Gigabit CAT6 Kit for Installing & Testing: Terminiation, Crimping etc.

[crashnburn]

Gigabit CAT6 Kit for Installing & Testing: Terminiation, Crimping etc.

The cable infrastructure is the most often overlooked and most critical aspect of any network deployment. It is the foundation on which you build upon. I applaud your CAT6 decision, but keep in mind there are very stringent requirements to ensure your plant is CAT6, from wire termination, wall plates, patch panels, etc. Just because the cable itself says CAT6 doesn't mean that your plant meets CAT6 requirements. It is an exercise in lowest common denominator; CAT5 wall plates or sloppy wire termination can render CAT6 cable an expensive alternative to barbed wire.

Is there a good KIT I could buy that has tools / testers for
- CAT6 "Socket" Installation
- CAT6 "RJ-45" Crimping (with the crimpable heads)

Installing & Testing them for CAT6 - Gigabit standards.

Even if separate pieces and not part of a single kit, please do point me to the right tools (decently priced I hope) and let me know what they do and whether or not its REALLY worth having.

I believe there is a little Wire continuity tester that the local wire guy uses to check Ethernet cables. It has this set of LEDs where the signal goes through to check continuity of the different Twisted pairs.

I am guessing that would only check wire. Is there any way to check for "signal attenuation" / "resistance" / "impedance" etc that might make a certain installation Gigabit CAT6 compliant v/s only 10/100 Fast Ethernet CAT5.

After all, the speeds would depend on the weakest link in the chain.

The wiring has been done CAT6 and has been terminated into Wall boards with RJ-45 Sockets and crimped to RJ-45 at other location.

I just want to be able to check "Wire / Physical Layer" issues & bottlenecks myself if they happen. I want to use this so that I can be sure when I am testing my network for Gigabit with new switches and machines I am not blaming those devices if at all something went wrong with the wiring.

Side Note:
Now, I have to try to find a decently priced Gigabit "smart" switch (between Unmanaged & Managed - I believe) to start off. Lets see.

 

[thiggins]

If you really want to perform bandwidth testing on your cables, it's going to cost you.

The Fluke Cable IQ runs around $1000.

This would be overkill for gigabit Ethernet, however. I would only bother with it (and CAT 6 cable) if you were going for 10G.

 

[crashnburn]

How about the cheaper version to INSTALL & TEST my installations?

 

[thiggins]

How about the cheaper version to INSTALL & TEST my installations?

If by test, you mean continuity, then you can use the cheaper cable checkers.

But if you want to check bandwidth, you need the more expensive tester.

 

[jdabbs]

I hear nothing but good things about Fluke equipment (well, not the price). Somewhere between a generic $40 tester and a $1K Fluke is the Black Box TVR 10/100/1000. According to the specs, this unit does test bandwidth, probably by sending a high freq signal through each pair. This unit would be nice to have, but most of the problems that interfere with operation can be identified via visual inspection.

A cable that fails a line test is almost always bad. A cable that passes is not necessarily good.

Problems that would escape continuity testing:

Improper/partial crimping (pin does not completely pierce conductor, or wire is not extended enough to be pierced by both flanges) Both spotted by inspecting the connector.
Wire pairs unraveled too far. Try to keep the pairs twisted as close to the connector as possible. Depending on the overall cable length, an inch on each side may be too much. Experienced installers should know this, but an electrician moonlighting as a data tech may not.
Wire mismatches. If a tester uses odd wires to transmit power on, and even to complete the circuit, a cable with the following terminations 12345678 | 14325678 would pass a test.

If you do choose to purchase a low-end tester, pay close attention to the display output. Some models only test pairs 1,2 and 3,6. Unlike 10/100, gigabit ethernet requires all 8 conductors.

 

[crashnburn]

If by test, you mean continuity, then you can use the cheaper cable checkers.

But if you want to check bandwidth, you need the more expensive tester.

Please recommend some / Link / Name / URL?

I hear nothing but good things about Fluke equipment (well, not the price). Somewhere between a generic $40 tester and a $1K Fluke is the Black Box TVR 10/100/1000. According to the specs, this unit does test bandwidth, probably by sending a high freq signal through each pair. This unit would be nice to have, but most of the problems that interfere with operation can be identified via visual inspection.

// Elaborate. (PS: The wiring is already done and cemented and plastered over .

A cable that fails a line test is almost always bad. A cable that passes is not necessarily good.

// TRUE.

Problems that would escape continuity testing:

Improper/partial crimping (pin does not completely pierce conductor, or wire is not extended enough to be pierced by both flanges) Both spotted by inspecting the connector.

// I'll have to try and learn to do that. Any guides / vidoes / tutorials? You tube?

Wire pairs unraveled too far. Try to keep the pairs twisted as close to the connector as possible. Depending on the overall cable length, an inch on each side may be too much. Experienced installers should know this, but an electrician moonlighting as a data tech may not.

