All,
Thanks for all the comments and links about 'cable crimpers.' I am
familiar; I used them way back in the '80's. Yes, I am certain that the
tools are much better/precise now. In any case, I choose to forgo this
tool and/or making custom cables.
I did disable 2 of my 'inline couplers' by using new 20ft. cables. Done!
I now have one remaining coupler in-LAN. It is on the major up-link
cable between my switch pair. BUT!!
Based on past comments, it seems my cheesy 'CAT6' couplers are mostly
just that; cheesy! I took the failed one apart. No. It did not contain
any shielding for RF, EMP, LFI, and/or whatever. It was oddly done
inside with nicely bent small gold-clad wires that maintained fixed
space between the wires. Each end had its own little circuit board.
Nicely made; still, dead.
SO..........
I have now re-used my older inlines (that have worked fine since '03). I
see no degradation at all. While I can accept that there may/should be
some difference between Cat5/Cat5E/Cat6 couplers, I CAN NOT SEE IT!
SO, I will just use my old couplers when necessary. I now know that
each one of them are solid. Yes, I agree that a coupler is a 'temp'
fix. Some of my 'temp' fixes were 8yrs old! ..... :)
Think I am going to look back at thru-wall cable conduits/ports. Use one
(down just above the baseboard) and I can reduce my long 33ft run
(w/coupler) to perhaps 20-25ft. And I have spares in 20ft and 25ft! I
would use another thru-wall to re-route the cable from my back bedroom
(guest) and get it out of the main hallway.
Thank you for all of your links, suggestions, observations and
experiences. ATM my LAN is now complete again and working very solid.
Even all my clients do seem a bit perkier! ......... :)
Best,
Duncan
On 07/18/2011 15:50, Thane Sherrington wrote:
At 04:08 PM 18/07/2011, Joshua MacCraw wrote:
I dropped over 50 dollars on an ideal ratchet crimper a few years
back with
replaceable dies well worth the price. better to buy the expensive
tool and
get it done right than churning through expensive ends doing miss
crimps.
One thing I learned from Joshua years ago is to to buy the good
stuff. Sure you can get cheap crap, but your time isn't worth the
headaches. My first crimper was about $180 and still works (I think
it's 15 years old.)
T
