5000 - IP Phones over Cat3? 3

[Hovus]

Hey all,

I'm getting mixed results on Google and can't find anything conclusive on MOL. We have a prospect for a new installation of 5320s, 30s, and 40s on a 5000. Problem is, the infrastructure is all Cat3 and the budget doesn't have rewiring in it. Our sales department is swearing up and down that IP phones will work on Cat3, but I'm reluctant to believe anything a sales guy says so I thought I'd ask the tech community. Has anyone deployed 5320s-5340s in a Cat3 enviornment?

I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream has gone from me.

 

[jrgood0852]

Wow! No way. The bear minimum would be regular Cat 5, which is not even recognized anymore. You are looking at Cat 5e as a minimum requirement here. I recommend going 6a, which is the current standard, which will see them into the future. You will not get around re-doing this site. Thanks.

Always look out for the next guy because it may be you!

 

[Hovus]

I figured as much. Appreciate the reassurance.

I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream has gone from me.

 

[Mitel100]

Mitel sell the streamline unit which comes in two variants (a 24 or a 48 port) unit. the streamline units powers IP phones over Cat3 / CW1308.

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[Hovus]

Yeah, I saw that and the Phybridge as options. Both of which are not in the budget...

I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream has gone from me.

 

[amriddle01]

Sounds like they don't have the budget for an IP based system, maybe digital is the better option with cable splitters, if they can't afford that then they need to reconsider the system they are buying or if they can afford one at all...



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[jrgood0852]

Cool, Mitel100. Didn't know that. And they guarantee good voice quality with no audio issues?

Always look out for the next guy because it may be you!

 

[Hovus]

My thoughts exactly, amriddle. I'm just a tech though so what do I know...

I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream has gone from me.

 

[LoopyLou]

Have seen this discussed before and in theory the phones are supposed to be able to work over cat 3 ( think what a DSL circuit gets delivered to your home over. Its generally cat 3 not cat 5/6. You can certainly run a teleworker over DSL ). Even seen something from Mitel that says they can work. The issue is always what shape the Cat 3 enviroment is in. This can be a nightmare at the best of times. So if the cat 3 runs are short if they are not warped around power cables and if they don't have bridges or taps then yeah it could work. That's a lot of if's

Your instincts are correct about sales.

The beatings will continue until morale improves.

 

[meyer1y2k]

You will probably have to lock the phones and switch ports to 10M/Half-Duplex. CAT 3 will definitely not support 100M.

 

[kwbMitel]

Using a Phybridge or the Mitel Branded Streamline unit, go ahead.

I would not recommend trying to use Cat3 for ethernet

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[jrgood0852]

I am totally with kwbMitel on this one. No grey area (except on my head and chest) Thanks.

Always look out for the next guy because it may be you!

 

[kwbMitel]

Just a few more things to consider:

POE over Cat3 - bad idea
Distance over 300 feet - bad idea
Standard Cat3 terminations (Bix/R66/Cross connect fields) - bad idea
Sub Panels - BAD IDEA
Expectations above nominal - bad idea
Voice Quality issues - expected
Random phone resets, dropouts - expected


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What's most important is that you realise ... There is no spoon.

 

[Hovus]

I agree with everything said so far. I just wanted to see if anyone actually set something like this up and what the results were.

I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream has gone from me.

 

[kwbMitel]

I did once in a very small office using a SX-200 Cxi. There were no issues. Longest run was <100 feet and All runs were home runs with Cat5 terminations

The SX-200 actually stated at one time that it supported Cat3 (and may still be true)

I've never seen a similar claim on the 3300

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What's most important is that you realise ... There is no spoon.

 

[jrgood0852]

You stated Cat 5, kwb. Not Cat 3.

Always look out for the next guy because it may be you!

 

[kwbMitel]

Yes, Cat5 [highlight #AD7FA8]terminations[/highlight], Cat3 cable.

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What's most important is that you realise ... There is no spoon.

 

[jrgood0852]

My bad. "The important thing is that you realize ... you didn't read the post closely!"

Always look out for the next guy because it may be you!

 

[619Tech]

I have several customers with multiple sites using IP endpoints on CAT3; the phybridge sites have had no issues since installation over a year ago; the streamline sites have been plagued with port disconnect issues; we just applied the 3.1.8 hotfix last week to two sites that appear to be trouble free since. It looks like the streamline's have a stable software release now.

It's a nice alternative for sites that want physical segregation instead of VLAN's, but don't want to or can't replace the CAT3 with CAT5/6.

 

[jrgood0852]

Thanks, 619. Just basing it on my experience in the industry, it just doesn't sit well. Sorry.

Always look out for the next guy because it may be you!