Inexpensive Cat-5 Cable

[dvanteslaar]

A lot of our designs call for the use of CAT-5 cables, and unless your Bill Gates, buying quantities of these cables can add up very quickly.

When building my LEDTRIKS board, I searched all over the internet to find the least expensive unit cost - All Electronics Corporation offered extremely low prices. As an example, purchasing 1 -> 9 six foot CAT-5 cable had a per unit cost of $2.00, while anything greater than or equal to 10 units dropped the per unit price to $1.75.

Here's the link: http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category/122/Cables_-_Category_5.html

If anyone knows of a better deal, please post a response with a link!

David

[stempile]

I bought 1000' at home depot for ~$70. That is a $.07 ft cost. I bought an rj-45 crimp tool for cheap and a bunch of rj-45 end for even cheaper. I can make a 6' cable for ~$.50 to $.60 depending on the rj-45 connectors.

Making your own cable is the way to go. Then you will have exact length you need. Buying pre-made cables is very $$.

ms

[bonuts]

Can anyone suggest cheaper places (like the internet) to buy spools of cat5?

[Wayne J]

Can anyone suggest cheaper places (like the internet) to buy spools of cat5?

A lot of sellers on Ebay that have 'kits' - 1000' Roll of cable, bag of connectors, crimp tool, and a tester. They also have it as 500' roll if you perfer. I got mine from this seller.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/1000-Ft-Grey-Cat-5e-Cable-100-Plugs-Crimper-Tester_W0QQitemZ110160871068QQihZ001QQcategoryZ450 91QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

[dvanteslaar]

I bought 1000' at home depot for ~$70. That is a $.07 ft cost. I bought an rj-45 crimp tool for cheap and a bunch of rj-45 end for even cheaper. I can make a 6' cable for ~$.50 to $.60 depending on the rj-45 connectors.

Making your own cable is the way to go. Then you will have exact length you need. Buying pre-made cables is very $$.

ms

6' of cable for ~ $0.50-$0.60 ... I suppose that IS the way to go ... I'll have to look into purchasing a spool!!! Thanks for the info Matt - believe it or not, that would have never crossed my mind!

David

[hutchijw]

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CT-CAT5E-1000-6U&cat=CBL

Im also buying some 50' blue patch cables for $5 bucks each right now (from a local private source in Michigan). I only requested 16. The are molded + booted also. I can always ask to get more if anyone is interested. Just PM me

[grages]

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CT-CAT5E-1000-6U&cat=CBL

Im also buying some 50' blue patch cables for $5 bucks each right now (from a local private source in Michigan). I only requested 16. The are molded + booted also. I can always ask to get more if anyone is interested. Just PM me

I agree with Hutch on the geeks also look at http://www.nwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.showProducts&Header=NETWORKING&Subheader=CAT5%20CABLES&categoryID=238&Sort=price&Order=ASC&QueryMaxRows=10&QueryStartRow=11
The had some 100 foot gray cables for $10 but limited quantitys.

I orderd a bunch a year or so back for some other things. Quality was good.

[klanger]

These guys seem to have cheap cat5 cables 100ft for about $3.00 bucks each.

http://stores.ebay.com.au/All-City

[Michael]

Check the shipping on the Ebay items listed above. Total comes to almost $14 when that is added in.

[jderba]

Cat 3 cable works just as well and is less expensive than the Cat 5

[grages]

The Geeks is having a sale this weekend and has the 1000ft cat5 with connectors, crimper, and tester for ~$65

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CT-CAT5E-1000-6U

a savings of about $10 which about covers shipping for me to Florida.

[Dan Ross]

I'm working on getting some pricing on some different cables that will work for the stuff we do, I will post the pricing when I get the info.

[Doug-in-the-woods]

The cable sale is over but I talked to sale lady and got the sale price.
Told her I would refer their store.
bonus - I am not in need of a 1000 feet of cat5 cable so local internet company offered to buy what ever cable I have left (mentioned I only need the ends and 150-200 feet of cable)
She offered me $60 for the cable.
oh my its 111 days until Christmas, I need to get busy

[PClay]

Look at ( L-com.com) item TC3560 .... check it out.
I am no expert, but it looks like it has the possibility of working.
Phil C

[JaysonH]

Look at ( L-com.com) item TC3560 .... check it out.
I am no expert, but it looks like it has the possibility of working.
Phil C

It will work. Too bad its plenum and not riser rated, it would be even cheaper.

