Flat ethernet installs

elninio1999

Hi all,

Got a bit of a dilemma and looking for some feedback and opinions on what options you would go for.

I've been using TPLink powerline adapters to connect my TV and Android box to my router.  The TV works fine on both the powerline option and WiFi for streaming.   The Android box is a bit more temperamental when streaming and can suffer from buffering on both connection options.  After suspecting the adapters may be the issue (they also repeat the WiFi signal) I have run a cat5e directly from the router to the Android box down the stairs to test.  I have had flawless streaming all day and better speeds, which I expected.

My router currently sits at the top of the stairs. Being a wonderful BT install and a bathroom renovation without consideration, the master socket is on an internal wall which backs onto the tiled wall in the bathroom (I know!). The stairs are carpeted, downstairs hallway has click laminate and living room again is carpeted.

I didn't realise until recently there was such a thing as flat Ethernet cables and as such, I don't know how they compare vs traditional.  

I'm looking to do as tidy and discreet install as possible.

Some options for a permanent install would be as follows -

Use flat Ethernet to run under the carpet and down the stairs and then attach to skirting and bottom of the front door frame to route around the downstairs hallway and then into the living room through the internal wall

OR

Route a flat ethernet under the carpet from the router into an upstairs bedroom which has a predrilled hole on external wall for satellite connections. Round the house and down the back of the guttering pipe and into the living room through the external wall

A few questions would possibly help find my solution -

How do flat Ethernet cables perform Vs traditional?

What grading would be recommended for the install cat5e, cat6/e or cat7?

How flexible is flat ethernet - can it cope with right angled corners being tight to the wall?

What's the solution for passing metal door bars between rooms using flat ethernet?

What tips do you recommend for installing under carpets - trim a gap in the underlay and apply thick tape ontop of the cable?

Am I likely to notice a "bump" where cables are under the carpet?

Are there specific rj45 connectors for flat ethernet?

If you've made it to this point, thanks for sticking with me!

mickevh

When I did some in my home, (only a single cable,) I chased off a bit of the bottom of my skirting boards and ran the cable there. By the time one buts up the carpet/laminate, it hid everything.

When crossing any walkways, I chased a channel in the concrete, "stuck" the cable in with some sealant (silicone IIRC - simply because it was what I had on hand) and then a line of duct tape on top. Certainly no "bump" and hopefully so doing means there won't be any "rub" from the foot traffic and vacuum cleaner to (eventually) wear through the sheathing. I've no idea how this effects the electrical performance, and professional sparks are probably rubbing their heads and cursing lightly as they read this.  

The "which cat to use" debate rubbles on and on. Generally I argue that cat5e is more than good enough for ethernet (up to Gigabit) unless you do a spectacularly bad job of it. Ethernet doesn't work any "better" because you give it higher cat cable.

Higher cat cables are mechanically stiffer as they (usually) have "forms" inside the cable structure to keep the wire pairs physically separated from each other. The higher "cats" also mandate that cabling has to be installed into "proper" containment (tracks, trunking, etc.) so clipping cables to skirting boards, running it under carpets, etc. instantly "fails" it as cat6/7 (possibly even cat5e.)  As I am fond of saying, most DIY'ers don't test their installs with the very expensive test equipment required to certify them, so strictly speaking they are not "cat" anything. There's much more to it that simply buying catX cable. You also need to obey all the installations stipulations and test it.

But that doesn't mean is won't "work" for 10/100/1000 ethernet. Just don't be" disappointed" if you try to stick 10Gig ethernet down it at some future date and it doesn't work.

Thusly, "why bother" with the higher cats, cat5e is cheaper and easier to install. Though there is a good argument for cat6/cat6a as the cost difference these days isn't much so you "might as well" but bear in mind it's (usually) stiffer.

A couple of other things to bear in mind - UTP should not be "bent" - it needs to "curve" around any corners, IIRC min radius is something like 4x the sheath diameter. Try not to crush or nick it - for higher cats, this is increasingly important (part of the installation specs. say you are supposed to "lay" in all cable not "Pull" it for example.)

Also beware of some of the snake oil out there: Copper Clad Aluminium (CCA) cable is not permitted in the"cat" standards, you get a few people punting it. I'm not sure if this applies to "flat" cable, but be weary when you hear phrases like "catX tested" "catX equivalent" and other such BS. It could be fake - price often a giveaway too - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

elninio1999

Thanks for the long detailed reply!!

So cat5e flats would be the best option you reckon for under carpets and tackling corners?

mushii

Flat Cat cable is great in straight lines ONLY. It will not feed or bend around corners. If you try you are likely to damage the twisted pairs. I would look at using quarter round trunking on top of the stringer of your stairs with round cat 5e/6 inside it and run it down the stairs.
Flat Cat cable is only really suitable as patch cables and would be difficult to terminate, you would have to buy it pre-terminated at the right length.

triplea4uk

You shouldn't really install cable under the carpet without some protection over the cable.

flat cables tend to not be as good due to less shielded so they are ok for very short runs and as pointed out more for straight runs

I am confused you are saying bt installed master socket up stairs not on ground floor? if so that doesn't sound right i expect that is not the master but an extension which may of been wired from orgignal master point to become the master.

maybe some pictures may help

cat5e or cat6 doesn't matter whichever is cheapest but stay clear of cca which a lot of these flat cable and other cheap ones are.

DarkEntity

Ive got a run of Flat Cat5e from my router in the hall cupboard under the carpet in the hall, under the carpet in the living room to a small 5 port switch.  They are a godsend to people who want to hide cables.  Ive had no issues what so ever and no difference in performance from the older standard non flat Cat5e I used to use and just run round the edge of the room.