CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

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  • Bhav
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Feb 2006
    • 4

    CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

    Hi there,

    I am very new to this so please bear with me.

    I am going to get my house totally rewired. I have already decided to get CAT5e put through the walls for ethernet - I am totally comfortable with this (other members of my family have already done this).

    However, my question is about running a totally separate CAT5e network just phone the BT phone line.

    This is something no one I know has experience in. After doing a considerable amount of research, I think it's true that the cable will come out at the wall as an RJ45 socket, and I can either use a RJ45-->BT plug adapter, or cut of the plug on the BT phone and crimp it to RJ45.

    However, I am not sure how the CAT5e should be wired at the wall in order for it to work with a BT phone. I intend to buy solid UTP CAT5e, and so I'd like to know how the 4 pairs go into the RJ45 CAT5e insert.

    I also wanted to know what happens at the other end. Where does all the CAT5e for the phone line go? I've read a lot about a "patch panel". What does this do and how does it work?

    And finally, can I still use ADSL on this CAT5e BT phone line, like I am at the moment? Currently, I use a microfilter to split voice and data on the standard BT line - is it just the same thing when there's CAT5e in the walls?

    I'd appreciate some help.

    Thanks,

    Bhav.
  • toscal
    Moderator
    • Oct 2005
    • 2061

    #2
    Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

    Here is a link for wiring of Cat5e cables
    In this helpful tutorial, LANshack provides step by step instructions on how to make a category 5 Cat 5E or a category 6 patch cable.

    And here is a tutorial link

    You can buy a CAT5e to BT adapter I know RS sells them, the RS order codes are
    243-027 for the full master socket
    243-011 for a PABX master socket
    242-989 for a secondary socket.
    Depending on the method of telephone distribution you use you may be able to plug an RJ11 telephone lead directly into the RJ45 socket. But the easiest way is probaly to use an adapter if you have BT plugs on the end or your leads.
    The Patch panel is where you select which room has telephone etc. This is done by using a small RJ45 patch cord. You just connect one end to the telephone distribution module and the other end to a socket that then has a CAT5 cable going to it and terminating in a socket in the relavent room. (Hope this makes sense)
    On the Lanshack website there is another tutorial/example on home networking.
    Have a look at the Abitana website at www.abitana.com then select english and look in the support menu for examples of home network solutions.
    Just a word of warning Abitana doesn't use a normal Cat5e cable their omni media cable is a slightly modified CAt5e cable, which allows it to carry the extra signals such as video and TV.

    Here are some sites on Telephone wiring



    Good luck
    IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
    Renovation Spain Blog

    Comment

    • Bhav
      Automated Home Lurker
      • Feb 2006
      • 4

      #3
      Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

      Wow some fantastic links and info there. I really appreciate it.

      One more question: Would ADSL still work in the same way even though I've got CAT5e in the wall instead of POTS? In other words, do I still connect a microfilter to split voice and data? (I assume the microfilter would go in the RJ45-->BT adapter)

      243-027 for the full master socket
      243-011 for a PABX master socket
      242-989 for a secondary socket.
      What are the differences? Which ones do I use in certain situations?

      Comment

      • toscal
        Moderator
        • Oct 2005
        • 2061

        #4
        Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

        It depends on how you distribute the telephone lines as to where you put the filters. Will you be using a direct method or use a small telephone to CAT5 distribution module.
        Its been a long time since I did any BT phone stuff, I now live in Spain. But you need one master socket and then connected from this are your secondary or slave sockets. The difference in the sockets is that a master I think has the anti-tinkling capacitor and sometimes a surge protector depending on who makes them. What I would do is use a master socket at the patch panel end and daisy chain some RJ45 sockets of this. And then use secondary adapters in the rooms. As I have said its been a long time since I have played with BT phone stuff, but that should work.
        I'm in the process of installing the Abitana system in my house.
        The method I will be using is the phone line gets split into 2 lines at the patch panel. One goes to the phone distribution module and the other goes to my ADSl modem and router. Then its just a matter of patching the relavant signal, and you only need one filter at the input of the phone module.
        IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
        Renovation Spain Blog

        Comment

        • Bhav
          Automated Home Lurker
          • Feb 2006
          • 4

          #5
          Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

          Thanks very much. I believe I will be going with the daisychain method, and so I will use the secondary adapter (if I've correctly understood what you're saying).