Any 3 pair (twisted pair or not) cabling/wire will work, granted the gauge will allow the amperage (which isn't much). Computers send out RF along the outside of the wire, we are instead tossing DC along it, so fancy wire/twisted pair designed to reduce collisions and such isn't necessary.

I think so many go with CAT5 though because of its availability, packaging and of course a RJ45 fits onto it no problem.

I could be wrong, wouldnt be the first time. ;)

[MarkL]

Anyone have any input on solid vs. stranded cable? I know that stranded is more durable in the sense that it's less likely to break when flexed repeatedly, but it's also more expensive. However, I don't know how much flexing it takes. For this application, it's only flexing twice a year - once setting up and once taking down. I would want to roll it up for storage, although we're not talking tight radius bends.

Thanks.
Mark

[Wayne J]

solid seems to be the choice, simply because of cost. Also, as you said, only gets messed with twice a year and i think if care is taken, they will last a long time. Just keep a cable tester handy and check them.



8)

[stempile]

The Geeks is having a sale this weekend and has the 1000ft cat5 with connectors, crimper, and tester for ~$65

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CT-CAT5E-1000-6U

a savings of about $10 which about covers shipping for me to Florida.

I ordered this on Monday 11/12/07, it arrived on Wednesday 11/14/07. I paid $75 plus $1.99 shipping. The $65 sale was over.

The tester looks decent, the crimper has a wire stripper, but its only for flat wire, not cat-5. It is a RJ-45 crippler though. The cable comes in an easy pull box.

ms

[ppohlman]

Does anyone know how often geeks.com puts their 1000' Cat5e combo kit on sale? I just missed the deal and was wondering if anyone knows when it will go on sale again? Thanks.

[Trepidati0n]

I justed made another thrad by accident in this forum. In short...forget cat5 for moderate runs and go this style route:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10222&cs_id=1022203&p_id=946&seq=1&format=2

While I love DIY....making cables = banging head into wall

[Trepidati0n]

Found another site: http://www.firefold.com/Default.aspx

For a pre-made cable...I'm not sure how much cheaper it can get. Of course, I will not stop hunting.

[mrpackethead]

How about discarding the rj45 connectors and just using krone blocks?

[Wayne J]

Found another site: http://www.firefold.com/Default.aspx

For a pre-made cable...I'm not sure how much cheaper it can get. Of course, I will not stop hunting.

This is who I use. They have a store about 1/2 mile from work. :wink:

[Trepidati0n]

How about discarding the rj45 connectors and just using krone blocks?

Could you enlighten me which of the designs here which use CAT5 utilize krone blocks?

[Frankz]

By Krone block, you do mean a 110 punch down block?
That would require a redesign of every pcb here, and usually making them significantly larger. The blocks are made to be semi-permanent, or at least long term use, and they're very time consuming to connect each and every cable.
I doubt there'd be much, if any, cost savings, and it'd just be adding a whole lot of extra time and work, every time you want to put up a display, take it down, or even just move it around.

For light control, you want temporary, fast and easy to set up and take down, as well as fast and easily reconfigureable on the fly. You get that with RJ45 connectors and the cables you make ahead of time.

[mrpackethead]

How about discarding the rj45 connectors and just using krone blocks?

Could you enlighten me which of the designs here which use CAT5 utilize krone blocks?

None of them as far as i can see?

[DJzrule]

http://www.firefold.com/Products/Cat5E-1000-Foot-Bulk-350Mhz-UTP-PVC-Solid-Cable---Black__CAT5E-1KSOL-BLK.aspx

1,000 feet, in any color, including black, green, and white, for 70 bucks. Price lower in bulk purchases of bulk items. lol

[WWNF911]

The Geeks is having a sale this weekend and has the 1000ft cat5 with connectors, crimper, and tester for ~$65

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=CT-CAT5E-1000-6U

a savings of about $10 which about covers shipping for me to Florida.

Just browsing around,... saw your link and got the same deal. :)

Now listed at $71.50 plus $10.00 shipping but I was about to buy similar (gray color) off of Ebay for $115.95 plus $23.95 shipping.

Thankyou!

Leon