cat7 ethernet installation advice please

[adamCCC]

Hello

I have cat7 installed in my house during a rewire (I got it really cheap before anyone says its pointless over cat6!)

I want to fit cat6 faceplates like the ones below but im unsure of the best method to do so.

I've read about having to earth it properly, some links stating this should only be done at one faceplate and not the other etc.

Could anyone advise on how I properly connect the cables up to the cat6 faceplates to ensure proper earthing/grounding. I'm not looking for it to all be up to spec and pass cat tests etc its just for a home network so I just want a clean connection.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Adam

 

[adamCCC]

Cat7 cable = Cat7 faceplates.

If you have screened cable you'll at the very least need screened faceplates.

I personally wouldn't use Cat7 in a home install even if it was free.

Thanks for the reply.

Well, they are in the walls not so theres nothing I can do about it

I didn't think there was such a thing as cat7 faceplates? Do you have a link to any?

 

[adamCCC]

You're now getting into why people try to steer people away from Cat7.

Hopefully this is solid core cable and not stranded?

This is the exact product: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0196FLPBW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[adamCCC]

You bought fully assembled cables and chopped the ends off?

If it is actually as pictured then it is solid core. You need to strip one of the ends back and check.

Yes its solid core

 

[adamCCC]

Use these.

https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6...0-right-angled-patch-panel-5056045700394.html
https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6...p-rj45-module-euromod-size-5056045700264.html

+1 for lolcat7 though.

Cat6 shielded is enough of a pain to do, let alone Cat6a or Cat7.

Needless expense and finger wear for the rest of the install.

Most switches have basic earth points on them, connect this to your patch panel's earth point.

The plan was to use a desktop switch connected to the router (small house, this could be done neatly in the hall). I saw those euromod ones but they are pretty costly, It would be £80 alone for those, then empty faceplates.

Can it not be done with the cheaper, cat6 faceplates? - I just want it working with a stable connection

 

[adamCCC]

The wires will be thicker, so punching them into cat6 faceplates will stress/damage them.



If it's possible, I'd replace them with cat5e or cat6.

Cat5e is such a doddle to work with, works with 10Gbe up to about 30-60 meters if you use good quality cable/modules.

https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat5e-cable/50518-excel-cat5e-utp-cable-pvc-outer-sheath.html
https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat5e-cable/50519-excel-cat5e-utp-cable-pvc-outer-sheath.html

cat7 at home is like buying an F1 car for the school run.

Its not possible to replace the cable, the house is finished and fully decorated, theres no access anymore.

I have to work with what ive got, i got it for virtually nothing which seemed a good idea at the time.

When you say stress/damage them do you mean to beyond the point where it breaks/doesn't work?

Do you have any advice in regards to earthing?

 

[adamCCC]

How many cables do you have and how long is the longest one (roughly)?

Is there anything printed on the cable jacket? It's fairly common for the wire gauge to be stated. You'd expect Cat7 be be thicker than Cat6 but there's no guarantee that it is.

If this was mine I'd try ignoring the screen and erathing completely and terminate one cable (the longest) using UTP Cat6 faceplates as an experiment. You'd obviously leave as much spare cable as possible to allow for additional termination attempts.

There are 10 cables, longest about 35 feet, most 20-25. It says they are 26AWG on the jacket.

Ok ill try that thanks. Just to be clear - what exactly do I need to do to earth completely?

 

[adamCCC]

Having done a stupid amount of research (as you can see by the time of this post!) and having taken advice from the previous posts in this thread my current thinking is this:

Most resources online suggest that you should only ground at one point, therefore I have decided, as bledd suggested, to get the Cat6a FTP RJ45 Module (https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6...p-rj45-module-euromod-size-5056045700264.html) and fit 10 of these into faceplates where all the cables converge in the hall, by the router.

Patch leads from the faceplates will then be connected to a desktop switch.

In the individual rooms, I'll use regular cat6 faceplates, non grounded.

As far as I can see, this is my best course of action?

The only problem I still have is how to ground the cable! I have never done it before therefore simply don't know how (I'm sure its very straightforward but I want to do it right!) I cant find any guides online on what you physically have to do to ground the cable. Could someone please tell me exactly what needs to be done to ground the cable to the Cat6a FTP RJ45 Modules?

Cheers

 

[adamCCC]

8x faceplates will look terrible.

They won't look terrible, they are behind a unit/sideboard so you wont see them at all.

How many ports do you have?

10

What you should do is have a cable running from router to a central location that can be boxed in and have all other called running to that point and use a switch from there.

This is the case, as i said before, its a small house I didn't have the space to have a dedicated area for this. The router sits on top of the unit, the cat7 is coming out of 3 back boxes on the wall behind the unit. I was going to plug 7 of these into a desktop switch ( this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-SG108-Gigabit-Ethernet-Switch/dp/B00A121WN6 - which will also be hidden behind the unit) and the remaining three cables directly into the router. All you will see to the eye is a router on top of unit.

Either use shielded connectors on both ends of none at all. Yes, only one side needs grounding to a switch, but both sides should have the shielding punched in.

Ok, will do. I'm still unsure of the grounding though! does it get grounded just by being plugged into the switch, as this is then plugged into the grounded mains?

I really appreciate the help, I understand its ludicrous (now) to be using cat7, live and learn eh?

 

[adamCCC]

Finally got around to addressing this again (baby on the way in the next couple of weeks so its been a bit manic getting the house ready!)

As i had the plastic faceplates lying around I thought I'd try them, so rigged up a little test with 2 quad faceplates and a foot long piece of cat7 between them. Plugged 1 into modem, 1 into pc and to my amazement it worked! Getting a full speed connection @ 71mb/sec.

This was however only a test. Will the plastic faceplates hold up? They are working now but are they likely to break when installed properly in the wall? On one hand I'm thinking they are working so its fine but on the other hand im thinking I should get the shielded faceplates!

 

[adamCCC]

yes sorry, that was just the broadband speed. I'd been using wifi and powerlines before and not got over 40.

was just surprised it worked - was my first go at wiring ethernet. Just the 20 more times to go now :X