          RS is This retailer right? When registering with them, it asks for company name, address etc. Do they only do trade?

          Do you know of any online retailers that sell wall panels/outlets? I found a few sites but they looks really ugly.

          Comment

          • toscal
            Moderator
            • Oct 2005
            • 2061

            #6
            Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

            Yes thats the retailer, they have a consumer outlet called Electromail but it doesn't seem to be still going, any one out there know.
            The adapters are made by Krone.
            Maplin also sells them www.maplin.co.uk
            part numbers are
            Order Code Description
            UN27E Full Master Socket with line protection
            UN28F PABX Master Socket w/o line protection
            UN29G PABX Slave Socket only
            You might want to have a look at www.minitran.co.uk they offer virtually everything for the home and business networks. Look at their mini 5 range. They also do the adapters on their Voice products page then just choose from the sub menu.
            IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
            Renovation Spain Blog

            Comment

            • Bhav
              Automated Home Lurker
              • Feb 2006
              • 4

              #7
              Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

              minitran is a fantastic site.

              Thank a lot, I appreciate it.

              Comment

              • JimNoble
                Automated Home Jr Member
                • May 2005
                • 14

                #8
                Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

                RS will happily sell to the great unwashed :wink:

                I think it would be best not to do anthing unusual with the wiring of any RJ45 sockets, that would mean they could only work as telephone points (ie stick with the 568A or 568B standard). That way you can change the function of the socket later (just swap the patch cable over in the patch panel!)

                Although if you know where you will want to put phones, you don't have to use RJ45 sockets anyway. If you are using modular face plates (ie where you clip in an RJ45 "module"), there are BT socket modules available.

                Extra or temporary phone points can always be accommodated later on by using an RJ45 adapter in a normal socket.

                There are many uses for RJ45/cat5 wiring beyond just ethernet and telephones though, so put in as much as you possibly can. Cable and sockets are cheap compared to the hassle and cost of the installation. You can always find a use for it later... :lol:

                Jim

                Comment

                • HickmottJ
                  Automated Home Lurker
                  • Jul 2006
                  • 1

                  #9
                  Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

                  I too am fairly new to this ops:

                  However, my final hurdle to completing my understanding/wiring is how to run from one Master (BT) socket to several RJ45 points via my patch panel. I understand the need for LJU Slaves at each RJ45 end socket.

                  I think the answer lies in you reply "What I would do is use a master socket at the patch panel end and daisy chain some RJ45 sockets of this" but I need more guidance....please.

                  Gracias

                  John

                  Comment

                  • TimH
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Feb 2004
                    • 509

                    #10
                    Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

                    John,

                    You might find the links in this post useful:

                    (I apologise for directing you to another message full of links, but I think it's the only place they are collated)

                    The first link shows the back of a patch panel with the wiring daisy chained over it, the second link talks about what wire goes where (between BT socket and patch panel).

                    Do post again though if anything in these other threads is unclear :-)

                    HTH,

                    Tim.
                    My Flickr Photos

                    Comment

                    • fogster
                      Automated Home Lurker
                      • Jul 2006
                      • 3

                      #11
                      Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

                      Bhav - in reply to your question "What's a patch panel" - quite simply, you'll probably have a lot more sockets put in than you need ("flood wiring"). All of these sockets get taken back to one point - a cupboard somewhere. You open the cupboard and find forty twised cables - yeuch!

