Networking gurus in here - CAT6 advice needed

[Phate]

Hello all,

the company is moving buildings in June and I've been asked to get some quotes for some CAT6 cables (about 500 of varied lengths)

Now I rang one supplier and they said they need to know the manufacter of the network system we are having installed in the new building and the brand of the patch panels etc, so he can provide the correct cables otherwise if he supplys the wrong cables (still CAT6 but the wrong type) it will run at CAT5e speeds and not CAT6

Is this guy talking crap or does he speak the truth?

Many Thanks

 

[Phate]

Sounds like rubbish to me. Cat6 is Cat6. As long as the cable meets the Cat6 standards it will work with any network hardware with an RJ45 socket.

You might want to get this thread switched to the Network and Internet Connectivity forum, this is more a hardware issue than software.

Thanks mate - That's what I thought, will see what others say.

Oops - can a mod move it to NW and Internet - Ta.

 

[Phate]

No probs. This sounds like one of those times when you're sure you know the answer but you just want to be sure. I checked with my flatmate and he agreed with my logic. It doesn't matter.

What I reckon is that this guy is trying to rip you off. If you tell him that company X or brand Y are supplying the equipment then instantly he'll be, "Ah yes, the cables that are compatible with their stuff is quite expensive you see". Trying to get you to pay a premium.

He's reckoning he can pull the wool over your eyes and get some extra cash out of your company. Either just tell him you want Cat6 cables or find someone else.

That's exactly it, I mean, a cable is a cable at the end of the day, providing it's using the correct internals it should be fine.

We've told the guy what he wanted and is currently making us a quote, we got a quote from somewhere else and I don't know but £5.99 seems very expensive for a 2M cable

It's annoying because we have used this guy before, and he works for a very well known company (can't mention as they sell products etc) But if he does try to rip us off then bugger to him tbh.

 

[Phate]

Buy youself a roll of cable and get a crimper and a bag of rj45 connectors. they are easy to make and you'll end up with the lengths you want for pence each.

I know how to make cables and so does the tech team, but funnily enough we have other work to do when someone else can worry about getting the cables made.

 

[Phate]

That is exactly my thinking. This is the whole point of networking standards; you can mix brands and cables and it'll work.

Indeed, it's why the standards were setup.

WHOA! Alarm bells now. I'm looking on another site now and they sell 2m Cat6 for £3.30 and for £5.99 you'd get a 5m Cat6 for about £4.68 so £6 for 2m is a joke really. And these are just single Cat6 cables, you'll be buying in bulk I presume so the prices should be a bit lower as a result.

Aye, we asked for a quote of 300 x 2M ones and supplier came back with £5.99 each!

Total quote was £4094.00

For 500 cables! - it's a bloody joke!

Mind you, that company doesn't specifically sell network cables.

 

[Phate]

Sweet, thanks for the price checks