FTTP upgrade... which CAT cable should I get??

[katie279]

Hey folks,

Just getting FTTP upgrade today and fella from Openreach has suggested that I should get at least a CAT7 or CAT8 cable between the socket he'll fit and my UDM Pro.

What's the best cable to aim for - ie CAT7, CAT 7a. CAT 8 doesn't seem to be available from many places, so don't know if it's bedded down as a standard yet??
What would you fit?

 

[Semple]

6

 

[Armageus]

A "Good Quality" (i.e. not random tat from Amazon or Ebay) Cat5e or Cat6 will be fine.

There is no need for Cat6A/Cat7/Cat8 in the home.

 

[katie279]

Useful - he was swearing by 6 not being enough (which I've got all over the house) - he said for 1000mbs which I'm getting, it'll be essential to run between the socket and the router at least Cat 7.

Looks like 6 will be fine??

I thought 7 and 8 weren't quite standards yet anyway...

 

[ChrisD.]

A "Good Quality" (i.e. not random tat from Amazon or Ebay) Cat5e or Cat6 will be fine.

This is the way.

 

[montymint]

6 is fine. I get pretty much 1gbps internally and I’m using cheap switches

 

[katie279]

Cheers all! CAT 6 it is, I'll tell him the nerd council have spoken!

Out of interest, how do you judge good quality? Is it by brand, feature or an other?

 

[Armageus]

Useful - he was swearing by 6 not being enough (which I've got all over the house) - he said for 1000mbs which I'm getting, it'll be essential to run between the socket and the router at least Cat 7.

Cat5E will do 1000mbs i.e. Gigabit (and 2.5Gb) at up to 100 metres.

Cat6 will do 10Gb at up to 55 metres (and 5Gb at 100 metres) - usually enough for homes, with Cat 6A being needed if you need 10Gb at 100 metres

I thought 7 and 8 weren't quite standards yet anyway...

Cat7 isn't a TIA standard for Ethernet, as requires different connectors (Not RJ45).

 

[katie279]

Cat7 isn't a TIA standard for Ethernet, as requires different connectors (Not RJ45).

Ah, didn't know that - although if you look online there's loads of 'cat 7' cables that have what looks like rj45 connectors?? Are these just non standard?

 

[Armageus]

Out of interest, how do you judge good quality? Is it by brand, feature or an other?

If buying from a general retailer, then just a recognised brand, e.g. Belkin, Startech, Kenable

Otherwise just buy from a networking specialist e.g. cablemonkey, netstoredirect, commsexpress etc

 

[nlel1975]

Yeah I've got a cheap £2.94 Cat6 cable from Amazon and that serves my gigabit connection well.

 

[katie279]

If buying from a general retailer, then just a recognised brand, e.g. Belkin, Startech, Kenable

Otherwise just buy from a networking specialist e.g. cablemonkey, netstoredirect, commsexpress etc

Ah great, that's what I've done in the past - good to know I'm not missing anything!

 

[Armageus]

Ah, didn't know that - although if you look online there's loads of 'cat 7' cables that have what looks like rj45 connectors?? Are these just non standard?

Although "proper" Cat7 cable sort of exists (there is a standard, just not a TIA Standard), most of the Cat7 you can buy online isn't anything near what it should be (in terms of shielding, conductor thickness) - often just the same as Cat5e or Cat6

The only reason that Cat 7 and Cat 8 are advertised, is simply that "bigger number is better"

 

[katie279]

Got you. I do wonder if CAT6 has provided an awful lot of bandwidth for future upgrades - I install cat 6 in this house ten years ago and it's still going strong it seems....!

 

[katie279]

Ok here's the challenge - I'm trying to avoid ripping up floors for new cable runs....

Currently have:
BT Master Socket in Gym > UDM Pro > masses of switches around the house - this includes a high quality CAT6 cable that goes back to the gym already and plugs into a switch.

The new set up will have a socket in the Gym for the FTTP - so I'm pretty sure I could just plug this return CAT 6 cable into the new socket and move the cable on the UDM Pro to the WAN port and most of the house would be sorted.

However this would mean the switch in the Gym was no longer connected to the LAN - which means the lounge would also be disconnected.

Any clever tricks - eg can I connect the FTTP to a switch and then to the UDM or does it have to direct connect?

 

[Zefan]

Is the above roughly drawable?

 

[Delta3D]

can I connect the FTTP to a switch and then to the UDM or does it have to direct connect?

You can yes, that would make what's effectively a DMZ Switch with single firewall.

 

[the-evaluator]

Any clever tricks - eg can I connect the FTTP to a switch and then to the UDM or does it have to direct connect?

Where is the UDM located? If it's in the gym then you're fine, you'd connect the FTTP ONT directly to the WAN port of the UDM and then connect the LAN side of the UDM to the ethernet cable that goes off elsewhere.

A drawing would definitely be helpful.

If however the UDM is not in the gym then you're going to struggle unless your switches are managed and you can set VLANs on them.

 

[katie279]

Ah, UDM is under the stairs currently.

So maybe the best plan is to flip things - put UDM in the gym, then move that switch to under the stairs, then pretty sure everything should be fine....!

 

[the-evaluator]

Any chance of a drawing of the rough physical layout?

What switches do you have?

But yes, moving the UDM into the gym would solve that problem but what about Wi-Fi? Is the UDM your only access point? Ignore me, I missed it was a UDMP.