New house - Wiring rooms - CAT5e vs CAT6 vs CAT7?

The cost difference between a Cat5e and a Cat6 network cable isn't worth worrying about, especially when you're only going to need a few.

Cat5e cables will work just fine if that's what you'd prefer.

Don't get tempted to make your own cables, it just isn't worth it.

The network cables you use from the wall to the device should be made from stranded cable. A Cat5e network cable will be a bit thinner and more flexible, but won't be any more malleable.

Right okay. This feels like it's gradually coming together in terms of dos and don'ts. Only time I've crimped my own cable was after a botch job of drilling one through the living room wall into the study of my parents' house. Been working fine ever since, but wouldn't be keen on doing it again.
 
I've only see CAT7 used in a server environment to provide server to server connectivity (if your looking at 100Gb speed fibre would be the solution over CAT7)

Anyway, I'd personally recommend outdoor grade CAT6 if your running cable behind walls & below floors boards, it's a bit more durable with a center spine running through it making it less prone to damage but the downside it's less flexible but trust me...it's no fun trying to find a break in a cable after you have run it!.
 
External grade cable?

The only difference is the jacket (any solid core Cat6 will almost certainly have the centre spine - and it isn't there for strength).

You're just making life hard and the job more expensive (IMO).
 
I think my decision to go for a 24 port switch was a bit overkill in hindsight - I'll likely want to upgrade to 10G before using more than 16 ports! 9U though...what will you be using it for? I got a 3U wall mount: 1U for patch panel, 1U for switch, 1U spare.
1u power strip, 1u patch panel, 1u switch and the rest for putting in a nas box. Router to be mounted above on the wall.
 
I organise this kind of work for many large companies...

My recommendation is to get the best quality cable you can afford installed now. The cost of cable, even Cat7 is dirt cheap compared to the labour cost. If you want to upgrade at a later date then you'll wish you had done it now.

You'll mostly see the benefit when you want to upgrade to a 10gig network in a few years.

For now, I see cat5e speeds drop to around 850mbit over a 20m run and 750mbit over a 100m run.

Cat6 and Cat7 will maintain the full gigabit speeds over the longest runs you have in the house.

You'll see more drop-off with 10gig over cat5e and cat6/7 will maintain higher throughput.

cat5e is more than good enough for most users and businesses... but if you're a power user and want to squeeze the most speed out of your setup... then I'd pay the extra. I have cat7 at home.

Plus try to run at least 1 more cable than you need if you can afford it. The cost of doing it will only really be the extra cable and termination bits... it's nice to have a spare cable there if a fault develops later on or for some reason you decide you want another.
 
Cat6 will be fine. You're better off pulling two Cat6 cables than a single "Cat7" if you're worried about future proofing things.

I am not sure what the poster above is referring to regarding Cat5e dropping to 850Mb after 20m - it's not rate adaptive, and if there's so many errors that packet loss is causing a drop in total throughput then it's not due to the cable being 20m long, it's because something's broken.
 
External grade cable?

The only difference is the jacket (any solid core Cat6 will almost certainly have the centre spine - and it isn't there for strength).

You're just making life hard and the job more expensive (IMO).

Indeed, the difference is the sheath which is normally doubled in thickness which is ideal when potentially burying it within walls/floors.

Indeed the spine isn't primarily there for stability (helps with Crosstalk) in the real world and having chased plenty of cat6 grade cable the spine does decrease it's risk of damage when routing.

Not exactly making life hard or overly expensive if you want it done properly (IMO)
 
Last edited:
cat5e is more than good enough for most users and businesses... but if you're a power user and want to squeeze the most speed out of your setup... then I'd pay the extra. I have cat7 at home.
When I did all the investigation for my home setup, Cat5e was no cheaper than Cat6 anyway (for solid core cable).

Plus try to run at least 1 more cable than you need if you can afford it. The cost of doing it will only really be the extra cable and termination bits... it's nice to have a spare cable there if a fault develops later on or for some reason you decide you want another.
Good advice. I think I ended up only running the exact number of cables upstairs purely because I had to work in the edges of a hole around a pipe and it was getting pretty tight once the 8th one went in. Making a new hole in the floor was way more effort than it was worth!
 
I have never ever installed external grade Cat6 internally when not a single part of it is running externally.

Cat6 is a very strong cable and I've never snapped one.

I think the only project I know of that has used Cat7 is a very famous supercar manufacturer who I think were just throwing away money, I've seen Cat8 being installed more than the former. How long are you living there for? I'd possibly go Cat6A if it has the potential to be a forever home, that technology is maturing and due to it being shielded it is much better at heat dissipation which is quickly going to become important in the next few years.
 
I have never ever installed external grade Cat6 internally when not a single part of it is running externally.

