CAT5 cabling equipment - advice and retailers?

FrankGrimes

Not sure but this seemed like the right forum to post this in.

I've installed a network in my house and a mates house and might do a few more in the next while. I have a Krone punchdown tool, a crimper, a cable tester, CAT5e UTP cable, and CAT5e cable heads.

I want to get a decent cable stripper, some snagless boots, and maybe a labeller, but as it's really only a hobby as I do it as a favour, I don't want to spend a whole lot.

www.lanshack.com seems to have some good gear, but shipping is mental. Are there any decent sites I can get this gear delivered from without it costing mental-Maplin-money?

Here's the snagless boots I looked at, here's the cable stripper.

I'd love to hear any thoughts on what tools are worth getting and what's only worth it if it will be used weekly and any suggestions on where to actually buy RJ45 sockets and face plates would be good.

Is there much difference between doing CAT5e and CAT6 and do the same tools apply?

Thanks.

FusionNet

Hi there,

I do this for a living so have all the tools you mention. Even though IT is charged at a high rate what your paying for is experience and not the fact that tools cost a lot, in comparision to say gtting your lawn re-seeded! The guy doing that needs €40,000 worth of kiit.

As far as tools go, I personally have a blanket ban on self crimping cables, I dont allow it. The reason we pay the money we do for patch leads etc s that they are factory crimped and 100% correct. Terminating netorks is one thing, terminating, certifying and guaranteeing a network is another. The most expensive piece of equipment every engineer owns is his certifyer. These cost between €6,000 & €18,000. This is what seperates the small guy from the bigger companies. If your doing home networks for a hobby you dont need this but if you charge someone for a network and call it a CAT5e or CAT6 network and you dont certify it, then your in trouble..

Every day tools are:

Krone Punch down tool, (replace regularly)
Panduit cable stripper (strips cat and bnc)
Good snips
cable ties

As I say even though I have a whole jeep full of other tools these are mostly used for getting the cable from A to B. I'd gladly help you get a reallly good cable stripper as I deal with some of the biggest cable distributers around. It would prob cost you €40 or €50 Im not sure of the exact price. Also is you wanted boots and crimps they are easily gotten.

I only deal with b2b but I think lan work is really interesting and I set up my business after getting to it in a similar way to you, its a very interesting technology and unlike others it is constantly changing.

PM me or look at my signature for email details.

FrankGrimes

Cheers FusionNet, thanks for the info. I’m pretty much at the opposite end of the spectrum to you – basically a few more mates and relatives are renovating their houses extensively and as they did a lot of digging out when I was building mine, I’ll be paying back the favours by installing networks for them – they’ll let me off without a certification! Based on that I was hoping to get some tools for no more than €100.

I got my Crimper, RJ45 plugs, and cable tester from DealExtreme.com and they all do the job for me just grand.

I notice they have a cable stripper here and here - would either of those look like it could do the job for CAT5e?

At the moment I number the cable points just by handwriting onto a piece of paper and putting it behind the plastic label holder. I was thinking it would be slick to do this using an electronic labeller, but unless a cheapo one is available, I guess I might just type up the numbers and print it.

DealExtreme don't do the snagless boots, so I was hoping to find a decent site that does stuff like that for decent prices, if it's a US site with reasonable shipping, the $ exchange savings would be sweet.

Can you think of other simple tools that might speed these jobs up for me, e.g. is cable lubricant worthwhile for pulling the cable?

coldfeet

FusionNet wrote: »

Hi there,

As far as tools go, I personally have a blanket ban on self crimping cables, I dont allow it. The reason we pay the money we do for patch leads etc s that they are factory crimped and 100% correct. .

Have to disagree with this, I just worked on a job and had to send about 100 patch leads back as they were faulty, but in saying that I always use factory made more to save time and my fingers from making them up.

A cable stripper is handy bur you can live without it, a good snip and a stanley knife does the job just aswell

FrankGrimes

Good to know, thanks. While I have spare cable I'll just use it to make up patch cables to length, saves a few quid and since I'm not doing many it's not much time or effort.

I'd figured there might be some recommendations on decent websites for this gear listed on here like there is for PC Parts on the Building forum, but doesn't seem like it, though any tips appreciated.

FusionNet

coldfeet wrote: »

Have to disagree with this, I just worked on a job and had to send about 100 patch leads back as they were faulty, but in saying that I always use factory made more to save time and my fingers from making them up.

A cable stripper is handy bur you can live without it, a good snip and a stanley knife does the job just aswell

Im sorry coldfeet but Ive been doing this for nearly 10 years now, Ive never had a faulty patch but I buy high quality certified cables. I might pay 3- 5 euro for my cables whereas I know I can buy the same patch lead made by a cheap chinese manufacturers for 80c. You get what you pay for. Same as every thing. A lot of people dont realise the importanc of a patch lea. No point charging 5 grand for a cat6 compurt network certified point to point and then using cheap patch leads and basically ruining all your work, drives me nuts. Use quality, you can buy budget quality it doesnt always have to cost a fortune.

I also have to disagree on the stanley knife. Yes we all do it when we're stuck but you will cut the inner coatings and this is bad juju. As I say for less than 0€ you will get a professonal one and it will last you years, spend the money and save your fingers. I end up with serious cuts every month from the stanley, not worth it!!!!

Ill have a look at the brand of cable stripper I have and let ou know, its one of the best Ive ever used..

Eoghan

axer

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Not sure but this seemed like the right forum to post this in.

I've installed a network in my house and a mates house and might do a few more in the next while. I have a Krone punchdown tool, a crimper, a cable tester, CAT5e UTP cable, and CAT5e cable heads.

I want to get a decent cable stripper, some snagless boots, and maybe a labeller, but as it's really only a hobby as I do it as a favour, I don't want to spend a whole lot.

www.lanshack.com seems to have some good gear, but shipping is mental. Are there any decent sites I can get this gear delivered from without it costing mental-Maplin-money?

Here's the snagless boots I looked at, here's the cable stripper.

I'd love to hear any thoughts on what tools are worth getting and what's only worth it if it will be used weekly and any suggestions on where to actually buy RJ45 sockets and face plates would be good.

Is there much difference between doing CAT5e and CAT6 and do the same tools apply?

Thanks.

There is a good bit of difference between cat6 networks and cat5 networks. If you cable a cat6 network badly it could end up running worse that if it were using cat5e.

With cat6 you dont tie up the wires into bundles when travelling horizontally like you would with cat5e as they are much more sensitive - leave them loose if you can. If cables have been travelling side by side along the route to the comms cabinet then do not put them all into the same bundle entering the comms cabinet - put them into bundles with cable from a completely different run (if possible).

You don't bend the cables sharply (think the radius of a coke can max).

You only cut back as little insulation as you can get away with (<25mm).

Obviously never run cables parallel to power cables.

Keep cables away from florescent lights and sources of heat.

Don't use cable ties. Use velcro ties.

Always use moulded patch cables - Never crimp your own cables unless it is a temporary thing.

Always punch everything down. Never run direct to switch by e.g. making off the end of the cable.

Dont use cat6 unless it is very necessary (especially when not experienced in installing it). Gigabit networks can run over cat5e which should be well sufficient for any home installation.

Do not use a stanley knife for stripping cable.