Which cable?

For reference: The boxes of Monoprice Cat6 cable I have left from my 2500' Ethernet wiring project are marked as Made in China.

Both my Monoprice and the pictured Zactron cable have the proper Holographic UL label as required for UL tested and certified cable.

The Zactron wire listed above is actually made by "Prime Wire and Cable" in City of Industry, CA. The UL listing and the ETL verification are both on file and available on the UL and ETL websites meaning they have gone through and passed testing.

I was not able to pull up the Monoprice cable on the UL website by either the certification number printed on the box or using Monoprice as the vendor. I was also not able to pull verification on the ETL website for the Monoprice cable using the same two search methods. At this point, I don't have any way to see who actually manufactures cables for Monoprice as the Certification numbers as listed on the products aren't coming up in the UL or ETL databases.

Certifications and verification are pretty easy to check though. If the cert number works, it traces back to the actual manufacturer of the cable.
 
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CountZero said:
For reference: The boxes of Monoprice Cat6 cable I have left from my 2500' Ethernet wiring project are marked as Made in China.

Both my Monoprice and the pictured Zactron cable have the proper Holographic UL label as required for UL tested and certified cable.

The Zactron wire listed above is actually made by "Prime Wire and Cable" in City of Industry, CA. The UL listing and the ETL verification are both on file and available on the UL and ETL websites meaning they have gone through and passed testing.

I was not able to pull up the Monoprice cable on the UL website by either the certification number printed on the box or using Monoprice as the vendor. I was also not able to pull verification on the ETL website for the Monoprice cable using the same two search methods. At this point, I don't have any way to see who actually manufactures cables for Monoprice as the Certification numbers as listed on the products aren't coming up in the UL or ETL databases.

Certifications and verification are pretty easy to check though. If the cert number works, it traces back to the actual manufacturer of the cable.
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Monoprice is listed under its parent company YFC-BonEagle
Bottom line is Zactron is an unknown company...who knows who actually made that cable in the box...if they knockoff SD cards, they will knockoff cable...you got to be crazy to buy from an unknown source regardless of the brand name stamped on the cable. There is a huge issue with counterfeit cable on the market.
 
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CountZero said:
That's ironic.

"Prime is a wholly owned subsidiary of YFC-BonEagle"

The Zactron Cable is apparently made by the same company that owns Monoprice.

About Prime - Prime Wire and Cable
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1 - where are you getting that the Zactron cable is made by prime?
2- even if it is, you have not verified that this is the actual cable made by prime...you have a seller on amazon, called zactron who is brand new with 1-2 reviews per item...you have to be a complete idiot to buy that over a known good brand to save 10 bux on a 1000f roll..
3- you claim there is a valid ul listing number in the images posted but i dont see it.
You claim that zactron is made by Prime is based on your ul listing or etl search which relies on the validity of a label.
Its is very well possible that its legit, but why in the world would anyone risk running that in their home for 10 bux...makes no sense. It amazes me that folks lack basic common sense.
 
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I'm getting that from the UL number. Looks to me like a white label cable. Generally when you white label something like that, you do not get your own UL number since the cabling has already been tested and certified. Which is why the UL Number comes back to Prime as the actual cable manufacturer.

UL Number: E339733. 3rd photo above.

Plug that into the UL Database in the link below and you get a result back of Prime Wire & Cable:

UL Online Certifications Directory - File Number Search

Photo 1 above is also a proper UL Holographic label, which is designed to PREVENT counterfeiting. Prime gets those Holographic labels directly from UL. Which seems to indicate that Prime puts the required label on the box when they ship out the custom Printed boxes to Zactron to sell via Amazon. Anyone can white label cable. Most cable doesn't have a MFG on it. Its no different than all the Dahua cams that leave Dahua with no logos on them.

How are we to know that the Monoprice cable is legit? The UL number on my boxes from them doesn't even return ANY result from the UL database. Neither does the ETL testing number. So why should I Trust them more than Zactron?
 
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CountZero said:
I'm getting that from the UL number. Looks to me like a white label cable. Generally when you white label something like that, you do not get your own UL number since the cabling has already been tested and certified. Which is why the UL Number comes back to Prime as the actual cable manufacturer.

UL Number: E339733. 3rd photo above.

