beelzerob
Senior Member
I'd question the randomness of that site...you're probably better off with something like this.
Wiring
- Thread starter judge_l
- Start date
TXFlatLander
Active Member
Crap, here comes another book.....sorry. Let me note that I am in IT professionally so my suggestions may be more than what some people think you may need. Also, I am a strong believer in do it right the first time mentality. You don't have to follow the products/tools or suggestions. Take what you want and leave the rest. I am putting more than what you asked for for posterity sake. About 6 years ago I spent several months researching cable pulling, so I will relay what I learned and from my experience so others won't have to piecemeal data from various sources like I did. Eventually, I will try to transfer this to the wiki, non-biased of course, along with more detailed information.
Two questions to ask yourself is: What is my budget for network cabling? How long are you going to live in your house?
What is my budget for network cabling?
Hitachi is your high end cable, but high end price. You also have Panduit and Mohawk cable. I personally use CCI (Coleman Cable). It seems to fit my budget, how long I plan to live in my house, what I need to do, it lasts, and has good build quality. That doesn't mean you should discount any other option people give; It is all a matter of opinion and experience. In my experience, you will know cheap cable by the way it feels -- the feel and thickness of the jacket, the shielding around each conductor, how tight is the twists, how tight is the jacket around the pairs.
I purchase my network cable from a local electrical supply house. Shipping from an internet dealer tacks on another $20-$30 dollars. I cannot personally speak for monoprice.com network cable; however, everything else I have bought from them has been top notch for the price (or even four times the price). A company I use to work for got all their Panduit products from Graybar, since they are special order locally.
Beelzerob has used Keystone cable (http://www.keystonewire.com) and can tell you his impressions.
How long are you going to live in your house?
If you are going to move in a few years, probably not best to go with expensive network cable. Majority of buyers will not care or understand that you have Hitachi/Panduit/Mohawk/etc. cable *queue blank stare from buyer*
Other thoughts:
I would recommend purchasing good quality keystones, patch panels, & patch cables. I wouldn't get good cable and skimp out on the rest. I prefer Panduit keystones and patch cables, but don't plan to live in my house for much longer (3-4 years) so I didn't use it. Unless you are running in a plenum, which I doubt, riser cable (CMR) is what you need. If you are, then you need to purchase plenum cable (CMP). Also, the defacto standard color for cable used for networking is blue. Try to buy cable on a spool or spool-in-a-box. Try to stay away from rabbit pull boxes if you will be running in the cold. The jacket will get stiff and make it hard to pull. Also with rabbit pull you can't effectively put a lot of excess cable back in the box like you can with a spool. When pulling the cable, do not exert a lot of tension on the cable. You will degradate the jacket and the twists. Take your time by pulling it correctly.
Keystones:
I personally used ICC high density category 6 keystones (IC1078F6BL) at my house. I use the high density keystones over the standard density keystones because the conductors are closer to the punchdown and covered by a plastic cover. The standard density exposes the conductors thus higher chance for crosstalk and more attenuation.
If you use Panduit mini-com keystones, i.e. CJ688TPBU (http://cableorganizer.com/panduit/mini-com-cat-jacks.html), you will need a special tool (CGJT) to close the keystone. You can close them buy hand but after one or two you will wish you had the tool. They are not the funnest to terminate, but not the worst -- that honor goes to the monoprice "tool-less" cat 6 keystones. Also be sure to cut off the "flying" conductors as close as possible to the keystone afer you have closed the Panduit keystone. I have a hard copy of the instructions to terminate the Panduit keystones. I will try to put them into PDF or JPEG soon and upload them.
I might note that monoprice keystones are not compatible with ICC faceplates. I do not recommend their tool-less cat 6 keystones. They are a PITA to terminate and I had to use my punchdown tool to get the conductors to stay in place.
