Cable specs- cat 6 and coax

[cwr]

Hey folks,

 

Researching ethernet cables, so far I have concluded that cat 6 is  probably the way to go. But what a choice of cat 6's there is, or at least there must be given the wide price range. But what should I look for, solid copper conductor, min size, shielding...? Or just buy the cheapest?

 

What will it be used for is no doubt the first thing I need to establish, and to that all I can say at this stage is 'future proofing'. Apart from a smart tv or two i don't really used hard wired connections at the mo, but with the kids growing up who now what sort of devices they will want, etc, but I do recognise that now's the time to get the new house hopefully ready for most eventualities..

 

Also, coax cable. Again, go for cheapest or are there min standards to watch for?

 

Thanks

[TonyT]

CT100 sat cable

and cat 6a for me,  I’m sure 34 others Will have a different opinion.

 

 

[ProDave]

I use RG6 sat cable, BUT make sure it's all copper, avoid the aluminium versions.

[joth]

WF100 coax - this is the spec Virgin Media use, in case you ever want to route cable TV between rooms.

 

Solid copper U/FTP  Cat6A is best for future proofing if you ever come to put HDMI over it. Otherwise any standard solid core CAT6 is fine.

Avoid CCA.

 

Avoid Amazon as lots of sellers are  misadvertising cat6 as cat7 or cat8 and hard to have any trust at all what you're getting on there

[Hilldes]

I used these - quite happy with the quality and price:

 

CAT6

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CACAT6LSF.html

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CACAT6.html

 

Sat:

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CAPF100B.html

 

 

[cwr]

Thanks for the replies.

 

Cat6 has arrived, just need to get the coax. Is this any good?

https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/2412228-rg6-satellite-cable-black-100m-drum

 

I phoned up cef to ask is it solid copper, the guy found some and said yeah looks like copper. Didn't have a data sheet for it so I'm still not too sure about it.

[joth]

Personally I'd use type 100 cable, I liked the Webro WF100 but e.g. https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/488397-pf100-satellite-cable-black-100m is CAI certified .

If you're going to the effort of installing coax at all, the extra 16p per meter for quality low-loss WF/PF100  cable seems peanuts 

 

Some rambling info on the differences on these pages

https://www.webro.com/rg6-sdu-cable-cai-approval/

http://www.stevelarkins.freeuk.com/digital-coaxial-cable.htm

https://www2.theiet.org/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=205&threadid=60442#:~:text=The real difference is the,and fits F connectors properly.

Edited February 4, 2022 by joth
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[markharro]

Can anyone advise a good supplier for CAT6/6A cable, coaxial, speaker cable?

 

I am also keen to source a decent crimper/cut for pass thru ethernet cables and the pass through plastic bits as well. The crimpers I have seen so far all seem much much more £ than the basic ones. thanks

[joth]

I ended up mostly using:

https://bownetcms.co.uk/ for CAT6A

www.futureshop.co.uk for QED QX16/4  speaker cable

random places for coax

 

I had to try a few crimpers and RJ45s before finding a combo that worked with CAT6A. I can dig out what I settled on if that's helpful

[markharro]

Thanks for that. Looking at what I have leftover in my shed I see I must have used CAT6 to run a connection into it. I dont think I have previously used CAT6A. Is it even thicker etc than the CAT6? Is there much difference in price.

 

Given that we plan to stay in our house for the foreseeable future which could be many decades my thinking is that I should wire CAT6A but is this needed for all purposes? Maybe only audiovisual? Or if you mix and match 5/6/6A in a network does everything come down to 5 speed?