Ethernet cables

[callumtuckey]

hi all
i was wondering has any one ever connected 2 Ethernet cables together
just using the wire's

i was going to try striping the plastic wire coating then just connecting them like that.

has any one got any answers

[webman]

One word. 'Why' 8)

[callumtuckey]

because i have moved house and the Ethernet cable is 2 short to run up stairs

[GrumbleDook]

it really isn't worth it ... it is easier just to get a fresh cable. When you start splicing copper together like that you risk the signal being broken, weak or intermittent ... if you do insist on doing it them you can use the electrical connections blocks that you often see used for home stereos or small electrical joins and just make sure you match colour to colour.

[Jackd]

Google brings up a few answers. This is the first one

[localzuk]

Jackd - that isn't really relevant, as Callum is simply asking whether you can simply join network cables together like you can power cables.

My gut reaction is 'Don't do it, you're mad!', followed by 'Get yourself a coupler'.

Couplers are only a couple of quid and do the job just fine.

[callumtuckey]

thanks all
i think i will go with the coupler'
@ Jackd thanks for that but it wasn't relevant to what i was asking

[mattx]

i was going to try striping the plastic wire coating then just connecting them like that.

Hmmm - never tried that - would be interesting measuring the packet loss - [ if any ]

[Jackd]

Must of misread the question. My Bad

[Andrew_C]

Of course you can do it, and it would work well enough I'd guess. Keep the twists twisted and a tidy solder joint and I'd bet good money that the fancyest tester you've got wouldn't spot it. I've had to do it where an esteemed colleague* snipped the cable as well as the plastic trunking that it was in.

New cable would be better, but the back-back coupler will introduce contact resistance. That said, I've used them too. The third option is the punchdown splice. These work, but the cable restraint isn't all that hot.

In short - lots of options.


*idiot

[webman]

We've used an inline Cat5e coupler before

http://www.solwiseforum.co.uk/downlo...-jbox-idc8.jpg

http://www.solwise.co.uk/images/con-jbox-mid.jpg

Bought from Solwise for a few quid (scroll right down the page).

[acrobson]

Like said above, yes it probably will work, but WHY?!?!

I personally would buy one, they come in various lengths and if you want any connection to be reliable and a NETwork as appose to a NOTwork, i would buy one, or aquire one from a local cable installer who your good pals with.

http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/store/4/cat/Cables-and-Tools

[m25man]

BT do it all the time in the little green boxes up and down the country, if done carefully there is absolutely no reason why it wouldn't work.
However CAT5 is twisted for a reason. and the untwisted sections must be kept to an absolute minimum to avoid crosstalk, induction and other noise generating nasties.
It will be the inducted voltages & noise that results in the packet loss.

My own ADSL line comes up on test as being 7.2 kilometers from the exchange but my next door neighbours is only 2.8!
He gets nearly 8Mb I can only get 512k on a good day.
I have to regularly clean the terminals in my BT DP so that the SN ratio stays above the threshold for line sync.
Those pesky joints have a lot to answer for!

[enjay]

These couplers might only cost a few quid, but so does a longer cable!

If you're a tinkerer and want to do this to see if its possible, then go for it; if you just want to extend the reach up the stairs, then buy a new cable.

[callumtuckey]

thanks all
for your views on this as i was unaware of what to do but
clearly i better go and buy a coupler