Single CAT5E cable for Phone and LAN?

Phil99 · 8 May 2006 at 12:19

Is it possible to run these 2 signals down a single cable? I think I read in the past there is an unused pair in a CAT5E core so it would be possible for me to use this to send a (filtered) phone line through it?

Reason I ask is because since setting up the router downstairs I've gained about 1500kbps and CRCs are greatly reduced, but I'd prefer it if we only had 1 cable going up the stairs rather than 2 (Phone and LAN)

I've found wiring diagrams for RJ45 but not what each pair is used for.

Phil99 · 8 May 2006 at 19:37

It looks like the blue pair isn't used (4 & 5) so I assume it'd simply be a case of connecting up 4 -> 2 and 5 -> 5 going from RJ45 -> BT Phone type plugs?

I've got a 15m CAT5E cable arriving soon along with a BT phone extension (for the plugs.)

Plan is to cut off the plugs on the extension to the required length (+ a bit for error), strip away a bit of the insulation on the RJ45 cable, cut the blue pair, strip them down, solder to plug from phone extension, tidy everything up with insulation tape and job done?

I know the diagram is a bit poor, but each colour is meant to represent a pair.

From the link provided by basmic I'm using 568-B Wiring.

Phil99 · 10 May 2006 at 13:08

Got the CAT5E cable and 5m phone extension today, had it up and running in about 20min

Was very simple, I just sliced open the CAT5 about a meter away from the plug, cut & stripped down the blue pair, cut the 5m phone extension in half, soldered the correct wires together, tidied up with electrical tape and it's working perfectly

Thanks for the help

Phil99 · 10 May 2006 at 17:48

eXSBass said:
Did my diagram come in help then?

Yeah, thanks

Phil99 · 11 May 2006 at 15:07

My setup now goes:

Master socket -> Microfilter

Then from the phone side of the Microfilter I have a 2x BT Phone adapter, one port goes to the downstairs phone, the other to the upstairs phone

On the ADSL side of the Microfilter I have the Router plugged direct.

I then take the network side of the modem to a switch upstairs via the RJ45 cable, and also run the second phone output through a spair pair in the RJ45 cable.

This means I can have a phone and use the internet upstairs without having to run the Router on an extension cable or use wireless.

A filtered faceplate would do just the same as my microfilter but probably higher quality.

Where are your phones & pc(s) in relation to the master socket?