                      The solution is a patch panel. You attach all the cables (in the cupbard) to the back of the patch panel. At the front are forty sockets. Let's say you want to make socket number four a connection to the internet - you connect a UTP / Cat5 cable from your Internet router / hub to socket 4 on the patch panel - this now means the hub is connected to socket 4. Let's say that some time later you want to make socket 5 (not socket 4) "live" - you unplug the cable at the patch panel that's attached to socket 4 and place it in socket 5. Want to make socket 6 a phone point? Plug your BT line into socket 6 on the patch panel and then use a mod-tap adapter (www.blackbox.co.uk used to do them, try seraching on the net) which plugs into your socket 6 (wherever socket 6 is in the house), and your telephone plugs into the adapter.

                      Comment

                      • fogster
                        Automated Home Lurker
                        • Jul 2006
                        • 3

                        #12
                        Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

                        Oh, a couple of other thoughts

                        1) Use solid core for the cable runs from sockets to the panel, but stranded (flexible) stuff for the patch leads from hub to patch panel. The solid core is much better and more robust in a permanent install whereas it's too brittle to use for patch cables.

                        2) Consider running redundnant cables in the walls. Perhaps run two runs to every socket, If a cable fractures during install or fails later you can simply use the other cable. Small initial extra cost for loads of savings later (no need to rip the walls apart!)

                        3) Run more sockets than you need! Seriously - biggest mistake someone can make is not putting enough sockets in!

                        4) Consider using higher grade Cable than Cat5e - with gigabit ethernet around the corner and who-knows-what for home automation / AV, use Cat6 or Cat7cable if you can afford it. There is practically no diference in Cat5 and Cat5e (infact Cat5 cables IS Cat5e cable, just not specified as such. Both have the same spectral bandwidth but Cat5e has some additional specifications). Also consider getting a Cat6 Patch panel - but if the price is huge don't bother - it's easy to change a patch panel (as opposed to having reqire the house).

                        5) NEVER use shieded cable (STP), ALWAYS use UNSHIELDED cable (UTP). The shielding causing electrical interference between the cables to be trapped, bouncing it around and causing interference. STP is only ever used for specific applications.

                        Hope this helps!

                        Steve

                        Comment

                        • TimH
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Feb 2004
                          • 509

                          #13
                          Re: CAT5e - Ethernet, BT Telephone Wiring - HELP!

                          I agree with the general sentiments but I did want to clarify a couple of things.

                          Originally posted by fogster
                          2) Consider running redundnant cables in the walls. Perhaps run two runs to every socket...
                          and:
                          3) Run more sockets than you need! Seriously - biggest mistake someone can make is not putting enough sockets in!
                          I'd recommend even more than that :-) It's easy to run at first fix and you don't have to terminate it all straight away, you can leave it in the patress ready for later use. I've done this in a number of places and it's a much better proposition than trying to run more cable later.

                          Originally posted by fogster
                          4) Consider using higher grade Cable than Cat5e - with gigabit ethernet around the corner and who-knows-what for home automation / AV, use Cat6 or Cat7cable if you can afford it.
                          Gigabit Ethernet is already here and runs over Cat5e :-)
                          e.g. Netgear GS605 5 Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit UnManaged Switch for £23+vat (http://tinyurl.com/m36dy)

                          The specs for installing and terminating Cat6/7 cable are much higher and it no longer becomes DIY job (unless you are a cable-monkey by trade...). Poorly terminated Cat6 will perform worse than Cat5 plus the Cat6 hardware (faceplates, patch panels etc.) cost significantly more than their Cat5 equivalents.

                          Originally posted by fogster
                          There is practically no diference in Cat5 and Cat5e (infact Cat5 cables IS Cat5e cable, just not specified as such...
                          There is a subtle difference between the two cable types and that is the twist ratio. Cat5e improves the crosstalk (i.e. lowers it) by varying the twist ratio between the pairs.


                          As a result the cable length of each pair, for a given length of overall cable, is not the same. This doesn't make a difference for networking, but certain high-end A/V over Cat5 products specifically state Cat5 should be used to avoid the signals arriving at different times at the remote end of the cable and upsetting the picture.

                          HTH,

                          Tim.
                          My Flickr Photos

                          Comment

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