Cat5e Patch Cables Question

[Brangwen]

Fellow Members:

I need to extend the length of a 2ft. cable which has a RJ-45 connector on it. I have two questions regarding a solution:

1. Can I simply purchase a so-called patch cable? In other words, will this accept an RJ-45 on one end, then plug into an ethernet card on the back of a computer?

2. The minimum length that I would require would be 5 to 6 ft. Ideally - as a temporary solution until I can get around to running cable along baseboards with "traditional" Cat5e cable - I would like to utilize a 15 to 20 ft. cable, if they make patch cables that long.

Would I have any difficulty with the DSL signal?

Thank You Very Much!

Brangwen

[maotx]

What you'll have to do is go ahead and purchase a new rj-45 cable. What kind of situation are you using it in. Does it need to be a crossover? If you have to use the original cable, you can purchase a rj-45 coupler to plug in another rj-45 cable.

[davidamarkley]

Well, a CAT5e patch cable is merely CAT5e cable, with a RJ-45 jack on each end, and the wiring is "straight-though" and not crossover. Patch cable is used between a switch/hub and a computer. It isn't one that will extend the length of an already in place cable.

However, what you can do is simply get a 15-20 ft. patch cable, and also get a CAT5 coupler like this.

That should get you what you need.

Dave

EDIT: Doh! Was beat...

[Gait_Keeper]

just buy a longer cable, you don't need to add to you existing one



that would be alien

[Brangwen]

Originally posted by davidamarkley Well, a CAT5e patch cable is merely CAT5e cable, with a RJ-45 jack on each end, and the wiring is "straight-though" and not crossover. Patch cable is used between a switch/hub and a computer. It isn't one that will extend the length of an already in place cable. However, what you can do is simply get a 15-20 ft. patch cable, and also get a CAT5 coupler like this.

That should get you what you need.

Dave

EDIT: Doh! Was beat...

Great! That's exacly what I'm looking for. The Cat5 cable that is in place now is at least 40 ft. long, and is wired under the floor from a den (connected to a four-port router) from whence it is getting the DSL signal. The couple feet hanging out of the wall at the other end (that I would like to extend in a temporary fashion) used to go through the back of a computer armoire and into an ethernet card. It is a straight-through cable. Utilizing a coupler with a "patch cable" makes good sense to me "as a temporary solution" to get a broadband signal to a laptop.

Thanks!

Brangwen


Actually, I will not need the patch cable. I have a box of 50 RJ-45's so I'll simply pick up 20 to 30 ft. of cable at the local Home Depot and a coupler at Staples.

Thanks Again!

[whitebeard21]

When you are making your connections do not untwist the wires more than 1/2 inch, keep them twisted as close to the connections as possible to avoid crosstalk.