Process Of Installing Cat6a Cable – A Perfect Advice
Installing an Ethernet cable is not as simple as someone is thinking. Most individuals think that it is just a cable and its installation is not a very difficult task. The introduction of new versions of Ethernet cables makes the installation process more complicated. For example, a new Cat6a plenum cable cannot be installed in the same way as a Cat5e cable is installed. Therefore, you need to remain very careful while installing it. A little piece of advice regarding its perfect installation is given below.
Make it Simple
In this article, we will share with you a practical installation experience of Cat6a Ethernet cable both externally and internally. You have to work hard to pull these cables up the walls and through the holes. Your clothes will get filthy during the process but your hard work will give you excellent results afterward.
Do not try to complicate the installation process. Keep it simple according to your network requirements and its dimensions. If you make it complicated and dig deeper into smaller things then you may put yourself in trouble. You can damage your cable or may lose it in chunks. This will cost you dearly. Therefore, keeping things simple is the best way to adopt.
Learn the Difference between Older and Newer Ethernet Cables Variants
One of the major differences between newer and older variants of Ethernet cables is that they are usually thicker as they come with extra shielding features. Some Cat6a variants come with their internal twisted pair of cables come with extra foiling and in some cases, these pairs are foiled separately as well. This increases their thickness in comparison to an older version of Ethernet cables like Cat5e.
With that, they have a pure steel drain wire in them. It is used to provide earth to the cable. It increases their performance and efficiency. This wire is missing in the older variants of the Ethernet cables.
Important Factor – Earth your Ethernet Cable Properly
The performance of the Ethernet cable is highly dependent on its proper installation. Your single wrong step will ruin its performance to a great deal. One of them is to get the Ethernet cable earth properly. Especially, Cat6a cable foil shielding and drain wire must get earth in a proper way to get the desired results from it.
Preferably, it should be done directly into the earth rather than doing it through the earth wire present in the sockets. The best way to do it is by putting a steel rod in the ground near an external cable entry point. It gives you perfect results and keeps your Cat6a cable performance intact by all means.
What Happens If the Cable Is Not Earthed Properly?
This cable is specially designed to resist interference properties. For this purpose, it should be earth properly. Otherwise, its expensive foil shielding will go useless. This cable is designed to provide lightning-fast data transfer speed. Due to interference, you will not get the desired data speed from the cable. It becomes useless for you to invest in this expensive cable. Therefore, giving proper earth to the cable is an important and must thing to do.
Cost of Cable
It is much more expensive in comparison to older variants of Ethernet cables like Cat5e and Cat6. Therefore, a perfect installation method should be adopted to save money.
High Data Transfer Need
This cable is usually selected by the network engineers to enhance the data transfer speed of the networks. This cable can provide lightning-fast speed to the networks in comparison to older variants like Cat5e. To achieve this goal, you need to install the cable properly. Otherwise, the whole investment will go in vain.
You are looking to get a speed of up to 750 MHz through Cat6a cable in comparison to 100 MHz of Cat5e. For this, you need to take special care in its installation. This will play a major role in achieving this speed. Otherwise, it can be the case that you are still getting 100 MHz with cat6a and your whole investment will get wasted.
Space Requirement
Every Ethernet cable has different physical features. This cable has more thickness in comparison to older versions. Therefore, you need to make big holes to pass it through the walls. It is less-bendy due to extra shielding in it. The extra shielding makes it more rigid and hard. If you do not take these physical aspects of the cable into consideration then your place will look like an old transmitter station.
The features of the cable like less-bendy and thicker can put you in a lot of trouble. Especially, in the tight spaces of the network. If you put extra force to bend the cable or try to pass it through a small hole, you may damage the cable. This will damage your whole network drastically.
Therefore, you need to do this complete process with great care and caution. Read the mentioned instructions on the cable box and do it according to it. Do not bend the cable more than the specified bend radius in the instructions. If you need to run multiple cables alongside then you have to manage the space very wisely. Otherwise, you may run out of space very quickly.
Appropriate use of Keystone Jacks
One of the most important aspects of the installation of Ethernet cable is the use of appropriate keystone jacks with it. If you buy the wrong jacks, it will cause two negative impacts. First, they will not fit with your Cat6a cable, and second, your money gets wasted for nothing.
RJ45 connectors are mostly used with Cat6a cable and it gives you amazing results. Join these jacks with the cable by using proper tools. Do not attempt to join them if you do not have proper knowledge about it. Ask a specialist to do this job for you.
Do not Rush
The installation of the Cat6a plenum cable will take you twice longer than older versions of Ethernet cables like Cat6 and Cat5e. Therefore, do not rush it. Take your time and complete it with great care and caution. Take your time in reading the given instructions carefully on the cable box. Carelessness will hurt you severely.
Why iTechCables?
We will provide you with quality cables according to your requirements. Our valued product will give you the best return on your investment. The Cat6a plenum cable produced by itechcables is its best-selling product. Our customers buy from us with confidence because they know they will get the desired product from us at the best prices.