Plug that into the UL Database in the link below and you get a result back of Prime Wire & Cable:

UL Online Certifications Directory - File Number Search

Photo 1 above is also a proper UL Holographic label, which is designed to PREVENT counterfeiting. Prime gets those Holographic labels directly from UL. Which seems to indicate that Prime puts the required label on the box when they ship out the custom Printed boxes to Zactron to sell via Amazon. Anyone can white label cable. Most cable doesn't have a MFG on it. Its no different than all the Dahua cams that leave Dahua with no logos on them.

How are we to know that the Monoprice cable is legit? The UL number on my boxes from them doesn't even return ANY result from the UL database. Neither does the ETL testing number. So why should I Trust them more than Zactron?
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That is the problem you are assuming they are white labeling the same product...that is a very dangerous assumption with all the fraud going on. Furthermore, UL requires that it either be part of their multiple listing program Multiple Listing and Private Labeling | Services | UL or be re-certified.
The holographic label is counterfeited all the time.
We dont know that monoprice is legit, but they are a known good brand and popular and you would hope that they would be caught.
Zactron is a no name company with zero reputation that JUST STARTED SELLING ON AMAZON. You have to have several loose screws to use that unknown seller and cable.
Paranoid? dont like monoprice? then buy a well known brand like ubiquiti AND buy from a legit distributor...again only a complete idiot would by an unknown cable from an unknown seller on amazon. Most importantly the person suggesting this cable did none of this research and purchased on a whim.
I am simply suggesting that folks dont rely on a bogus recommendation...there are much better options out there....again, ETHERNET is the CORE of the system...and most expensive to diagnose and replace (setting aside fire safety) so why in the world would you pay around with that. Its moronic.
 
Saltster said:
not sure how you would know what my experience is or not in building computers, networking equipment or whatever etc... I've only been building electronics since 1979 and still have an engineer test and trouble shoot everything before it goes into usage.

My engineer "Chris" checked it out and said it was good cabling... he works on board design, trouble shooting, and implementation of medical equipment devices, day in and day out...

however, what is your preferred method of testing networking Cat6 cabling... and I will call him to see if he utilized that method. Thanks
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Fully testing cable like this requires some pretty expensive equipment, north of $10k.
 
Never thought I'd be nitpicking the Monoprice packaging like this. I have some 250' cat6 spools from Monoprice where the UL labels say 1000', and I have some 250' boxes from Monoprice that have no UL label at all. Chronologically, I bought 1000' boxes, then 250' spools, then 250' boxes from Monoprice. The cable in the 1000' boxes and 250' spools looks and feels pretty much the same to me, even though they were supposedly made in different countries. Physically, the cable from the 250' boxes looks and feels less robust than the others to me. The Monoprice cat6 cable is clearly not all from the same source.
 
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I have Monoprice cable in my install. So I really don't have a problem with it. :) And I recommend it to people all the time as it is usually a decent value. (Especially if they have a free shipping deal going on.)

What I'm saying though is that if you do research the certifications and do some homework like we seem to be recommending people do, then Monoprice ends up looking like the less reliable product in this specific situation. Neither of the listed certification numbers even comes up in the database for the Monoprice cable.

And not relying on a bogus recommendation is all well and good, but how does someone new to all of this figure out what is a bogus recommendation and what is not? Most home users are not going to buy Toughcable or Beldin or any of the higher end brands because the cost difference is significant usually. So how can we tell them that Monoprice is good, but Brand X isn't good when we really can't articulate why much beyond they are cheap and popular? Monoprice started out as an unknown seller with an unknown cable.
 
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CountZero said:
I have Monoprice cable in my install. So I really don't have a problem with it. :) And I recommend it to people all the time as it is usually a decent value. (Especially if they have a free shipping deal going on.)

What I'm saying though is that if you do research the certifications and do some homework like we seem to be recommending people do, then Monoprice ends up looking like the less reliable product in this specific situation. Neither of the listed certification numbers even comes up in the database for the Monoprice cable.

