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RJ11 or Ethernet... What should i use ?

M

Mac.

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 14, 2008
359
0
UK
Hi, i have decided to ditch wireless as my connection drops from time to time. I'm now going back to the wired option.

However, i have a problem deciding whether i should buy a LONG Ethernet Cable or a LONG RJ11 Phone Cable.

My ADSL Line is downstairs, while my iMac is in my bedroom. Which cable would be more reliable? I have made a small diagram to help explain what i mean...

Option 1
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Option 2
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23mx37q.jpg

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fz2qog.jpg
 
Thanks for the quick replies guys! i'll go for the Cat 5 then.

Will my Internet be any slower, as the ethernet cable will be around 30 meters long?
 
Mac. said:
Thanks for the quick replies guys! i'll go for the Cat 5 then.

Will my Internet be any slower, as the ethernet cable will be around 30 meters long?
Click to expand...

No. I have a 100 foot (about 30 meters as well) ethernet cable from the router to a switch in my room and it works fine. Ethernet can go a long ways before you need things like repeaters.


And definitely Cat 5
 
yg17 said:
No. I have a 100 foot (about 30 meters as well) ethernet cable from the router to a switch in my room and it works fine. Ethernet can go a long ways before you need things like repeaters.


And definitely Cat 5
Click to expand...
Thanks allot!
 
Before you go through all that, are you sure the problem with your WiFi isn't that you're using a 2.4ghz cordless phone or something?
 
Can anyone recommend a good Cat 5 cable?

should i go with Belkin?

Chaszmyr said:
Before you go through all that, are you sure the problem with your WiFi isn't that you're using a 2.4ghz cordless phone or something?
Click to expand...
Last week i brought my iMac downstairs and connected it up to my router via Ethernet, it never lost connection once throughout the whole day.
 
Mac. said:
Last week i brought my iMac downstairs and connected it up to my router via Ethernet, it never lost connection once throughout the whole day.
Click to expand...

My point is that if you have a decent wireless router, you shouldn't lose connection once throughout the whole day when connected wirelessly. Certain things, most commonly 2.4ghz cordless phones, use the same frequency as WiFi networks and can cause connection problems.
 
Mac. said:
Last week i brought my iMac downstairs and connected it up to my router via Ethernet, it never lost connection once throughout the whole day.
Click to expand...
We don't doubt that. We he was saying is that maybe a cordless phone, when used, is causing your wireless signal to drop (one of my my in-laws phones does that). Although it seems to me it's more a problem of having the wireless router to far away.

[Edit]... and Chaszmyr beat me to it. :eek:
 
Chaszmyr said:
My point is that if you have a decent wireless router, you shouldn't lose connection once throughout the whole day when connected wirelessly. Certain things, most commonly 2.4ghz cordless phones, use the same frequency as WiFi networks and can cause connection problems.
Click to expand...
Oh right. The house phone is around 3 meters from the router, so i'm not sure if that would cause a problem (?)
 
With Ethernet you'll be able to extend to 100 meters (330 feet) from the router. The ADSL cabled distance, I'm not so sure about. In either case, make sure you do not lay the cable across any interfering lines, such as power, fluorescent lighting, any radio/TV/microwaves, all that. The brand of cable is fairly immaterial, Belden is an industry standard, and not too expensive in bulk (if you're terminating it yourself).

As far as the wireless, it was noted above (but not thoroughly explained) about the problems. The two frequency bands that WiFi operates on are 2.4 & 5.8 GHz. The 2.4GHz is notorious for RFI with equipment in the same range (notably cordless phones), where the 5.8GHz is less susceptible, even against the 5.8GHz phones. When I switched to 5.8 for both the house phones and WiFi, all problems disappeared.

Also, consider other interfering equipment, such as older or freestanding microwave ovens. Even if the frequency is not the same for the klystron, if it's a harmonic, you're just as hosed, particularly if the shielding isn't the best. I see this in offices with the "shared" kitchens from hell.
 
JohnNotBeatle said:
With Ethernet you'll be able to extend to 100 meters (330 feet) from the router. The ADSL cabled distance, I'm not so sure about. In either case, make sure you do not lay the cable across any interfering lines, such as power, fluorescent lighting, any radio/TV/microwaves, all that. The brand of cable is fairly immaterial, Belden is an industry standard, and not too expensive in bulk (if you're terminating it yourself).

As far as the wireless, it was noted above (but not thoroughly explained) about the problems. The two frequency bands that WiFi operates on are 2.4 & 5.8 GHz. The 2.4GHz is notorious for RFI with equipment in the same range (notably cordless phones), where the 5.8GHz is less susceptible, even against the 5.8GHz phones. When I switched to 5.8 for both the house phones and WiFi, all problems disappeared.

Also, consider other interfering equipment, such as older or freestanding microwave ovens. Even if the frequency is not the same for the klystron, if it's a harmonic, you're just as hosed, particularly if the shielding isn't the best. I see this in offices with the "shared" kitchens from hell.
Click to expand...
Thanks allot for your help :)

Sorry for the double post.

Is THIS cable what i need? the length is perfect (25m) but i'm not sure about the technical specs.

------------------------------------

CAT5E PATCH LEAD - STRAIGHT

* Enhanced 350Mhz CAT5 UTP patch lead

* 2 x RJ45 (8P/8C) connectors with strain relief boots

* High quality twisted pair cable. Wired pin to pin

* Commonly used to connect PC's to Routers/Modems/Switch's

* Supplied new in polly bag.

* Length - 25M
 
If you're buying ethernet cables you may want to consider Cat 6 over Cat 5e, so that if you ever need/want to upgrade to a gigabit network you already have a cable that's capable. Just a thought.

With the wireless part of my network all I had to do was switch channels to stop it from dropping every so often though.
 
Mac. said:
Sorry for the double post.

Is THIS cable what i need? the length is perfect (25m) but i'm not sure about the technical specs.
Click to expand...

It's fine. Cat5/Cat5E UTP is about as common as lamp cord anymore, the only thing to NOT get is a crossover cable.

Dark Dragoon said:
If you're buying ethernet cables you may want to consider Cat 6 over Cat 5e, so that if you ever need/want to upgrade to a gigabit network you already have a cable that's capable. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Cat5 & 5e are rated to support Gigabit. Cat 6 is not really needed.
 
Dark Dragoon said:
If you're buying ethernet cables you may want to consider Cat 6 over Cat 5e, so that if you ever need/want to upgrade to a gigabit network you already have a cable that's capable. Just a thought.

With the wireless part of my network all I had to do was switch channels to stop it from dropping every so often though.
Click to expand...

JohnNotBeatle said:
It's fine. Cat5/Cat5E UTP is about as common as lamp cord anymore, the only thing to NOT get is a crossover cable.



Cat5 & 5e are rated to support Gigabit. Cat 6 is not really needed.
Click to expand...
Thanks both of you :)
 
Why not WiFi? I use it all day every day and never had any problems with microwaves, cordless phones etc.
 
Dark Dragoon said:
If you're buying ethernet cables you may want to consider Cat 6 over Cat 5e, so that if you ever need/want to upgrade to a gigabit network you already have a cable that's capable. Just a thought.

With the wireless part of my network all I had to do was switch channels to stop it from dropping every so often though.
Click to expand...

Cat 5e is perfectly capable of gigabit.
 
Goto Home Depot and have them cut you the cable you need.

At 28¢ a foot your not gonna get anything better, connection is great at both ends.

--Eric
 
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