Patch Panels:
For networking, I prefer the modular patch panels that allow you to snap in the keystones, rather than your plain old vanilla built-in patch panel jacks with 110 punchdowns in the back. If the jack goes bad, you cut off the keystone and snap it back into its original place. It is rare, but you can't do that with built-in patch panel jacks. Also, with the proper keystone, the conductors are less exposed versus a 110 punchdown-style patch panel. ICC and Panduit both make modular patch panels.
Patch cables:
I really like Panduit patch cables. Again, I prefer the all-in-one molded boot/RJ45 type patch cables. Again, it best to buy them rather than build.
Tools:
Electrical tape is your best friend when pulling cable.
You have several options on fishing cable. Mostly you will use a fish tape to get into walls and conduit. The Greenlee FP3 telescoping hook is great for getting cable out of walls. (http://www.drillspot.com/products/411746/Greenlee_FP3_Telescoping_Fish_Pole) You can pick it up a Lowes for about $15. Greenlee also sales fish stix that look like fishing poles that connect together (http://cableorganizer.com/greenlee/fish-stix/?src=froogle&CAWELAID=261918502). You can pick the fish stix at Home Depot or Lowes. For one man jobs or for that extra hand to run over a long distance, Greenlee sales a fish pole (Model: 10442 or 10443). I have the 24' model and it has come in handy from time to time, but it can get hard to manage and heavy the longer it extends. Greenlee also makes the CableCaster (06186) that shoots darts tethered to fish line. I have used it from time to time. You can see it in action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVhc9JKvy6I All depends what your budget is and how much you feel your time is worth by cutting down time with purchasing tools. There is also the Wire Python (there are other variants by other names). I haven't used it, but it looks cool. See the demo video at the bottom of this page: http://www.trainingdept.com/Merchant2/merc...duct_Code=TO-02
If you are going to be terminating RJ45 ends, definitely go with a ratcheting crimper. Your hand will thank you and your ends will be crimped down the same amount and 100% down every time. I personally use the Ideal Ratchet Telemaster 30-196. I got it off ebay for about $30 shipped I believe. Also, always use RJ45 boots.
You may need a punchdown tool for keystones and patch panels depending on what products you buy. Whatever brand you buy, make sure it is spring loaded for the same reason on buying a ratchet crimper. I personally have a Harris D914S. The D914 doesn't have the rubber grip. The low impact setting should work for most everything you need to do.
To strip back the jacket you can either use the rip cord or jacket strippers. Some people use diagonal cutters or scissors, but I strongly advise against that. You can easily nick the conductors causing unneeded crosstalk. I personally use a Cyclops auto-adjust stripper. (https://www.tselectronic.com/platinumtools/15010.html) This is probably the best single tool I have ever bought for terminating cable. The auto-adjust is nice because I don't have to size it to the cable diameter if I am doing cat 3, cat 5e, cat 6 (plenum and riser). Be careful and only spin it exactly once around the cable using the minimum turn direction, not 1.25 turns. Anymore and you will nick the conductor(s).
Although not needed, ICC makes a handy tool to fit their standard and high density keystones in while punching them down. Model ICACSHTA01 (http://www.telephonestuff.com/catalog/model_ICACSHTA01.htm) They are nice so you don't slip with the punchdown tool and jab it into your hand. They make a universal grip called the EZ-Puck (https://www.tselectronic.com/platinumtools/100333.html) that works with non-ICC keystones.
A cable tester, which I already covered. I personally use the Fluke Microscanner Pro, but it has been discontinued and replaced by the Fluke Linkrunner (and Linkrunner Pro)
Spring-open diagonal cutters are nice to have. You don't have to open them, which saves strain on your hands and keep one hand free. I would suggest getting a good pair (like Klein) since cheap ones dull very easy. I have the Klein D245-5C, which is perfect size to handle cables, rip cords, and zip ties.
Electrician scissors are nice to have. I have the Klein 21007 scissors. These are good for trimming your conductors even before you terminate them into an RJ45.
