coupler/joiner, is there a difference between cat5e and cat6?

[SpaceTofu]

Hi all,

I am looking to join two CAT6 cables with a joiner coupler.
In my local DIY store they sell both a 5e and a 6 version and on the outside they look pretty similar to each other.
Theoretically speaking would/should a cat6 joiner coupler have any difference from a 5e or is it just a straight link with a copper wire from the plug of cable A to plug of cable B and therefore any cat6, cat7 etc. denominations are merely a marketing gimmick?

Thanks!

 

[L&LD]

Cat5e vs Cat6 - Difference and Comparison | Diffen

 

[thiggins]

They are likely the same. How long is the total cable length that you are making.

 

[bbunge]

Most, if not all, couplers or joiners for RJ45 connectors are not advised for use in structured wiring. Many are cited as CAT 5e or CAT 6 couplers but are nothing more than a plain old RJ45 coupler. Use one if you must but expect performance degradation. If you are trying to extend an Ethernet cable beyond the recommended 100 meters or 328 feet, add an unmanaged switch instead of a connector or joiner. You can also use a router as an access point or mesh node and run Ethernet out of it to a remote point. Fiber is also an option for long runs.

 

[SpaceTofu]

Thanks for the replies .
I'm connecting a 20m cable and a 22m cable. The latter could be replaced with medium effort to a shorter length (>12m), the first 20m cable would be very hard to replace instead.

The reason behind the need for a coupler is having relocated my home office to a room that we never had thought of needing a cable / becoming an office; I have a cable in every other room and having just finished to renovate / decorate the whole place , it is impossible for me to lay a cable that goes straight from my new office into the router cupboard; trailing/surface cables are not an option.

So I'm essentially joining the 20m cable that is in my previous office (and so it happens that some floorboards are still up) which is connected straight into the router at the other end with this new 22m cable that goes from my former office room to my new office room.

The joiner / coupler will be placed under the floorboard and I would have thought with the combined distance being <50m it would have been ok and I would have not seen any degradation?

I would be interested to know @bbunge why joiners should not be used in structural wiring and I if I should expect for a coupler to be actually worse than a wireless connection through access point?
Or is this a misunderstanding, as I hadn't explained clearly in my original post that I'm not using a coupler to reach any incredible length - seeing that you mentioned fiber too as an option!

Also to clarify. In this scenario, would a switch connecting the two cables be marginally or extremely better than a coupler? Would I be able to use a PoE switch as, as mentioned, the connection point between the two cables will be under floorboards?

thanks!

 

[thiggins]

There is no need for a switch. The coupler will work fine unless you are running 10GbE.

 

[degrub]

i would put a brass floor box (like you see for power plugs in the middle of a floor in offices) with a blank or decorative cover plate so you have access to the connection when you need it. It needs to be rugged metal since it can be walked on or have furniture on top. Permanent wiring never makes connections behind walls/ceilings or floors without an access box. For higher voltages, it is against the NEC, as it is one additional location that higher resistance can develop due to oxidation/corrosion/looseness potentially leading to a fire. For low voltage cabling, that result should not be likely. Even so, you always provide an access means to the connection in case repair/replacement is needed.

 

[follower]

Hi all,

I am looking to join two CAT6 cables with a joiner coupler.
In my local DIY store they sell both a 5e and a 6 version and on the outside they look pretty similar to each other.
Theoretically speaking would/should a cat6 joiner coupler have any difference from a 5e or is it just a straight link with a copper wire from the plug of cable A to plug of cable B and therefore any cat6, cat7 etc. denominations are merely a marketing gimmick?

Thanks!

I don't think it's a marketing gimmick. There are two types of couplers, 'Pin' type and 'PCB' type. Buy a PCB type coupler.
Pin type: connected with pins.
PCB type: connected with a PCB.
PCB>Pin
You can check the difference with a network tester.

 

[magic]

If I wanted to couple 2 lengths of cable in this scenario, I would first of all make sure it's accessible like how degrub says and term one end with a 110 jack and the other a rj45 connector.