if it is possible to leave any wiggle room, in my
experience it isn't usually possible because of either space, neatness or
proximity of mains cabling.

I have a tester which shows me pin by pin connectivity and usually finds
between 1 and 5 mispunchings out of each 100 I do (mispunchings being
either
connection not made or a pair crossed over). I think I have come across
breaks in cables less than 10 times out of over 15,000 runs (not all runs
done by me but those I didn't do I tested or supervised). Just my
experience
your mileage may vary depending on the methods used to pull/run the cables.

I am a bit confused regarding the two computer scenario as I never
mentioned
this, the installation is a fixed cabling system with sockets at both ends
of 8 cables wired in a  star with the hub at the centre of the star
connected by patch cables. The PCs/printers etc are at the points of the
star also connected to sockets by patch cables.

I think you also have the hub/switch scenario a little wrong, a hub or a
switch each allow 100metre from each port to the client PC, the difference
is in how they handle bandwith. A hub has 100mb bandwith (or 10mb) to share
across its ports (ie it is logically one shared piece of cable) a switch
allows the potential of 100mb between any two ports on the switch (I won't
go into half vs full duplex).

If any of the above is drivel then I put it down to having installed the
damn cabling today and being tired ;) but I think I have it right.

Cheers
Mick

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Edgar [mailto:yahoogroups@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 02 April 2003 20:54
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Length of patch cables for CAT5


As someone who has installed a number of these things both professionally
and
for personal use I can tell you that a cable tester that tells you where
in
the line the break is can be extremely useful.

For an example, running a 50m run the detector tells you there is a break
49m
away - either means you mucked up the termination at the other end or
there
is a break just short of the far end. Usually you leave yourself a bit of
wiggle room for adjusting the cable so a break a small way into the run is
recoverable. You're right that you shouldn't splice a broken cable, but
these
things at least let you know whether to give up now and run another core
or
try and repair the current one.

As to minimum length, never had that problem but seem to remember 1m, but
that's probably for the old 10b2 (coax). My networking bibles don't seem
to
mention it either, so try it and see. Since you're using a hub the
distance
is the cable to AND from the hub between the two computers. If it was a
switch it would be the length of the individual cables. As an aside, why
use
a hub to connect two computers together? Why not just make up a crossover
cable?

Steven


On Wednesday 02 April 2003 19:21, Chad Albert wrote:
> Sorry, I apparently can't read and comprehend well =)  I am pretty
sure
> there is no minimum length although I have seen many people voice
reasons
> for keeping them over one length or another.  I have never seen a
problem
> with any short length.  But I could imagine that 3-5cm would make your
> fingers hurt.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mick Furlong" <hiltoneltd@xxxxxxx>
> To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 12:32 PM
> Subject: RE: [notspam] [ukha_d] Length of patch cables for CAT5
>
> > Chad
> >
> > I am asking about minimum lengths not maximum
> >
> > Thanks
> > Mick
> >   -----Original Message-----
> >   From: Chad Albert [mailto:chadalbert@xxxxxxx]
> >   Sent: 02 April 2003 18:46
> >   To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> >   Subject: Re: [notspam] [ukha_d] Length of patch cables for CAT5
> >
> >
> >   328 feet (100 meters) so youre cables will just make it ;-)
> >
> >
> >   ----- Original Message -----
> >   From: "Mick Furlong" <hiltoneltd@xxxxxxx>
> >   To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
> >   Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 11:31 AM
> >   Subject: [notspam] [ukha_d] Length of patch cables for CAT5
> >
> >   > I know all the rules for max lengths on Cat5 but are there
any
> >   > minimum lengths?
> >   >
> >   > I am just about to make up a few  patch cables less than 1
foot
(30cm
>
> or
>
> >   so
> >
> >   > for you youngsters;) and was just wondering.
> >   >
> >   > Cheers
> >   > Mick
> >   >
> >   >
> >   >
> >   > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >   >
> >   >
> >   >
> >   > http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
> >   > Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> >   > Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx
> >   > Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx
> >   > List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx
> >   >
> >   > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> >
> > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >         Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >               ADVERTISEMENT
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >   http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
> >   Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> >   Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx
> >   Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx
> >   List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx
> >
> >   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service.
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> > http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
> > Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx
> > Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx
> > List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
> http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
> Post message: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subscribe:  ukha_d-subscribe@xxxxxxx
> Unsubscribe:  ukha_d-unsubscribe@xxxxxxx
> List owner:  ukha_d-owner@xxxxxxx
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/