Questions tagged [cable]

The questions tagged that way are for the physical aspect of the cable, like length limitation, physical properties, tubing, installation, etc..

Networking cables are networking hardware used to connect one network device to other network devices or to connect two or more computers to share printers, scanners etc. Different types of network cables, such as coaxial cable, optical fiber cable, and twisted pair cables, are used depending on the network's physical layer, topology, and size. The devices can be separated by a few meters (e.g. via Ethernet) or nearly unlimited distances (e.g. via the interconnections of the Internet).

There are several technologies used for network connections. Patch cables are used for short distances in offices and wiring closets. Electrical connections using twisted pair or coaxial cable are used within a building. Optical fiber cable is used for long distances or for applications requiring high bandwidth or electrical isolation. Many installations use structured cabling practices to improve reliability and maintainability. In some home and industrial applications power lines are used as network cabling.

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Cable management strategy for a small chassis switch

I'm working with a small site buildout that contains a single HP ProCurve 4200vl chassis switch. The data cabling contractor did not provision for any cable management. I'm looking at the rack pictured below and would like some suggestions on how to…
ewwhite
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Proper method for connecting multiple non-stackable network switches?

I deal with many clients in warehousing and industrial applications who have IT staff or local consultants. Many of these sites are still using a 10/100 Megabit switching backbone... I've managed to get some clients to invest in networking as a part…
ewwhite
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How to test/debug bad network wiring?

I recently bought a place already wired with Cat 5E (8 ports, leading to a central closet). However attempting to get link, nothing works. On closer examination, it was obvious that the ends in the closet were wired backwards (brown on pin 1, etc).…
Jack Lloyd
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LAN: What are the things to look at when arriving in a new place

My company is moving to a new place, and the only thing I know about the cabling is that there are cables and a patch panel. I have no idea about the cable speed, quality, and I'm a software guy with little IT knowledge. What should I do to audit…
CharlesB
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How do I label the network ports in our office?

We have a new office that was punched down with Ethernet in every office and every cubicle. The electrician didn't mark the ports on the patch panel or the wall ports, so I don't know where say port 1 on the patch panel goes in the office. I've…
zippy
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Gigabit with cat5 cable

Can a standard cat5 cable transmit at a speed of 1000 Mbit/s ? I've asked several people I know in the networking field and received different answers. I know a cat5 "works" on a Gigabit network but does it give the same performance of a cat5e or…
Mark
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What Ethernet twisted pair cable is best with a particular Ethernet switch

tl;dr I want the appropriate Ethernet cable for my Ethernet switch. How do I correlate Ethernet cabling speeds measured in hertz with an Ethernet switch "speed" measured in bits-per-second bandwidth? There are several Ethernet twisted pair cabling…
JamesThomasMoon
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What's a reliable way to test patch panel connections?

I just had to run a total of 12 cat5 cables into a patch panel. This was the first time I'd actually done that. I'm reasonably confident that I got all the wires in the right order after some initial A/B confusion, but I'm not entirely confident…
DWilliams
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Stripping cat5 cable which doesn't have a ripcord

I need to patch a couple of cables. Normally I'd work with cat5 cable which contains a ripcord. The ripcord is used to pull outer insulation off without accidentally cutting the individual strands of cable. The cables I have to patch cannot be…
LadyLuck
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Tips for managing storage of computer cables?

I live in a college dorm during the school year, and I have tons of cables. USB cables, printer, power, headphones, everything. And, because of my college-ness, I am often packing these cables up in boxes, storing them for the summer, and bringing…
rascher
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Are a RJ11 jack and a RJ45 socket physically compatible?

Can the smaller RJ11 jack be plugged into an RJ45 (technically a 8P8C) socket? I've seen the plug be plugged into the socket, but have not seen it used to transmit data.
StuperUser
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Structured Cabling Server Racks

We have the opportunity next week to rewire five server racks which is currently in a real mess. Each rack currently has a switch installed up top with lots of cables hanging around. We are thinking of installing patch panels in each rack, wired…
PeterG
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Effecient organization of spare cables and hardware

As many of you also likely do, I have a growing collection of cables, hardware, and spare parts (screws, connectors, etc.). I'm looking to find a good system of organization so that everything isn't a tangled mess, mismatched, and potentially able…
Jake Wharton
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Difference between Cat 6a and Cat 6 plug

What's the difference between cat 6a STP and cat 6 STP plug connector? Can I use a cat 6 plug on a cat 6a wire?
Maurice
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Securing power cables

It's always annoyed me that while the sockets for network, serial, parallel and display cables all have securing mechanisms (ie a screw-in bolt, or a clasp) to stop them from being pulled out by jostling, there's nothing similar on power sockets (ie…
Gavin Brown
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