Just how bad is CCA network cable?

[MJNewton]

In my new family room extension I've included four runs of Cat 5e network cable for TV (and related items) and another for an outdoor IP camera. With the runs coming back to the central wiring cupboard (where the remainder of the house is already connected to) there's about 40m added in total...

 

I bought my cable from a local electrical distributor TLC Direct as I buy a lot of my electrical kit, wiring etc, from there and have always been very pleased. They sell Cat 5e cable either by the metre or on 50m/100m coils as seen here. There's quite a saving to be had buying it by the coil and so I went for a 50m coil for this job...

 

Little did I realise at the time but the by-the-metre cable isn't the same as the by-the-coil; the former is solid copper whereas the latter is copper over 0.5mm aluminium. Grrr.

 

From what I can gather (from a cursory Internet search) CCA network cable is seemingly not compliant with the specs (which calls for 'copper') and is what you get when you buy cheap off eBay. I feel a bit duped to be honest as I didn't spot this detail when I ordered.

 

Just how bad is CCA cable? Each of my runs is <10m and is currently running at 100Mbps but of course I might one day want/need to increase that. It is perhaps more the outdoor IP camera that I am concerned about as I am powering that over PoE, or at least the 'poor mans' method that uses the same pairs is 'proper' PoE but is done using a crude injector/splitter and with a dumb 12v PSU. That said, the camera has worked faultlessly for six months so I know it works but I am concerned about longevity and other potential issues that CCA is seemingly criticised with (e.g. higher resistance).

 

I am tempted to rip it all out but that'd be a bit of a pain for the camera cable give it is run through the external wall, all nicely sealed up etc. I think what I'd rather do is be convinced that I am worrying over nothing (like I do), that there's a million other buildings out there with CCA network cable in working just fine, and I need to get on with 1001 other jobs that still need completing! Don't hold back though - feed my anxieties if that's more appropriate!

 

P.S. The cable sheaf seems to have all the right markings on and doesn't mention CCA.. but then I guess it wouldn't?

Edited January 9, 2020 by MJNewton

[PeterW]

10m is fine - don’t panic ..!! You can get 3-5Gbps over that sort of distance, it’s only when you get to 100m you will start to have impedance issues. 

 

 

[MJNewton]

Oh I do panic panic Peter... Don't know why. I used to be so easy going - and indeed still consider myself to be - but when it comes to detail like this (particularly when it comes to the house for some reason) I'll keep myself awake at night over this sort of thing!