[Fourlanders] Cat-5 Cable question

[Jim Worsham]

OK, the consensus seems to be that in general switches are better than hubs
so I will go to Microcenter next week and see if I can get two of the $15
linksys model that is on sale.  Even if this and fixing the Windows XP
firewall problem makes the network more stable I would still like to see us
minimise the potential for RFI.  Shielded CAT5 is good. I tried to find some
a while back but was never able to find anything less that 1000' spools for
between two and three hundred dollars.  If Ron can find some for a
reasonable price then lets go for it.  Even if we use shielded CAT5 we
should also find some clamp on ferrite beads or toroids to put on each end
of the cable to prevent conduction along the shield.
 
73
Jim, W4KXY

  _____  

From: Rogers, Ron [mailto:RR124640 at ncr.com] 
Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 4:02 PM
To: Jim Worsham - W4KXY; Bob Lear - K4SZ
Subject: Cat-5 Cable question



How long of an Ethernet run is it from our one trailer to the other ?? 

I'm keeping my eyes open for a run of shielded (with shielding connectors
installed) Cat-5 cable and wondered what length we should use.  If I find
some smaller lengths ( 6 or 8 ft )  to run from the switches to the PCs I'll
obtain those too.

Been talking with a few other "professional" network maintenance guys here
at NCR. 

They claim we are asking for trouble trying to run unshielded cable in our
environment. They told me war stories of unshielded Ethernet cable too close
to fluorescent light fixtures, motors, and in same conduit with electrical
wires. Claimed these things caused intermittent problems, network response
degradation, etc.

They also confirmed the "switch verses hub" architecture and say to
definitely run switches. 


Ron Rogers
Eng. Prog. Mgr.
Elec. Payment & Wireless Sys.
NCR Corp.
770-623-7690