topic Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks? in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

rjrl101 — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:53:10 GMT

Hello all,
I'm intending to make my home network cabling more permanent - moving the cable runs under the carpet and out of sight. I'm not looking to spend much and as such hope to make use of a large reel of stranded Cat5e cable that I've already got. I have enough of the cable to be able to to lay it away from well-trodden areas. I know that cabling like this is supposed to be solid and so I'm unsure if the cat5e modules/jacks are also suitable for stranded cable.
Is there a particular phrase or specification I should be looking for when shopping for Cat5 modules that shows whether they're suitable for solid or stranded cable or both?
I was thinking of purchasing parts from www.blackbox.co.uk (who also have some cheap solid cable, if it turns out I do need to purchase some) unless anyone can make another recommendation for where to buy,
thank you,
Richard

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

paulby — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:09:36 GMT

It should be OK if you can punch the wire in with a Krone tool (that's the tool used to push the wires into the slots on the reverse). I've never come across different modules for stranded/solid wire.

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

rjrl101 — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:22:47 GMT

Thanks for the help Paul, I was originally confused by this link http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=27245&doy=19m7 on the Maplin site. It includes the following question on the rj45 module in the Help/FAQ for the item:

Quote
Q) Is UW17T suitable for solid or stranded cat5 cables? Is it push-fit connector type which only requires the IPC insertion tool and no crimper? Will two UW17T modules fit properly in a single CD44X? - Alex Cox
A) this is suitable for solid only a punch down tool is required for correct termination. 2 1/4 blanks (CD47) are required if only one module is used in a CD44

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

paulby — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:04:09 GMT

If it doesn't work you've always got the option of the cheap solid wire! However, I've not had a problem with the stranded stuff in an IDC socket (may just have been lucky though!) nor have I seen a socket specifically for stranded wire (unless you can find one with screw terminals).

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

HPsauce — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:06:00 GMT

Isn't Cat5 stuff normally crimped, so IDC isn't relevant?

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

Peter_Vaughan — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:54:58 GMT

Yes for network cables when you put a connector on each end - it does not matter if you use solid or stranded.
When wiring a building you tend to connect the cable to IDC connectors using a crone tool (as detailed earlier) where each coloured wire is connected separately.
Most wall sockets and patch panel IDC blocks will take stranded or solid cable so you should not have to worry. I do tend to use solid (like phone cable) but have never had a problem when wiring with stranded cable. The important thing is to have a good crimp tool like this

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

itsme — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:23:19 GMT

Years ago when I brought some connectors I did have problems making good connections. Found out the the connectors were not suitable for the wire. Can't remember which way round it was but some connectors are suitable for both solid and stranded wires and the ones I got were only suitable for ?

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

itsme — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:29:53 GMT

Blackbox do have options for solid and stranded for Cat5 plugs.

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

alanb — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:29:22 GMT

That's because flexible cable needs IPC (insulation piercing) connectors and solid cable needs IDC (insulation displacement) connectors.
If you fit the wrong type of connector it'll probably work fine, but you may get some bad or unreliable connections that need to be re-worked. (Make sure you buy some spare connectors.) Also, network throughput could be compromised, but it'll probably not be noticable in a lightly loaded home network.

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:50:02 GMT

Quote from: Peter
The important thing is to have a good crimp tool like this

Don't rush out and buy one though - Black Box tend to use the 110 System rather than the Krone - so the blade from a Krone tool won't fit in.
There is a similar tool for the 110 system (Black Box Part code FT025A £45.00 according to my catalogue), but they do tend to be more expensive and less readily available than the Krone stuff.
If you bought your faceplate modules from Maplin, they use Krone system stuff on their connections - would probably be the cheaper option for home use.

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

rjrl101 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:41:50 GMT

Thanks for the replies so far guys. I'm not connecting anything to the ends of any cables yet - it's very slow work peeling back the carpet and feeding the cable into the gap between the skirting boards and the floor. The gripper strip keeps catching my fingers too!
Another question though - I've hauled out my big box of computer spares and found in it an unbranded punch down tool (not as fancy as the Screwfix or Blackbox ones) and a lone Philex RJ45 keystone jack still in its packaging. I've no idea where I got them from as I've not attempted anything like this before. The jack is described as being "Socket 110 Krone easy fit". Which seems to suggest that 110 and Krone are the same thing? And then the punchdown tool is described as "for 110 & Krone IDC connector" which suggests that if they're not the same then they at least have something in common?
Anyhow I cut a short section of cable to make a test connection to the jack and it punched-down easily. A quick multimeter test showed electrical contact on each wire and upon pulling-out the connections I counted three strands of copper broken on one wire and one on another. On the remaining 6, the insulation had been pierced but no strands appeared broken which is good news.

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

Santiago — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:23:42 GMT

Quote from: rjrl101
I've hauled out my big box of computer spares and found in it an unbranded punch down tool ....I've no idea where I got them from....the punchdown tool is described as "for 110 & Krone IDC connector"

mmm, so that's where it went

Re: Stranded cable and Cat5 modules/jacks?

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:30:25 GMT

Quote from: rjrl101
Which seems to suggest that 110 and Krone are the same thing? And then the punchdown tool is described as "for 110 & Krone IDC connector" which suggests that if they're not the same then they at least have something in common?

They aren't the same thing.
The Krone blade has ridges on the side of it, whereas a 110 blade is just flat with a notch in the middle.
110 blades work in Krone sockets, but Krone blades don't fit into 110 sockets.
So in your case, you don't need to worry about the difference - but be aware there is a difference in future if you ever decide to 'branch out' into buying the terminating tools etc. (The fancy tools Peter and I mentioned also snip the end of the cable after punching it in - invaluable when you are patching in lots of connections. - A 48-port patch panel has 384 individual wires to punchdown and terminate! Again, not a worry if you are doing a few at home.)