cat7 ethernet installation advice please

adamCCC · 7 Feb 2018 at 15:25

Hello

I have cat7 installed in my house during a rewire (I got it really cheap before anyone says its pointless over cat6!)

I want to fit cat6 faceplates like the ones below but im unsure of the best method to do so.

I've read about having to earth it properly, some links stating this should only be done at one faceplate and not the other etc.

Could anyone advise on how I properly connect the cables up to the cat6 faceplates to ensure proper earthing/grounding. I'm not looking for it to all be up to spec and pass cat tests etc its just for a home network so I just want a clean connection.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Adam

bremen1874 · 7 Feb 2018 at 15:47

Cat7 cable = Cat7 faceplates.

If you have screened cable you'll at the very least need screened faceplates.

I personally wouldn't use Cat7 in a home install even if it was free.

adamCCC · 7 Feb 2018 at 15:51

bremen1874 said:
Cat7 cable = Cat7 faceplates.

If you have screened cable you'll at the very least need screened faceplates.

I personally wouldn't use Cat7 in a home install even if it was free.

Thanks for the reply.

Well, they are in the walls not so theres nothing I can do about it

I didn't think there was such a thing as cat7 faceplates? Do you have a link to any?

bremen1874 · 7 Feb 2018 at 15:53

You're now getting into why people try to steer people away from Cat7.

Hopefully this is solid core cable and not stranded?

bledd · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:04

Use these.

https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6...0-right-angled-patch-panel-5056045700394.html
https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6...p-rj45-module-euromod-size-5056045700264.html

+1 for lolcat7 though.

Cat6 shielded is enough of a pain to do, let alone Cat6a or Cat7.

Needless expense and finger wear for the rest of the install.

Most switches have basic earth points on them, connect this to your patch panel's earth point.

adamCCC · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:08

bremen1874 said:
You're now getting into why people try to steer people away from Cat7.

Hopefully this is solid core cable and not stranded?

This is the exact product: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0196FLPBW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Caged · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:12

You've bought patch leads, lopped the ends off and installed them into your walls?

bremen1874 · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:12

You bought fully assembled cables and chopped the ends off?

If it is actually as pictured then it is solid core. You need to strip one of the ends back and check.

DragonQ · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:15

Yeah Cat7 isn't just overkill, it's usually considered worse because it's much harder to use.

adamCCC · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:17

bremen1874 said:
You bought fully assembled cables and chopped the ends off?

If it is actually as pictured then it is solid core. You need to strip one of the ends back and check.

Yes its solid core

adamCCC · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:23

bledd said:
Use these.

https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6...0-right-angled-patch-panel-5056045700394.html
https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6...p-rj45-module-euromod-size-5056045700264.html

+1 for lolcat7 though.

Cat6 shielded is enough of a pain to do, let alone Cat6a or Cat7.

Needless expense and finger wear for the rest of the install.

Most switches have basic earth points on them, connect this to your patch panel's earth point.

The plan was to use a desktop switch connected to the router (small house, this could be done neatly in the hall). I saw those euromod ones but they are pretty costly, It would be £80 alone for those, then empty faceplates.

Can it not be done with the cheaper, cat6 faceplates? - I just want it working with a stable connection

Glanza · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:44

Buy cat5e attach the cable to one end of your cat7 that you've chopped the end off and use that as a pull rope to get cat5e in your walls.

Daaaavvveee · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:48

Glanza said:
Buy cat5e attach the cable to one end of your cat7 that you've chopped the end off and use that as a pull rope to get cat5e in your walls.

Just make sure its attached properly, otherwise you are in for a world of pain

bledd · 7 Feb 2018 at 16:53

adamCCC said:
The plan was to use a desktop switch connected to the router (small house, this could be done neatly in the hall). I saw those euromod ones but they are pretty costly, It would be £80 alone for those, then empty faceplates.

Can it not be done with the cheaper, cat6 faceplates? - I just want it working with a stable connection

The wires will be thicker, so punching them into cat6 faceplates will stress/damage them.

If it's possible, I'd replace them with cat5e or cat6.

Cat5e is such a doddle to work with, works with 10Gbe up to about 30-60 meters if you use good quality cable/modules.

https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat5e-cable/50518-excel-cat5e-utp-cable-pvc-outer-sheath.html
https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat5e-cable/50519-excel-cat5e-utp-cable-pvc-outer-sheath.html

cat7 at home is like buying an F1 car for the school run.

adamCCC · 7 Feb 2018 at 17:07

bledd said:
The wires will be thicker, so punching them into cat6 faceplates will stress/damage them.

If it's possible, I'd replace them with cat5e or cat6.

Cat5e is such a doddle to work with, works with 10Gbe up to about 30-60 meters if you use good quality cable/modules.

https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat5e-cable/50518-excel-cat5e-utp-cable-pvc-outer-sheath.html
https://www.netstoredirect.com/cat5e-cable/50519-excel-cat5e-utp-cable-pvc-outer-sheath.html

cat7 at home is like buying an F1 car for the school run.

Its not possible to replace the cable, the house is finished and fully decorated, theres no access anymore.

I have to work with what ive got, i got it for virtually nothing which seemed a good idea at the time.

When you say stress/damage them do you mean to beyond the point where it breaks/doesn't work?

Do you have any advice in regards to earthing?

bremen1874 · 7 Feb 2018 at 17:30

How many cables do you have and how long is the longest one (roughly)?

Is there anything printed on the cable jacket? It's fairly common for the wire gauge to be stated. You'd expect Cat7 be be thicker than Cat6 but there's no guarantee that it is.

If this was mine I'd try ignoring the screen and erathing completely and terminate one cable (the longest) using UTP Cat6 faceplates as an experiment. You'd obviously leave as much spare cable as possible to allow for additional termination attempts.

adamCCC · 7 Feb 2018 at 18:12

bremen1874 said:
How many cables do you have and how long is the longest one (roughly)?

Is there anything printed on the cable jacket? It's fairly common for the wire gauge to be stated. You'd expect Cat7 be be thicker than Cat6 but there's no guarantee that it is.

If this was mine I'd try ignoring the screen and erathing completely and terminate one cable (the longest) using UTP Cat6 faceplates as an experiment. You'd obviously leave as much spare cable as possible to allow for additional termination attempts.

There are 10 cables, longest about 35 feet, most 20-25. It says they are 26AWG on the jacket.

Ok ill try that thanks. Just to be clear - what exactly do I need to do to earth completely?

Armageus · 7 Feb 2018 at 18:17

adamCCC said:
It says they are 26AWG on the jacket.

Which isn't even compliant for Cat5 - let alone anything higher!

bremen1874 · 7 Feb 2018 at 18:21

Yep that's thin! You certainly aren't going to strain the IDC terminals in any Cat5e or above faceplate.

Caged · 7 Feb 2018 at 19:02

I wouldn't get hung up on whether things are 'compliant' to a certain designation based on the wire gauge. The specs for Cat5e for example call for performance characteristics at certain frequencies but I can't see anywhere that it tells manufacturers what size conductors to use.