I really like the Labor Saving Devices Walleye. (https://www.tselectronic.com/laborsaving/we.html) It allows you to look into the wall like a periscope to find your cables or see what is obstructing it. It features a light that illuminates everything inside the wall. I have also used it to check on possible plumbing leaks inside the wall.
Pull lines:
Whenever you are running cables down into a wall or conduit, it is best to run a pull line with the cable so that it makes it easier to pull future runs. I also create a loop at the end of the cable with the pull line so it is easier to grab with my FP3. If you use the pull line, be sure to run a new pull line with the new cable run for future use. I use Greenlee Poly Line that I bought at Home Depot for about $36 for 6500', but string will do just the same as long as you don't exceed its tensile strength.
Today or tomorrow I will try to upload pictures of the difference between stranded and non-stranded cable along with what I mean by all-in-one molded boot/RJ45 patch cables. If you have anymore questions or confused/not sure about, please don't hesitate to ask. I was in your shoes about 6 years ago, so I know who it feels. I don't mind helping in any way I can.
Two questions to ask yourself is: What is my budget for network cabling? How long are you going to live in your house?
What is my budget for network cabling?
Hitachi is your high end cable, but high end price. You also have Panduit and Mohawk cable. I personally use CCI (Coleman Cable). It seems to fit my budget, how long I plan to live in my house, what I need to do, it lasts, and has good build quality. That doesn't mean you should discount any other option people give; It is all a matter of opinion and experience. In my experience, you will know cheap cable by the way it feels -- the feel and thickness of the jacket, the shielding around each conductor, how tight is the twists, how tight is the jacket around the pairs.
I purchase my network cable from a local electrical supply house. Shipping from an internet dealer tacks on another $20-$30 dollars. I cannot personally speak for monoprice.com network cable; however, everything else I have bought from them has been top notch for the price (or even four times the price). A company I use to work for got all their Panduit products from Graybar, since they are special order locally.
Beelzerob has used Keystone cable (http://www.keystonewire.com) and can tell you his impressions.
How long are you going to live in your house?
If you are going to move in a few years, probably not best to go with expensive network cable. Majority of buyers will not care or understand that you have Hitachi/Panduit/Mohawk/etc. cable *queue blank stare from buyer*
Other thoughts:
I would recommend purchasing good quality keystones, patch panels, & patch cables. I wouldn't get good cable and skimp out on the rest. I prefer Panduit keystones and patch cables, but don't plan to live in my house for much longer (3-4 years) so I didn't use it. Unless you are running in a plenum, which I doubt, riser cable (CMR) is what you need. If you are, then you need to purchase plenum cable (CMP). Also, the defacto standard color for cable used for networking is blue. Try to buy cable on a spool or spool-in-a-box. Try to stay away from rabbit pull boxes if you will be running in the cold. The jacket will get stiff and make it hard to pull. Also with rabbit pull you can't effectively put a lot of excess cable back in the box like you can with a spool. When pulling the cable, do not exert a lot of tension on the cable. You will degradate the jacket and the twists. Take your time by pulling it correctly.
Keystones:
I personally used ICC high density category 6 keystones (IC1078F6BL) at my house. I use the high density keystones over the standard density keystones because the conductors are closer to the punchdown and covered by a plastic cover. The standard density exposes the conductors thus higher chance for crosstalk and more attenuation.
If you use Panduit mini-com keystones, i.e. CJ688TPBU (http://cableorganizer.com/panduit/mini-com-cat-jacks.html), you will need a special tool (CGJT) to close the keystone. You can close them buy hand but after one or two you will wish you had the tool. They are not the funnest to terminate, but not the worst -- that honor goes to the monoprice "tool-less" cat 6 keystones. Also be sure to cut off the "flying" conductors as close as possible to the keystone afer you have closed the Panduit keystone. I have a hard copy of the instructions to terminate the Panduit keystones. I will try to put them into PDF or JPEG soon and upload them.
