joining two cat5 cables

[preet]

Hi.
i have two queries

1. suppose i am connecting my computer to a switch which is more than 90m away and the whole roll o cable finishes out. would it be feasible to join another cat5 cable to move further and how it should be should.

2. how would i know if the my network cable is working before connecting both it to the switch. is there any tool for testing the both ends of the rj45 plugs.

thanx and buy.

[PrntRhd]

You can get an extender connector to make a cable longer, but be aware the specification max length of Ethernet UTP cables is 100 meters.

[Erik]

Making a connection in the middle of a cable is asking for problems. A run should be a single piece of cable with the only breaks being when it goes into a patch panel, or other network device. As already mentioned the maximum length for CAT 5 (any UTP cable really) is 100m. So if you are at 90m and need more it probably is going to be to long of a run anyway, and having a spliced able won't help matters.

As far as testing goes there are testers such as Fluke Networks cable testers that will tell you if each pairi is wired properly. They cost thousands of dollars, so if this is just a home project or a one time deal te easiest way is to just plug it in and see if it works.

[preet]

ok thanks guy.
what about the extender connector...would be fine suppose the cable length doesnt exceed 90m

[PrntRhd]

What Erik is saying is the extra connector can cause flaky connections and does not meet specs for Category cabling. It could slow down that cable data or drop it altogether.

[Variable]

As far as testing goes there are testers such as Fluke Networks cable testers that will tell you if each pairi is wired properly. They cost thousands of dollars, so if this is just a home project or a one time deal te easiest way is to just plug it in and see if it works.


I think there is some bad info here. Under 100 meters you just need a connector.

All you need is a plug jack and a cable tester.

http://www.lanshack.com/Cat-5E-Coupler-Keystone-Panel-Mount-Style--P22C56.aspx

http://www.lanshack.com/Economy-LAN-Tester-P2245C67.aspx

[Erik]

Those work, but only to the same extent as just plugging it into a network and looking for link lights and actual network operation. Won't let you know about attenuation, bad pairs, or other possible problems.

[Variable]

As far as testing goes there are testers such as Fluke Networks cable testers that will tell you if each pairi is wired properly. They cost thousands of dollars

Erik have you ever used a cable tester? They show bad pairs, shorts,open circuits and mismatched pairs. This is exactly what he asked for and they do not cost thousands of dollars.

Connecting two ethernet cables is not rocket science, you don't splice it :)
As long as it is under 100 meters he will be fine. You can even go beyond 100 meter but that is where you can get attenuation.

The Fluke model cable tester most used to verify ethernet is the micromapper. It is $130 bucks or so. They have a $400 dollar model that adds TDR but neither model tests attenuation. There are of course many other brands that are cheaper and do the same thing. They do not show attenuation either. I have used several models from different manufacturers. They all do the same thing but some have more bells and whistles.

It was bad info. I am sure you meant well.

[Erik]

I was thinking of a different model I guess, I use testers all the time. Just the more complex (expensive) ones that have a lot of extra fetures.

Could you give me some Fluke models that are more affordable? The ones I use belong to the company and I would like one to throw in with my kit as I do tons of network work.

[Variable]

The Micromapper is the cheapest Fluke network cable tester. If you have to have a Fluke then I would look to buy a used one, if $130 is too much. But it is just a cable tester, your paying extra for the name. The most expensive Fluke cable tester is around $400, it does TDR.


If you need a tester for your kit bag look at lanshack or newegg. Just make sure it has led's on both ends of the tester. This one works fine.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16899888404
but it doesn't do TDR. TDR is used to find a break in a cable to or to see how long the cable is. Tone generator is another must have tool. Especially when trying to track a wall jack to an unlabled patch panel.

Expensive Flukes devices are for wire monkeys (that's what we call them, these are the guys that run cable for a living) they are called Certifiers. Not sure what you do but, if your company allows your netadmins to test ethernet cables with a Fluke DTX or DSP ... your company must have a lot of money to throw away. Kind of like buying a hot gaming rig because you need to use the Window's XP built in calculator feature. I would be afraid I would break it. I make cables all the time and I drop the testers every once in awhile.

[Erik]

Yeah, I now realize my error. We use more toward a certifier, mostly because there are a lot of subnets used and we need to know which one we are on to make sure it is the proper subnet. Especially for devices with a static address like a network printer. And since we a;ready have them around for this job we also use them to test cables.

I did some looking around and really I wouldn't mind spending up to $400 or so on a tester if it did what I needed. Problem is I would really like something that could give me subnet and other network based information. I work in a bunch of different offices and knowing where I am at would help me out a lot. Especially since in a few I am responsible for patching connections and making sure everything is where it is supposed to be for equipment that will be coming at a later date and be setup by someone else.