And not relying on a bogus recommendation is all well and good, but how does someone new to all of this figure out what is a bogus recommendation and what is not? Most home users are not going to buy Toughcable or Beldin or any of the higher end brands because the cost difference is significant usually. So how can we tell them that Monoprice is good, but Brand X isn't good when we really can't articulate why much beyond they are cheap and popular? Monoprice started out as an unknown seller with an unknown cable.
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You are using the same faulty logic as those who pushed crap from longse and huisun here...they are new so someone has to try them...problem is that they ended up failing in huge numbers...with cameras its an easy swap and the savings were huge...with cable it can be a nightmare, both diagnosing and replacing...so when the OP posts an unknown brand - and yes, despite a UL listing claim they are unknown...google counterfeit ul label...The OP did none of the research and that was my point...last week he was installing his first reolink ip camera and now he is a cable expert. Bullshit
We know that monoprice cable is reliable (at least from a data standpoint, who knows about fire)...because hundreds of us use it with no problem....that is worth more than any UL standard AND the fact that they are so large they have more to lose than a brand new amazon seller...
So why in the world would you risk than in an install to save 10 bux... its basic common sense...want to chase UL listings and known good brands, spend an extra 50 bucks and ubiquiti....point is you cannot and should not trust a new amazon seller, selling a new brand, simply because of a claimed UL listing...its idiotic. I would have said the same thing when monoprice started out - let some other suckers be the guinea pigs.
 
Any one here remember when Tough Cable came out? They had a serious problem with their Chinese supplier and the jacket of the cable had no UV protection and turned green after about two months outside. Then they would deteriorate completely. They replaced every roll and all you had to do was call and ask to get replacements to save their reputation and the new stuff seems fine, but I only "trust" Belden. Yes it is more money, but as Fenderman has stated, cable is the most important core component.

Monoprice seems fine as everyone here uses it and reports are excellent, but I wouldn't put it in a data center. Hard to explain a failure at that level of a basic core component to the client.
 
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Seems like this thread about cabling and some open minded members, dug down into the nitty gritty of it all, no need for me to respond any further, just to get my head handed to me... I am pleased with the quality of my selection. Thanks :banghead: :smash:
 
NoloC said:
Any one here remember when Tough Cable came out? They had a serious problem with their Chinese supplier and the jacket of the cable had no UV protection and turned green after about two months outside. Then they would deteriorate completely. They replaced every roll and all you had to do was call and ask to get replacements to save their reputation and the new stuff seems fine, but I only "trust" Belden. Yes it is more money, but as Fenderman has stated, cable is the most important core component.
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Boy, do I remember. I worked for a WISP here in NW AL as a sub-contractor, he had installed about 40 UBNT radios with that crap that turned green and cracked after 2 years or so. Water actually got into the jacket and screwed things up good.

He re-wired about half the houses with the free replacement ToughCable and I did the other half. That was 4 years ago and they all still look black, flexible and with good jacket integrity.

I trust that UBNT won't allow that type of debacle again, that cost them big $$$ and dinged their stellar reputation. I was pleased they made good and am still a big fan & purchaser/user of UBNT radios. That being said, from 1973 to 2004 all I ever bought was Belden for traffic signal telemetry, multi-conductor interconnect cable and vehicle detection (roadway inductive loop) cabling.
 
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At my place, we tend to use CableMatters Cat6 cable for the majority of our cable runs. Especially whenever we're doing anything involving computers and access points. Certainly don't ever use anything that is Copper Clad Aluminum. It's about $140-ish a box so it's not terrible for a 1000ft.

But to be honest, I consider Cat6 cable overkill for IP Cameras and personally recommend Cat5e, especially in a home setting. We use Cat6 because that's what we buy for future-proofing everything, but I don't see an IP camera, even a 4k camera ever being too much to handle for Cat5e.
 
Saltster said:
Seems like this thread about cabling and some open minded members, dug down into the nitty gritty of it all, no need for me to respond any further, just to get my head handed to me... I am pleased with the quality of my selection. Thanks :banghead: :smash:
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I don't mean to "pile on" here since you've had some pretty tough, but honest direction given to you already, BUT - you are clearly provoking a response by posting this latest note.

One of the passions of folks in this forum is a "no BS" policy to prevent users from being pointed at low quality equipment that will not perform well. As has been stated ad nauseam, cable is the most significant and potentially the most underrated component. Bad or underperforming cable may not be easily diagnosed and can cause intermittent problems. It is a really bad decision to use no-name cable and be arrogant enough to think you possess the ability and equipment to evaluate it's "Quality". Hey if you like the cable you purchased, good for you. But be aware you may end up having to replace it. You willing to risk that, OK. Some are not and we do not wish to give unreliable recommendations here.

Best-
 
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looney2ns said:
There was a fella that once that said, "640K of ram is all anyone will ever need in a computer".
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Yep. Just shortly before it was declared that 56 kbit/s was the highest data rate obtainable on a pair of copper telephone wires. :highfive:
 
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