// That's what I am concerned about. I'll have to redo the RJ-45 Plugs & the Female Panels myself if I find these issues. Can you point me to a decently priced "kit" or items to put together the kit so when I sit down to do this I am not without the right tools.

BTW - I think they used LeGrand as the electrical switch & panels. I'll try to find a link or upload the PDF I have.



Wire mismatches. If a tester uses odd wires to transmit power on, and even to complete the circuit, a cable with the following terminations 12345678 | 14325678 would pass a test.

If you do choose to purchase a low-end tester, pay close attention to the display output. Some models only test pairs 1,2 and 3,6. Unlike 10/100, gigabit ethernet requires all 8 conductors.

// I am considering buying. I'd choose to rather buy something you recommend. Any Names? URLs? Links? Pictures? '8 conductors'

I have Frys and and MicroCenter in Houston. Radioshacks too. I wouldnt mind buying online since it saves me the drive, better price and an item you'd recommend.

Thanks guys. Once this is done I am going to give you a Nice article that you can publish here . A really cool Home Media Distribution network. .

 

[thiggins]

Did you see this article?
How To: Diary of a New Home Network - Part 3

You might also find Parts 1 and 2 helpful.

 

[scotty]

Wow, great article. I'm surprised I had never read it before... It gives me some ideas for my new house.

On top of the great advice in the article, the only thing I would add is buying good tools, particularly a good crimper. I originally had a cheapo belkin crimper and quite frankly it gave me no end of frustration. I got a Klein crimper and it made all the difference. Combined with an RG6 stripper and crimper, you can do so much in your home. Nothing like beautiful looking cabling (note: beautiful does not necessarily equal functional - but it does impress your neighbors )

 

[jdabbs]

re: Visual Inspection
The problems I listed can be spotted by taking a close look at the cable endpoints. The walljacks should be accessible by unscrewing the faceplate; gluing them down would be a very silly thing to do.

re: Tutorials
I'm not sure what you're referring to specifically. This guide is as good as any, as is this one. As for detecting problems, they are easy to spot, as RJ-45 connectors are transparent. Verify the color pattern, make sure the individual conductors are pushed in enough to be pierced by both flanges, and look at the pin to make sure it did pierce (this can be eventually skipped as the primary cause is an inexperienced person not fully crimping it).

re: Kits/Equipment
Macally made a toolkit with a crimper, tester, punchdown tool, and boots+connectors. Good starter equipment; came in a zippered case for ~$100. Would be perfect, but they're not being sold any more. Rosewill has a similar item (less stuff/lower price), but QA is a significant issue. Bummer.

I'd pick up a set of crimpers and RJ-45 connectors from your local home improvement store. My personal preference are the ratcheting ones, as with a little practice you can strip wires without using a dedicated stripper. They may also sell a punchdown tool.

I've used this tester without problems:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16899888404
At $37, the price is right.

You can also spring for a tone generator (the above tester's negative reviews were from people who apparently are unable to recognize a generator, and rated accordingly), but it's only useful for cable messes or severed cables.

 

[crashnburn]

Thanks for the insights and advise. I think I'm getting a better idea in case I want to re-do the cables & jacks.

I've used this tester without problems:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16899888404
At $37, the price is right.

You can also spring for a tone generator (the above tester's negative reviews were from people who apparently are unable to recognize a generator, and rated accordingly), but it's only useful for cable messes or severed cables.

So what does a Tone Generator do? Simply makes "sounds" that you can hear?

Cable Messes: What kind of cable messes?
Meaning it generates and "audible" tone to find the cables if there are too many and you cant find the right one?

Severed Cables: Elaborate? Severed where? 'Internally' or 'Somewhere through the visible stretch'?

If at all I was interested, which tone generator would you recommend.
PS: I appreciate the NewEgg Link.

 

[jdabbs]

Two components are necessary to do testing via tone.

Tone generator, which is a function of the Trendnet tester I linked earlier;
and the tone probe (which is what I should have referred to instead of the first mention of "tone generator").

Non-engineering explanation:
Tone generator is connected to cable, through which it sends a strong pulse.
Tone probe picks up the pulse, which is then converted to audio. The stronger the reception of the pulse, the louder the output. Since the signal increases the closer you get to the cable, it is possible to home in on it.

Usefulness:
You have 5-6 identical lines running through an outdoors conduit attached to the side of your building. Tree falls on conduit, severing your lines. As your buddy connects the generator to each line, you can identify each one so they can be spliced.

Pile of cables? Not so much. It's a pretty strong pulse; it tends to seep into other cables. If you're going to have to connect both ends to verify, you might as well be using the line tester anyway. LEDs blinking in sequence are unambiguous.

Figuring out someone else's "handiwork" (the aforementioned mess)?
Racks are difficult due to density, but a cable can be traced to find out where it leads (well, until it goes into a duct, then you get to locate the next opening). With a regular tester you require access to both ends of a cable.

I have the TC-TP1. I don't think I've ever used it on my own equipment; if you already have a good idea of how things are set up, you won't need it.