Ask The Trades

maintenance_man GDPR opt-out	CAT5 Apr 19^th, 2004, 12:16am Has anybody used cat5 to wire a phone network? if so can you help i would like to wire all the phones back to one point (star) much the same as a data network I was thinking of doing it but dont know what products to use, or if it is at all possible to wire phones this way mm
Back to top	IP Logged

plugwash

Administrator

Offline

I love YaBB 1G - SP1!

Posts: 1383

Total Thanks: 0
For This Post: 0

Trade: Not Specified

Re: CAT5
Reply #1 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 12:34am

writing phones with cat5 is commonly done in offices to allow lines to be used for either phone or data in the future but then they are usually plugged into an internla exchange of some sort

for the phones you can get rj45-bt socket adaptors

in the patch panel you will need to do something with the incomeing phone line perhaps wire it to 4 or 5 sockets in the patch panel and mark those as phone line

Back to top

IP Logged

HM

Super Member

Offline

Chief Turd Polisher
Posts: 5072

Total Thanks: 0
For This Post: 0

Gender: male

Re: CAT5
Reply #2 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 7:26am

You've probably got this covered anyway, but don't forget that there are limits on the number of phones you can hang on a telephone line. Standard lines from BT and NTL can only manage 3-4, after that they stop ringing and so on.

I'm probably reading a bit too much into your question for this to be a sensible answer, however your reference to star topology raised a question mark in my mind about how extensive this network of phones will be.

Andrew

Back to top

If you aren't always sure of the right answer don't take up a career in the bomb squad

IP Logged

LSpark Global Moderator Trade Member Author Offline Posts: 8069 Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0 London, UK United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: CAT5 Reply #3 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 8:28am yeah it's a good point handymac, but i think your reffering to REN, which may or may not come into the distribution of CAT5 and data system.
Back to top	IP Logged

toomuchtooyoung

GDPR opt-out

Total Thanks: 3
For This Post: 0

Re: CAT5
Reply #4 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 12:24pm

Handy Mac is quite correct;

The basic Bell circuit falls over if you have more than 4 (REN 1) terminals on it (including modems etc.). You can use CAT5 cable to connect up phones - i've even seen security cable used - nasty....

Connections to 2 and 5 for the main circuit and then a loop back from all secondarys to the primary on 3

Have fun,

TMTY

Back to top

IP Logged

rabbit_rabbit GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0	Re: CAT5 Reply #5 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 8:44pm A lot of CAT5/6 cabling is used for phones and data on PABX systems so REN numbers rarely a problem.
Back to top	IP Logged

HM

Super Member

Offline

Chief Turd Polisher
Posts: 5072

Total Thanks: 0
For This Post: 0

Gender: male

Re: CAT5
Reply #6 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 9:26pm

[quote author=rabbit_rabbit link=1082331324/0#5 date=1082403872]A lot of CAT5/6 cabling is used for phones and data on PABX systems so REN numbers rarely a problem. [/quote]

My comment was really referring to a situation where several phones were being connected in parallel on a single line - quite possibly not what the OP had intended to suggest but that's the way I read it.

With PABX you've got separate circuits with a single phone on the end of each one, so you are right about ignoring REN.

Andrew

Back to top

If you aren't always sure of the right answer don't take up a career in the bomb squad

IP Logged

maintenance_man

GDPR opt-out

Total Thanks: 0
For This Post: 0

Re: CAT5
Reply #7 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 11:11pm

The reason for this question is,with a bit more info.

I have been asked to wire up a phone network in a largish house. i was thinking of future proofing by using cat5. as was suggested. the customer wants phone points in most of the rooms ( at least 10) BUT THER IS ONLY ONE INCOMONG LINE. Is there any products available to make this possible. ( ie a mini exchange)

Iam not sure how many phones yhey actually intend to use but would like to be able to use them all withiut problems.

Back to top

IP Logged

supersparky Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Posts: 6097 Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0 Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: CAT5 Reply #8 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 11:12pm dont forget the strict termination rules for cat5...and it cant go outside the house either! ss
Back to top	IP Logged

plugwash Administrator Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 1383 Total Thanks: 0 For This Post: 0 Trade: Not Specified	Re: CAT5 Reply #9 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 11:17pm do you get special exterior grade cat5 i used to be at a residential school and they sure as hell ran cat5 outside (mostly in conduit but exposed in a lot of places too)
Back to top	IP Logged

supersparky Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Posts: 6097 Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0 Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: CAT5 Reply #10 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 11:22pm nope! reason its not allowed outside is lightning(mainly) ss
Back to top	IP Logged

plugwash Administrator Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 1383 Total Thanks: 0 For This Post: 0 Trade: Not Specified	Re: CAT5 Reply #11 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 11:26pm pity... would be nice to have a masterseal datacom outlet with a telecom module and a cat5 module next to a masterseal socket for using your laptop outside in the summer
Back to top	IP Logged

supersparky Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Posts: 6097 Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0 Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: CAT5 Reply #12 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 11:27pm lol, patent that quick!!!! ss
Back to top	IP Logged

maintenance_man GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0	Re: CAT5 Reply #13 - Apr 19^th, 2004, 11:30pm Im at present working my notice after deciding to go it alone. where i work at the minute, a very large national company who employ specailist firms to do all the networking systems. thes firms have ran cat5 allover the place even laid in the gutters of buildings. Value for meney or what?
Back to top	IP Logged

LSpark Global Moderator Trade Member Author Offline Posts: 8069 Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0 London, UK United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: CAT5 Reply #14 - Apr 20^th, 2004, 1:31am [quote author=supersparky link=1082331324/0#12 date=1082413630]lol, patent that quick!!!! ss [/quote] no need SS, it already exsists, surprised you have not come across it yet and ive seen cat5 exposed in places befour 2, but usualy optical links that are completly exposed.
Back to top	IP Logged

supersparky Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Posts: 6097 Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0 Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: CAT5 Reply #15 - Apr 20^th, 2004, 7:54am well thats not cat5 then is it! it says in the regs it shouldent go outside- i take that to mean any runs that go outside are not to regs, and why would i know of a cat5 ip65 socket when i only just started doing cat5 lol ss
Back to top	IP Logged

scotspark Trade Member Offline mmmmm it's gonna cost you!! Posts: 3074 Total Thanks: 10 For This Post: 0 scotland Scotland Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: CAT5 Reply #16 - Apr 20^th, 2004, 9:13pm yes you get cat5 for external work it look's a bit like the external bt cable you get at first glance used it quite a lot even crossed between buildings on catenary wire with it
Back to top	brown to red and blue to f****&&&&ommited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IP Logged