Splices in the cable for the PoE switch and cameras? Pic included

[Kurtis500]

Im about to run cat6 from the house to the shop and before going through the underground pipe I notice this big communications wire. Its from the telephone connection we had and gave up a few years back. The cable is dormant but looks stout with a bunch of wires. Would it be good practice to splice the cat6 to this then splice again at the shop in the junction box where this comes up? I am connecting the ethernet cable from a PoE switch in the hous to a PoE switch on the shop to mount IP cameras on both. This will run from the PoE switch to another PoE switch. This line will have 3 splices on it if I do it. Will this work? I know the wires are a larger gauge than cat6 and appear/feel like solid copper. Although dirty, its about 8-9 years old at the most.

Since theres not a string in this pipe Iwas going to pull the black one to run string and wire if needed, if not I'd like to use it.

Thanks

 

[alastairstevenson]

An ethernet cable relies on characteristics of the twisted-pair method of transferring signals such that interfering signals from adjacent or other sources are almost eliminated by affecting both wires equally, giving a differential signal of zero for the interference.
Sending ethernet signals down what is likely to be just an unorganised bundle of wires isn't going to work, even over a short distance.

 

[Fastb]

An ethernet cable, with 4 twisted pairs, is a highly engineered communications line. Each pair has a specified twists/ft spec, and all 4 pairs are twisted at a different rate. Terminating the pairs into a keystone or plug requires the twists to be maintained right up to the connector body. Sophisticated test equipment checks cable, during/after the cable manufacturing process, to check that crosstalk, signal degradation, propogation delay, capacitance, etc are all in spec.
Phone lines did not deal with this. They're not pairs. And the specs mentioned above may not have even existed when the cable you pictured was manufactured. Lastly, any twists are the haphazard result of the cable build process.

You have a good plan: Use the wires to pull cat5 or cat 6.

connecting the ethernet cable from a PoE switch in the hous to a PoE switch on the shop to mount IP cameras on both. This will run from the PoE switch to another PoE switch. This line will have 3 splices on it if I do it.

Splices on ethernet cables are definitely not advised. Splices will affect the specs mentioned above.
On the other hand, I've splice cat 5 when in a real pinch. Stagger all the connections of each conductor over a length of a foot. ie: no conductor connections right next to each other. Solder the connections. No big solder globs. Heat shrink. Maintain twist rate. keep all conductors tightly together, to mimic the organization when the conductors lived inside the cat5 cable jacket.

For a one-splice run, it worked for me. (not a 3 splice run) My run is <100ft. The longer the distance, the less tolerant of any signal-degrading issues.

I've done this on Cat5 cable, 100Mb. Don't expect it to work for Cat6 speeds (1,000Mb) For a camera, 100Mb is plenty. If you're putting a lot of devices on the far end, and if the run is long, seriously consider one run, no splices.

Good luck
Fastb

 

[eeeeesh]

They make punch down type junction boxes for around $6 but as others have noted, you have the wrong cabling

Here is an example:
https://www.amazon.com/InstallerParts-Junction-Punch-Down-Type/dp/B008N3RKHW/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1506041092&sr=1-2&keywords=Cat+6+Junction+Box

 

[bob2701]

Phone lines did not deal with this. They're not pairs.

They are most defiantly pairs; if they were not then you would have crosstalk.

But yes it is a bad idea, the phone lines are Cat3, much looser twist. Use it to pull new wires.

 

[alastairstevenson]

They are most defiantly pairs; if they were not then you would have crosstalk.

Certainly a pair of wires is required for the signals, but they are not twisted together in a precise way, they are just bundled together.
And you do get crosstalk, but at the low frequencies used by either audio signals or even ADSL modulation it has little effect.
In the UK I've not seen Cat3 ethernet cable used as phone cabling, but that would be a step up from bundled cable.

 

[Kurtis500]

Thanks everyone. I ran a single line cat6 all the way.

Next question, why would I go from 50mbps near the router all the way down to 12mbps after the 100 ft run. My guess is a bad crimp job on the rj45 connector?

 

[Fastb]

Try a constant ping, look for dropped packets or a wide range of ping times.
Make sure you're comparing apples to apples with that 50/12 Maps measurement. At the far end, consumption may be 12, not bandwidth.
Is the video as good as when cam is connected to the "50Mbps" near end

 

[alastairstevenson]

My guess is a bad crimp job on the rj45 connector?

What wiring scheme did you use for the ends?
The signal allocation to the twisted pairs must be correct, so there is only one way to wire it to get that right.

 

[adamg]

An ethernet cable, with 4 twisted pairs, is a highly engineered communications line. Each pair has a specified twists/ft spec, and all 4 pairs are twisted at a different rate. Terminating the pairs into a keystone or plug requires the twists to be maintained right up to the connector body. Sophisticated test equipment checks cable, during/after the cable manufacturing process, to check that crosstalk, signal degradation, propogation delay, capacitance, etc are all in spec.
Phone lines did not deal with this. They're not pairs. And the specs mentioned above may not have even existed when the cable you pictured was manufactured. Lastly, any twists are the haphazard result of the cable build process.

You have a good plan: Use the wires to pull cat5 or cat 6.



Splices on ethernet cables are definitely not advised. Splices will affect the specs mentioned above.
On the other hand, I've splice cat 5 when in a real pinch. Stagger all the connections of each conductor over a length of a foot. ie: no conductor connections right next to each other. Solder the connections. No big solder globs. Heat shrink. Maintain twist rate. keep all conductors tightly together, to mimic the organization when the conductors lived inside the cat5 cable jacket.

For a one-splice run, it worked for me. (not a 3 splice run) My run is <100ft. The longer the distance, the less tolerant of any signal-degrading issues.

I've done this on Cat5 cable, 100Mb. Don't expect it to work for Cat6 speeds (1,000Mb) For a camera, 100Mb is plenty. If you're putting a lot of devices on the far end, and if the run is long, seriously consider one run, no splices.

Good luck
Fastb

Why didn't you just use a female RJ45 jack and a male RJ45 crystal to do the splice?

 

[Fastb]

The splice was to be buried behind sheetrock in the middle of my living room ceiling. Long term dependability was my concern. Soldered connection seemed superior.
Pulling new cable was impossible, due to an earlier remodel that converted an attic into a full 2nd floor.
Normally, I'd do it the way you suggest!