Couple questions about Cat6 wiring vs Cat5

Required. The jacket/insulation/construction of the cable is different. You might be able to get the cat5 keystones to work, but probably asking for extra trouble.


Yes, just install a 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch in that room, only consumes one uplink line. Running two lines, so you have "a spare" is always good - as that cable can be used for lots of non-Ethernet tasks as well.


Cat5e *is* Gigabit-rated. Cat6 is for "faster than gigabit" / future use / etc.
But regardless, a switch isolates each link to its own speed - plugging slower devices/links don't affect other links.

Jeff

One wire to one port. You can split pairs for telephone breakout if needed, but for networking you need all 4 pairs. As Jeff mentioned, you can put a switch on one port and add as many ports as the switch allows. You usually need one network run, then use another for phone lines, fax lines, etc. then you can use one for video distribution or whatever if needed. If you wanna " future proof" your wiring, buy the bundled 2+2+2 with the multi mode fiber. This gives 2 cat 5 or 6, 2 quad rg6, and 2 multi mode fiber

Only future proof cable is an empty conduit. I don't recommend running fiber for "future use", as it's been for the future for the last 20 years. Residential A/V and networking gear will continue to be predominately based on coax and Category cable as that's what is available in homes (both new and existing construction).

Jeff

I run all of my large video distribution via fiber. It's never DIY, and never will be. What others see on the market is what is marketed to them. This will never be fiber, just termination tools are pushing a grand. But its basically zero loss. I agree on the conduit suggestion, but I started using fiber in 1998 when I buried it all over 360 acres and a 3/4 mile driveway for surveillance and communications. There was no reliable option besides that. Even now, it's very viable. You never have surge issues, weather issues with RF, interference issues with RF. You do not worry about emi,rfi issues. There is almost unlimited bandwidth with fiber, it's a very small diameter, can run with romex if needed, I can go on and on. It is being installed to homes in urban areas around here now for on demand tv, and Internet service. Those with it here get better services into the home than those without.

There are lots of CI even whom have no experience with it, and therefore denounce it. But then they are the first ones to recommend using optical audio on HT gear. Lol, i understand it I guess as they have no experience with it. Take a look at the hubs, and what kind of media you can send and receive on just 1multimode fiber, much less 2. Or just take at look at a real Crestron system, and enough said.

Now, I like cat rated cables, and I really like RG-6, as RG-6 is the most underused cable ever. It is good for so much more than it gets, and carries large amounts of bandwidth. But you cannot depend on wireless, copper has faults, limits, and not secure for communication from people who wanna tap or listen in so to speak. But fiber is safe and secure, immune to transmitting surges, and has no value to those pesky wire thieves whom steal and sell copper. LOL

I didn't say fiber was useless...


Key part there is "to homes". Once there, it's almost all copper inside the walls for residential uses.


Not denouncing it, but reiterate my recommendation against pre-wiring it. If you know you have a need for it, completely different story.


Ah, there - a use for it! But the odds of pre-wiring a home and being able to later deploy a Crestron system (that was not planned from the start) that uses fiber without major additions / changes to the wiring I'd put at low to zero...


All true, but doesn't change my statement. For general pre-wiring, unless a Creston or other fiber-based system is in the cards, you're not going to use that fiber. Spend that money elsewhere.

Jeff

Agreed- to the point of a homeowner vs. one of my companies wiring. I forget this is primarily a DIY type thread. As a non-AV installer wiring his own home in the everyday realm I concede your correct. However, I'm " wired" ( pardon the pun) to think and plan ahead based on either one of our current projects, or one we will take on. I love fiber, and I can depend on it for the reason I know I will almost always be able to get anything from A to B.