Cat6 is a very strong cable and I've never snapped one.

Used external when sealed within concrete, between walls or plastered over to give it that extra protection when you can't run it within a conduit/trunking . Seen plenty of ripped cat5 cables damaging the copper strands when people treat it like twin & earth and a bit too heavy handed, not so much with Cat6 (thank god).
 
Used external when sealed within concrete, between walls or plastered over to give it that extra protection when you can't run it within a conduit/trunking . Seen plenty of ripped cat5 cables damaging the copper strands when people treat it like twin & earth and a bit too heavy handed, not so much with Cat6 (thank god).
Always contained within conduits - Don't think I've ever been part of a project where this hasn't been possible in concrete because it's usually chased out and if it's cavity its no longer a problem.

I've snapped probably 2 Cat5es before and that was more down to me... Now fibreglass rods on the other hand...
 
On the subject of conduit, can anybody recommend some flexible stuff with a smooth internal wall? The usual stuff I use can sometimes be tricky to get a fish tape through. 20mm is fine.
 
I need to throw this through a ceiling so bending it in place won't work unfortunately.

Most likely option for now is to use the normal cheap flexible stuff but pull a drawstring through with a vacuum cleaner before it's installed.
 
I need to throw this through a ceiling so bending it in place won't work unfortunately.

Most likely option for now is to use the normal cheap flexible stuff but pull a drawstring through with a vacuum cleaner before it's installed.

Copex is what you're after and yeah just use a string. I can't bend conduit just can't, you can buy manufactured bends.
 
I need to throw this through a ceiling so bending it in place won't work unfortunately.

Most likely option for now is to use the normal cheap flexible stuff but pull a drawstring through with a vacuum cleaner before it's installed.
With a vacuum cleaner? What? Why?
 
How long are you living there for? I'd possibly go Cat6A if it has the potential to be a forever home, that technology is maturing and due to it being shielded it is much better at heat dissipation which is quickly going to become important in the next few years.

Probably a few years, in the 5-10 range. Still a nice investment to make when it comes to selling the house I guess. I'd like to think people value network cable more than telephone sockets!
 
Probably a few years, in the 5-10 range. Still a nice investment to make when it comes to selling the house I guess. I'd like to think people value network cable more than telephone sockets!
Telephone sockets are easy to install and thus theres literally no thought/design that has to go into it. Most new homes do it now.

5-10 Years, work out a budget and stick to it. Cat6a if you can afford it. Cat6 would likely suffice to be honest. Most runs you'll manage 10G anyway.

I'll be honest it's going to be messy so don't go hanging nice new wallpaper because they may need to drill some rather large holes in your walls.


I work for a commercial company and we don't do much domestic work but it can get messy. Especially with insulation in your cavities.
I'd expect them to put a cabinet in the loft, that's what I'd recommend they do it's not ideal but it leads to less mess. Soil pipe boxing in will go right into the loft they can use this. Get them to relocate the BT line or put an extension from it to the loft.

9U Cabinet in loft
24 Way patch panel
4 Way PDU

All cables in the upstairs bedrooms should be able to drop straight down from the loft.

Downstairs wise they can use the soil pipe boxing in as a riser up to the loft.

Consider if you want CCTV, right now is the best time to get it installed.

WiFi too, UniFi is epic.

I haven't read the thread but that's what I'd do.
 
Telephone sockets are easy to install and thus theres literally no thought/design that has to go into it. Most new homes do it now.

5-10 Years, work out a budget and stick to it. Cat6a if you can afford it. Cat6 would likely suffice to be honest. Most runs you'll manage 10G anyway.

I'll be honest it's going to be messy so don't go hanging nice new wallpaper because they may need to drill some rather large holes in your walls.


I work for a commercial company and we don't do much domestic work but it can get messy. Especially with insulation in your cavities.
I'd expect them to put a cabinet in the loft, that's what I'd recommend they do it's not ideal but it leads to less mess. Soil pipe boxing in will go right into the loft they can use this. Get them to relocate the BT line or put an extension from it to the loft.

9U Cabinet in loft
24 Way patch panel
4 Way PDU

All cables in the upstairs bedrooms should be able to drop straight down from the loft.

Downstairs wise they can use the soil pipe boxing in as a riser up to the loft.

Consider if you want CCTV, right now is the best time to get it installed.

WiFi too, UniFi is epic.

I haven't read the thread but that's what I'd do.

Hm okay, cheers for the input. I never even considered moving the master socket/BT line. Having it all in the loft would be better as it'd only be a case of dropping it one floor to the first floor where the office is. There'd then be two cables running down one floor again to the living too. I like it...

I'll ask the contractor to consider it and see what price they come out with for both.
 
Back
Top Bottom