I might note that monoprice keystones are not compatible with ICC faceplates. I do not recommend their tool-less cat 6 keystones. They are a PITA to terminate and I had to use my punchdown tool to get the conductors to stay in place.
Patch Panels:
For networking, I prefer the modular patch panels that allow you to snap in the keystones, rather than your plain old vanilla built-in patch panel jacks with 110 punchdowns in the back. If the jack goes bad, you cut off the keystone and snap it back into its original place. It is rare, but you can't do that with built-in patch panel jacks. Also, with the proper keystone, the conductors are less exposed versus a 110 punchdown-style patch panel. ICC and Panduit both make modular patch panels.
Patch cables:
I really like Panduit patch cables. Again, I prefer the all-in-one molded boot/RJ45 type patch cables. Again, it best to buy them rather than build.
Tools:
Electrical tape is your best friend when pulling cable.
You have several options on fishing cable. Mostly you will use a fish tape to get into walls and conduit. The Greenlee FP3 telescoping hook is great for getting cable out of walls. (http://www.drillspot.com/products/411746/Greenlee_FP3_Telescoping_Fish_Pole) You can pick it up a Lowes for about $15. Greenlee also sales fish stix that look like fishing poles that connect together (http://cableorganizer.com/greenlee/fish-stix/?src=froogle&CAWELAID=261918502). You can pick the fish stix at Home Depot or Lowes. For one man jobs or for that extra hand to run over a long distance, Greenlee sales a fish pole (Model: 10442 or 10443). I have the 24' model and it has come in handy from time to time, but it can get hard to manage and heavy the longer it extends. Greenlee also makes the CableCaster (06186) that shoots darts tethered to fish line. I have used it from time to time. You can see it in action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVhc9JKvy6I All depends what your budget is and how much you feel your time is worth by cutting down time with purchasing tools. There is also the Wire Python (there are other variants by other names). I haven't used it, but it looks cool. See the demo video at the bottom of this page: http://www.trainingdept.com/Merchant2/merc...duct_Code=TO-02
If you are going to be terminating RJ45 ends, definitely go with a ratcheting crimper. Your hand will thank you and your ends will be crimped down the same amount and 100% down every time. I personally use the Ideal Ratchet Telemaster 30-196. I got it off ebay for about $30 shipped I believe. Also, always use RJ45 boots.
You may need a punchdown tool for keystones and patch panels depending on what products you buy. Whatever brand you buy, make sure it is spring loaded for the same reason on buying a ratchet crimper. I personally have a Harris D914S. The D914 doesn't have the rubber grip. The low impact setting should work for most everything you need to do.
To strip back the jacket you can either use the rip cord or jacket strippers. Some people use diagonal cutters or scissors, but I strongly advise against that. You can easily nick the conductors causing unneeded crosstalk. I personally use a Cyclops auto-adjust stripper. (https://www.tselectronic.com/platinumtools/15010.html) This is probably the best single tool I have ever bought for terminating cable. The auto-adjust is nice because I don't have to size it to the cable diameter if I am doing cat 3, cat 5e, cat 6 (plenum and riser). Be careful and only spin it exactly once around the cable using the minimum turn direction, not 1.25 turns. Anymore and you will nick the conductor(s).
Although not needed, ICC makes a handy tool to fit their standard and high density keystones in while punching them down. Model ICACSHTA01 (http://www.telephonestuff.com/catalog/model_ICACSHTA01.htm) They are nice so you don't slip with the punchdown tool and jab it into your hand. They make a universal grip called the EZ-Puck (https://www.tselectronic.com/platinumtools/100333.html) that works with non-ICC keystones.
A cable tester, which I already covered. I personally use the Fluke Microscanner Pro, but it has been discontinued and replaced by the Fluke Linkrunner (and Linkrunner Pro)
Spring-open diagonal cutters are nice to have. You don't have to open them, which saves strain on your hands and keep one hand free. I would suggest getting a good pair (like Klein) since cheap ones dull very easy. I have the Klein D245-5C, which is perfect size to handle cables, rip cords, and zip ties.
