DiyLightAnimation

Hardware => Lynx EtherDongle => Topic started by: masterelectrician2112 on March 05, 2013,

Title: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: masterelectrician2112 on March 05, 2013,
I have an easy question.  Sorry if the answer exists somewhere else, but I did a search and did not find anything.  My question is, regarding the cat5e cable spec'd in the diagram below, does this have to be cat5e cable or can it be cat5 cable?  I already have a huge spool of cat5 cable, so it would be great to not have to buy cat5e cable.  Are there any disadvantages to using cat5 cable vs. cat5e cable?  Thanks in advance.

(http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/images/5/5b/PixelnetETD1.jpg)
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: caretaker on March 05, 2013,
For the purposes you are using it for, CAT5 will work as well as CAT5e with this one caveat, your keeping the runs under 200'.  The difference between is as follows:
Cat 5: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Defined up to 100 MHz, and was frequently used on 100 Mbit/s Ethernet networks. May be unsuitable for 1000BASE-T gigabit ethernet.

Cat 5e: Currently defined in TIA/EIA-568-B. Defined up to 100 MHz, and is frequently used for both 100 Mbit/s and 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet networks.

Mostly having to do with the number of twists in the twisted pair.  The more important issue is getting your terminations done correctly.
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: jnealand on March 05, 2013,
The other issue is whether your spool is standed wire which is recommended.
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: combustionmark on March 05, 2013,
I just don't like cats. They are always leaving foot prints on my truck, and an unpleasant gift on my porch. Don't care if they are 5 or 5e.
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: masterelectrician2112 on March 05, 2013,
I see.  So Cat5 is ok for runs of 200 ft or less, theoretically.  So I could in theory have a 200 ft run from my etherdongle to my first active hub and then another 200 ft run to my second active hub?  Or is it 200 ft. total?
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: caretaker on March 06, 2013,
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I see.  So Cat5 is ok for runs of 200 ft or less, theoretically.  So I could in theory have a 200 ft run from my etherdongle to my first active hub and then another 200 ft run to my second active hub?  Or is it 200 ft. total?
200 feet from device to regeneration of signal. What I mean by that is that if you go from the EtherDongle to your active hub the signal is regenerated as it comes out of the active hub. So anytime your have a device the regenerates the DMX (or pixelnet) signal you could go another 200 feet. Now that I have said all this the standard for Cat5 cables for MAX length is 100 meters (328 feet) so yes you could go to an extra 128 feet but you would really be pushing it.  Most people don't have access to a cable verifier to check how well the cable transmits data so keeping it under 200' is playing it safe. YMMV ( I am not a networking expert and this is by no means to be considered expert advice just knowledge learned from real world experiance)
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: RJ on March 06, 2013,
the 100 meters limit on Cat5 is for ethernet and really does not apply to our system. The ethernet is running ten times the speed so it is not as easy to go long distences. The issue for us is more the hub to SSc distence do to power over the cable. also then the distence from SSC to first node is limited to about 6 - 10 ft.

If it is just the data from etherdongle to hub 500 ft will work. I tried it once. and could see no problems.

RJ
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: Zeph on March 08, 2013,
Somebody even pointed out on another venue that there is a little more resistance for the higher levels: Cat 6 > Cat 5e > Cat 5.   Because of twists, a 100' cable has conductors longer than 100', and the higher grades have tighter twists and longer conductors.  So for power, cat5 could be (slightly) better.

Mostly this is a small effect tho, I think it was no more than about 10% (I don't have the figures he quoted from some tables he used in his work).  Nothing to really concern anybody, just a minor point.

Title: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: rm357 on March 08, 2013,
If you are so marginal that 5% is going to make or break you, you should plan to do something different...

Having said that, there is a huge difference between 22 gauge and 24 gauge wire... a single 22 gauge wire is equivalent to two 24 gauge wires. If you are not carrying power, its not that big a deal, but if you are carrying power, the 22 gauge is the better choice.
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: Hamblinj on December 30, 2015,
So how long can a cat5 from the hub to the SSC be?  I am trying to place my hubs in a more hidden space, and the longer cable would be nice?

John


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the 100 meters limit on Cat5 is for ethernet and really does not apply to our system. The ethernet is running ten times the speed so it is not as easy to go long distences. The issue for us is more the hub to SSc distence do to power over the cable. also then the distence from SSC to first node is limited to about 6 - 10 ft.

If it is just the data from etherdongle to hub 500 ft will work. I tried it once. and could see no problems.

RJ
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: jnealand on December 31, 2015,
This is a really old thread,  how far do you want to go?  I keep my hubs and controllers fairly close to my display elements.  If there are 16 hub ports I don't want 16 long cables when one long cable from etd to hub will do and then 16 short cables to sscs.  I have my controllers out in the yard and no one notices them at night in the dark.
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: taybrynn on December 31, 2015,
I have used both cat5e and cat6 and can't really tell much difference.  Both can do 75' with zero issues.  Probably a 100' also.  Personally, the centralized design creates a LOT of long cords ... fairly expensive long term ... unless security is the primary concern, I wouldn't personally do it.  These things are a lot easier to run close to a display element and then run the cat5(s) from there with shorter cords ... less $$, less room for failure.    Or consider putting them inside a present or something which looks like a prop?
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: lrhorer on December 31, 2015,
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The ethernet is running ten times the speed
Is it?  (Of course you would be the one to know.)  The distance limit for data transmission depends mostly on the carrier frequency and somewhat on the modulation scheme, not the bit rate.  For example, both 100BaseT and 1000BaseT use the same carrier and modulation scheme, so both are limited to 100m for most transceivers.

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The issue for us is more the hub to SSc distence do to power over the cable. also then the distence from SSC to first node is limited to about 6 - 10 ft.
I presume that assumes a 128 node string?  I would think a shorter string could live with a longer distance from from SSC to the first node.  Not only is the string itself shorter, meaning less overall resistance between the first and last nodes, but the current would be less.  Wouldn't 20' or more be fine for a 75 count string?
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: Hamblinj on January 01, 2016,
I really want to hide the controller behind the fence, and it is about 15-20 feet away, I will likely use some split loom to keep the cables all neat, so would say 30 feet from hub to controller over cat5 have any issues?  I am running a 16 string tree with 128nodes on each sting?

Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: tbone321 on January 01, 2016,
That should be no issue at all.  The only real distance issues are the distance between the controller and first node and distance between nodes.  In testing, lengths of 100 feet have been tested between the hub and controller have worked without issue.  If you are going to contain the cables, make sure NOT to loom the AC power and control cables together over long distances.
Title: Re: Cat5 vs. Cat5e
Post by: lrhorer on January 03, 2016,
Well, hang on.  Isn't he saying he wants to put the controller 20 ft away from the first node?  OTOH, he might just squeek by if the distance os no more than 20'.  At full draw, the voltage drop across the Cat5 would be right at 1.52 Volts, which might be OK - maybe.

Personally, I would definitely recommend putting the DC power supply at the tree.  The dongle can be behind the fence, but I would insert the power as close to the first node of each string as possible.  That means putting the Zeus or hub at the tree.  That, unless he wants to breakout the power leads at the tree and run a pair of #6 or larger power leads from the power supply to the tree.