[vcf-midatlantic] Makin' Ethernet...

[Jameel Akari]

On Mon, 4 Jun 2018, Jim Hart via vcf-midatlantic wrote:

> I have a fresh box of gray cat 5 that was for a home project that never got
> done. I have the ends around here someplace or can get some in a day or
> two. I have the tools for either crimp or punch terminations.

re: punch - do that.

Crimped ends on solid-conductor cable (normally used for station wiring) 
tend not to be reliable, especially if there's any movement or vibration.

I'd highly recommend punching jacks onto either of the cable if it's 
solid-conductor, and using short patch cables to connect the devices and 
switches.  Said patch should be stranded cable.(*)

You can get patch panels cheap for the rack end that hold keystone-style 
jacks.  On the device end they can snap into a "biscuit" box if visible. 
Often up in a ceiling, the jacks are just left as-is, wrapped in tape if 
they don't have decent punch block covers.

This may sound scope-creep-y, but it'll save headaches later.

(*) I pretty much don't crimp my own Ethernet patch cables anymore. 
Stranded cable is harder to get and more expensive, and pre-made patch is 
_cheap_.

-- 
Jameel Akari

>
> —Jim Hart
>
> On Mon, Jun 4, 2018 at 5:19 PM Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
>
>> We need a bunch of network cables to wire up the museum PoE security
>> cameras.
>>
>> I have not yet measured. My estimate is about 200 feet total for four
>> cables.
>>
>> Two questions:
>>
>> 1. Does anyone have a very long reel of cat 5 to donate? I prefer black.
>>
>> 2. Does anyone have the RJ-45 ends and the tool/experience to terminate
>> the cables? (I used to know how, but it's been 17 years since I last did
>> it.)
>>
>> ________________________________
>> Evan Koblentz, executive director
>> Vintage Computer Federation
>> a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit
>>
>> evan at vcfed.org
>> (646) 546-9999
>>
>> www.vcfed.org
>> facebook.com/vcfederation
>> twitter.com/vcfederation
>> instagram.com/vcfederation
>>
>> --
> —
>
> —Jim Hart
>

-- 
Jameel Akari