Electrician scissors are nice to have. I have the Klein 21007 scissors. These are good for trimming your conductors even before you terminate them into an RJ45.
I really like the Labor Saving Devices Walleye. (https://www.tselectronic.com/laborsaving/we.html) It allows you to look into the wall like a periscope to find your cables or see what is obstructing it. It features a light that illuminates everything inside the wall. I have also used it to check on possible plumbing leaks inside the wall.
Pull lines:
Whenever you are running cables down into a wall or conduit, it is best to run a pull line with the cable so that it makes it easier to pull future runs. I also create a loop at the end of the cable with the pull line so it is easier to grab with my FP3. If you use the pull line, be sure to run a new pull line with the new cable run for future use. I use Greenlee Poly Line that I bought at Home Depot for about $36 for 6500', but string will do just the same as long as you don't exceed its tensile strength.
Today or tomorrow I will try to upload pictures of the difference between stranded and non-stranded cable along with what I mean by all-in-one molded boot/RJ45 patch cables. If you have anymore questions or confused/not sure about, please don't hesitate to ask. I was in your shoes about 6 years ago, so I know who it feels. I don't mind helping in any way I can.
Your forgot the 4 foot flexible drill bit. They have them at Home depot:
- Cut single gang box hole in wall
- drill through bottom plate in wall with flex bit through the hole you just cut
- pull wire
- put in remodel box and mount in wall.
The 4 foot flexible drill bit is probably the best tool, next to fish tape, for running cable.
- Cut single gang box hole in wall
- drill through bottom plate in wall with flex bit through the hole you just cut
- pull wire
- put in remodel box and mount in wall.
The 4 foot flexible drill bit is probably the best tool, next to fish tape, for running cable.
wuench
Senior Member
This may sound crazy, but in walls with insulation the best tool I have found for fishing wire is... a tape measure. I have fish tape and pull rods, but they tend to get lost in all the insulation and can be hard to find through a small hole in the wall. When all else fails i cram a tape measure down the hole (providing the hole is big enough) and it works every time. It seems to always magically appear right in front of the hole...
Neurorad
Senior Member
I'd like to add that LSDI (maker of the Walleye) offers a variety of wire fishing tools.
http://www.lsdinc.com/content/main
The Magnepull looks really cool, but too expensive.
I agree that one should check with a local electric supply house for cable - name brands offered, and cheaper than online. And they usually open at 6-6:30A weekdays (but often closed weekends, so plan accordingly).
http://www.lsdinc.com/content/main
The Magnepull looks really cool, but too expensive.
I agree that one should check with a local electric supply house for cable - name brands offered, and cheaper than online. And they usually open at 6-6:30A weekdays (but often closed weekends, so plan accordingly).
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
Harbor Freight has a 33' pole fish kit for $15.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
I have a set of those... Not from China Freight, but from Fry's... After using it to wire my house, I'll never attempt another wiring job without them.
For a retrofit it's hard to tell where to drill into the header. What we did was pick the location where I wanted the box - then I poked a very small hole in the ceiling right in front of the wall where I wanted the box - and stuck the pole up there. My brother-in-law was in the attic - when he saw the pole poke through, he knew exactly where to drill the header with the 1" paddle bit - then he pulled the pole through and stuck it through the newly-drilled hole. I cut the old-work LV box in and grabbed the stick then attached the 6 wires (3 RG6/ 3 Cat5E) to the pole hook with electrical tape - then he pulled it through and ran them to their appropriate locations (where the wires were going we opened the whole wall to make room). A tiny bit of putty to close the hole and it was invisible. We wired the whole house in 3 evenings with 3000 ft. of cat5 and coax.
Oh yeah - I use T568B exclusively... That's just what's used in the commercial telecom world unless otherwise requested.
