Cat3 useless?

[Ryda85]

Just wondering if any of you still use cat3 for voice aplications.

 

[SYQUEST]

ALL THE TIME! I find it very useful!! It works for me...

....JIM....

 

[mforrence]

I second that... Cat3 is the PREFERRED voice cable.

Mike

 

[Ryda85]

only reason i ask is that i just placed a bid for a job, 1 cat6 and one cat3 to each location. they were a little displeased that i chose cat3 for voice, and insisted on using cat5. I have not done any prewires in quite a while and just decided to get back into it. I didnt know if cat3 was obsolite. i am not going to argue with a customer, if he wants cat5 thats what he will get. is there any benefit to using cat5 over cat3? only thing i can think of is that the can use voip if they go that route in the future.


also, when using cat5 for voice, a customer can plug in the rj11 jack into rj45 jack. does this mean that 1 pair of the cat5 is not being utilized? would i have to not connect those lines to mu block in the phone room?

 

[skip555]

I usually use 3 for voice also

as a "cable pro' you need to educate your customer

if they go VOIP it will use the network drop and the voice drop will be unused.

there is absolutely no advantage of 5 over 3 for voice applications

why 6 for data ?

we pull 5e unless the customer specs 6

(I hope your increasing your bid for the extra time needed to termiate the Cat5 voice )

also, when using cat5 for voice, a customer can plug in the rj11 jack into rj45 jack. does this mean that 1 pair of the cat5 is not being utilized? would i have to not connect those lines to mu block in the phone room?

I would still punch all 4 pair down I really hate to see a bunch of untermited wire around a block

definite sign of a "hack" job

 

[wires]

I haven't run any cat3 in at least 8 years. Don't see the point. The materials cost difference between 3 & 5e is minimal but the labor cost is the same for much less bandwidth.

If they want 66 blocks and 6p4c (RJ11) jacks use those with cat5e. Leave a service loop in the wiring closet so the 66 blocks can be replaced with a patch panel in the future. Or just use 110 blocks that can handle both voice and data for the voice wiring.

I can't imagine why anyone would still be installing cat3.

 

[bithead9]

If you want to use the cable later for Voip then CAt5e is the ticket. Its just a matter of time CAT3 will be history.

 

[Ryda85]

so when i used to use cat3, i would wirean external phone box. what would i use for the cat5? all i can find online is a male to female adapter. so i would have to terminate the cable with an rj45 plug and have a couler on it?

is this right?

i figured there might be an external female jack

 

[wires]

i figured there might be an external female jack "

There is, just not one piece parts like you are used to. A wall mount cat5 compliant jack will consist of a surface mount box, a faceplate and a jack module.

You can use whatever jack you want just don't run cat3 since the cost difference is little and the bandwidth is even less.

In a perfect world you would terminate the voice runs to cat5e standards but I would rather have good cables with bad terminations than crappy cable...

 

[SYQUEST]

At least I won't have to worry about some data nut taking my CAT3 for a computer!

CAT3 is not going away any time soon! Just look at the Belden catalogue! They still make cables from the 1950s. If there is a need, they will make it!

....JIM....

 

[wires]

CAT3 is not going away any time soon! Just look at the Belden catalogue! They still make cables from the 1950s. If there is a need, they will make it!"

They still make tires for the Ford Model T. Just because someone makes something that is NO reason to use it on a new install.

 

[skip555]

I haven't run any cat3 in at least 8 years. Don't see the point. The materials cost difference between 3 & 5e is minimal but the labor cost is the same for much less bandwidth.[/quote[

so what does the phone system do with the "extra bandwidth "

absolutely nothing that's what

 

[wires]

so what does the phone system do with the "extra bandwidth ""

You are assuming that analog phones are the future, they are not...

I would not like to be standing there explaining that to save less that 40% on materials I ran obsolete wire.

 

[mikeydidit]

I am in a little different position than most of you so I am going to throw a wrench in the works. (So to speak)

We still use all 5E for data and Cat 3 for voice.

I maintain our telephone system (Large Avaya) and I have played around with VoIP. I have no use for it on campus. No cost benefits for IP vs. TDM at all other than long distance service. But I may have some use for it on buildings off-premise.

The other side of my operation is we do 99% of all the cabling on and off campus.

If and when someone higher up decides that VoIP is a must, then they will pay me to recable the complex. But with the current administration, i will not have that problem.


When is the last time you helped someone, just because you were able to?

For the best response to a question, read faq690-6594

 

[skip555]

You are assuming that analog phones are the future, they are not...

I would not like to be standing there explaining that to save less that 40% on materials I ran obsolete wire.

so why 5 why not 6 or 7 ?

 

[mforrence]

Just to clarify my reply... Cat 3 is remains a viable solution for dedicated voice. That said, we rarely use it simply because it is easier for us to stock just cat5. And our cost for cat5 is lower than cat3. On new projects we will often run two "cables" - both cat5 that can then be patched to voice or data as the need arises. This model has served our customers well.
Mike

 

[wires]

so why 5 why not 6 or 7 ?"

Because there is no compelling application that requires either.

Like mforrence says there essentially is no cost difference between cat3 and cat5 cable. At most the price difference I could find was 40%. These cost figures don't hold up for cat6 or cat7.

It seems that by insisting on cat3 you are cutting corners that don't need to be cut. Labor is expensive, cable is cheap.

 

[Ryda85]

anyone have a link to rj45 external jacks that i can place under the desk of a cubical...not for inwall

 

[wires]

anyone have a link to rj45 external jacks that i can place under the desk of a cubical...not for inwall"

http://www.thenerds.net/STEREN.Ster....html?affid=8&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=301151WH

http://www.bestlinknetware.com/product-detail.asp?sku=101911WT

http://www.bestlinknetware.com/store-detail.asp?categoryID=10&subcategoryID=19

http://www.deepsurplus.com/Network-...-Biscuit-Jacks/RJ45-Single-Surface-Mount-Jack

http://www.outletpc.com/c8118.html

http://www.newtechindustries.com/newtech/catalog/telephone_modular_surface_biscuit_jack.htm

 

[jknichols]

http://www.google.com/search?q=Cat5+Surface+Jack

http://www.google.com/search?q=RJ45+Surface+Jack