For a retrofit it's hard to tell where to drill into the header. What we did was pick the location where I wanted the box - then I poked a very small hole in the ceiling right in front of the wall where I wanted the box - and stuck the pole up there. My brother-in-law was in the attic - when he saw the pole poke through, he knew exactly where to drill the header with the 1" paddle bit - then he pulled the pole through and stuck it through the newly-drilled hole. I cut the old-work LV box in and grabbed the stick then attached the 6 wires (3 RG6/ 3 Cat5E) to the pole hook with electrical tape - then he pulled it through and ran them to their appropriate locations (where the wires were going we opened the whole wall to make room). A tiny bit of putty to close the hole and it was invisible. We wired the whole house in 3 evenings with 3000 ft. of cat5 and coax.
Oh yeah - I use T568B exclusively... That's just what's used in the commercial telecom world unless otherwise requested.
felixrosbergen
Senior Member
A bit late, but i throught i'd chime in anyway.
I was in the same position 6 months ago and went with B since that seemed most common. That said some automation devices will follow the A method, as long as you're aware of that then there is no issue.
Like all the others already said, just make both ends the same and it doesnt matter. But better to pick one and stick with it anyway to avoid confusion.
I started a thread dealing with the usage of cat5/6 cable for various tasks such as: phone, alarm zones, alarm motion sensors, ALC Low Voltage lighting, etc. It covers things like which pairs of the cat5/6 to use for motion sensors, etc. Again, with most of these things it makes no difference if both ends are the same, but if you need to come back 3 years later a little cheatsheet telling you that for lighting control Blue / Wht-Blue is the comm pair is certainly helpfull and reduces trouble shotting time.
I was in the same position 6 months ago and went with B since that seemed most common. That said some automation devices will follow the A method, as long as you're aware of that then there is no issue.
Like all the others already said, just make both ends the same and it doesnt matter. But better to pick one and stick with it anyway to avoid confusion.
I started a thread dealing with the usage of cat5/6 cable for various tasks such as: phone, alarm zones, alarm motion sensors, ALC Low Voltage lighting, etc. It covers things like which pairs of the cat5/6 to use for motion sensors, etc. Again, with most of these things it makes no difference if both ends are the same, but if you need to come back 3 years later a little cheatsheet telling you that for lighting control Blue / Wht-Blue is the comm pair is certainly helpfull and reduces trouble shotting time.
TXFlatLander
Active Member
Below are some example images of non-stranded and stranded network cable from Hitachi's website. I uploaded them to ImageShack in case Hitachi dumps them.
Here is an example of network cable with plastic spine sticking out of the cable.\
Here is a direct view of the components that makeup the cable:
Here is an example of network cable were the plastic spine does not exist:
EDIT: Redacted potentially incorrect information. My apologies.
Here is an example of network cable with plastic spine sticking out of the cable.\
Here is a direct view of the components that makeup the cable:
Here is an example of network cable were the plastic spine does not exist:
EDIT: Redacted potentially incorrect information. My apologies.
TXFlatLander
Active Member
As far as I know -- predominately, yes it is, but you can buy category 6 without the spine. See here for an example. Someone can let me know if I am wrong -- it has happened many times before and will happen again
TXFlatLander
Active Member
I thought about making a homemade Wire Python by buying a cow magnet and a base magnet with a knob. Attach a roller or felt to the bottom of the paddle magnet and a eyelet/hook to the cow magnet
Actually, stranded/non-stranded Cat5e refers to the copper inside each conductor. With non-stranded (or solid) cable, each conductor is a single solid copper wire. With stranded each conductor is made up of multiple thinner copper wires, "stranded" together.
Solid wire is more suited for in-wall cabling, but stranded is usually prefered for patch cables because of its increased flexibility.
As mentioned by another poster, in my experience the plastic spine seperator betwen the pairs is only common with Cat6 cabling (some have it, some don't). Can't say I've run across it in a Cat5e cable before.
TXFlatLander
Active Member
I redacted the potentially incorrect information. My apologies for the confusion. 
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