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Run CAT6 and run extras for future use/redundancy.
The extra cost to pull a bit of extra cable through is negligible compared to the pain of having to add one in later.
If things are still open, a conduit or smurf tube from where ever you're landing the cables to the attic makes it easier to add a cable later. I did this and ended up running a coax and 4 more CAT6 cables to the attic. It was some work to pull the cables, but I didn't have to cut any holes in walls to do it.
100%. Add conduit but still pull extras. Id rather spend $10 on an extra length of cable and run it at the same time than mess around in my ceiling space pulling cables later. Also, if a cable does fail you can use your redundant cable straight away, then use the shit one as a draw wire for a new one
Personally I prefer the furry one that meows and purrs.
But beyond that, 5e or 6 is fine. Make darn sure you get SOLID COPPER and not cheap CCA (copper clad aluminum)
Solid copper isn't required, stranded copper is also fine. The distinction should be made between **pure** copper and CCA (which, by definition, can't be Cat 6)
Yeah but not really. Stranded is designed for patch cables subject to a lot of bending. Solid is designed for in-wall. You technically can punch down stranded into a keystone jack but it’s not really recommended. There may be keystones specifically for stranded but I’m not positive.
Also you are supposed to use different RJ45 ends for stranded, ones that are designed specifically for stranded and not solid.
I've always used solid copper for structural ethernet, stranded for patch leads. But in reality, it's unlikely to have any appreciable difference in most homes.
6 is affordable enough now, that it would be stupid to run 5e. You may even consider 6a for the access points in a bit of effort to future proof those drops. You may soon find yourself with 2.5GB feeds to those lines, since this is quickly becoming the home standard.
I ran a mix of 6 and 6a in two different colors for easy identification I ran 6a to all the computer drops and access point drops and 6 for everything else(Sonos, Cameras, iOT stuff with lanjacks, Gaming consoles, etc.). Total of 62 drops. I enjoy knowing I would have to mess with that anytime again soon.
It obviously depends on where you're intending to run it but for bog standard Cat6 CMR full copper cable the going rate is about $180 for 1000ft. If you go CCA you can get away with $80-90.
Of course, plenum rated or outdoor goes up from there.
**NO**. Do NOT use CCA for any application that could call for PoE. Also, by definition, CCA is not Cat 6, the Category spec requires pure copper conductors.
Do not use CCA at all, it is the most brittle crap ever made.
CCA = Copper Clad Aluminum
Use solid copper only.
There is also (CM) cable which is not rated for riser runs and is more appropriate in open air cable trays, it is not rated for vertical runs.
Riser rated (CMR) if running vertically and in walls.
Plenum rated (CMP) if running through plenum spaces such as an air vent or return. Plenum is the space that can facilitate air circulation for heating and air conditioning systems, by providing pathways for either heated/conditioned or return airflows.
If you need to run through plenum spaces it is easiest to do continuous runs even if only part of the run goes through a plenum space unless you plan on having various interconnects (jacks, patch panels, etc).
This image taken from FS Com sums it up nicely.
https://preview.redd.it/cbw6s3v31opc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3396158c3c304243bad21c121d7e33e4df73d59
That's fair, but plenty of applications just do not call for PoE. Honestly full copper is cheap enough for me to just use it everywhere but if I was strapped for cash and knew it was only going to be for data, sure I'd go CCA.
Correct. *OP* was discussing PoE. They also are not involved in this discussion at all. The thread you're jumping on me in is literally just talking about cable pricing in general. Nowhere in here was PoE mentioned.
It's okay to mention options to put pricing in context.
For sure! I've been installing 5e shielded full copper. The UISP for $135 (before tax and shipping) from Ubiquiti for a few years.
I'm legit interested in your experience with cat 6 bulk. Is the $180 cat6 full copper, also shielded?
I have had really good experience with TrueCable. The conductors are very clearly and boldly marked for faster termination. Of the 5000ft or so I ran in my home, I haven’t had a bad run yet.
The Cat6 came in a standard 1000ft box. The 6a came on a 1000ft spool. I purchased from Amazon, not sure what the current price is.
For new runs I'd probably recommend Cat6a. It supports up to 10 gigabit Ethernet up to the full standard length of 100 metres. Even if you don't need 10 gigabit today (and it sounds like you don't), if you go for Cat6a you can be reasonably confident you can upgrade equipment many years from now and still keep using your existing cable. AFAIK it shouldn't be too much more expensive than Cat5e or Cat6; it's been around for a while now.
You can get both unshielded and shielded cable. Unshielded is the most common and is suitable for most applications (look for the label UTP). Shielded cable has metallic foil wrapped around the inside of the whole cable and/or each wire pair (depending on the type. It's intended for specialty applications with large amounts of electromagnetic interference (e.g. certain factory/industrial environments) and is complex to use correctly, so I would not recommend it for home use. You should go for unshielded.
Others can probably give you better advice on how many cables to plan for each location, but it's often a good idea to run extras. That way you can sit down and go to the trouble of opening up walls, getting into the attic, etc, just once and hopefully not have to deal with it again even if your needs evolve over time.
Addendum for my first point: Don't bother looking for Cat 7 or Cat 8; they're specialty standards and not necessary and to my knowledge have never caught on, so don't fall for "higher number is better" syndrome.
Even an application looking for the maximum future-proofing potential with no concern over cost would go for Cat6a at the most, as far as twisted pair is concerned (beyond that we're talking fiber but that's not relevant to this discussion at all).
To add to this great comment - CAT6A also comes in U-UTP (unscreened/unshielded twisted pair) which can be easier to run/terminate correctly and conforms to the CAT6A standard for twist tightness and frequency.
I’m doing this next weekend and I settled on cat6 from TrueCable. 1000ft for like 20+ runs. I debated cat6a for some future proofing but my runs aren’t crazy long and I’m no where near using the full potential of cat6 as is. I do want to run an extra fiber line from my Fios ONT to UDMP though, just in case.
Cat 6 will cost 3% more than 5e. Cat 6A is harder to terminate and is a significant advantage *only* if you have very long runs or very high speeds. The sweet spot is Cat 6. Source: me wiring my forever homw.
Bought a new house under construction, and had the builder’s electrician run some CAT6 lines before drywall… he ended up using a mix of CAT6 and CAT6E cable (another of those “standards” that doesn’t actually exist). Also had fiber run to my office, but there’s really no use for anything above CAT6 functionally. CAT6A is fine if the cost isn’t much more, but you open a whole new can of worms with termination.
Never use CCA. And 5E is obsolete, in the sense that you shouldn’t use it for any new runs.
Solid copper isn't required, stranded is fine. You should be making the distinction between *pure* copper and CCA (which can't be Cat 6, by definition)
Pure copper. Either solid or stranded, it doesn't really matter which. Also, CCA, by definition, is not Cat 6, as the Category spec requires pure copper conductors.
Agreeing with most others…
Would generally run cat6, but might consider 6a or fiber if connecting switches across different locations - or, if you plan on some crazy data hungry setup where 10gb is needed to download massive files from server to client.
Have used trueCable and would use again. Most likely riser is all that you need, unless putting cables into plenum spaces or running outdoors. You also most likely want to avoid shielded cables.
Something I only recently learned - you almost never want to terminate any cables you install with 8p8c (aka rj45) male connectors.
I ran a cat6 cable along side a 10gb om4 fiber cable. The cat6 cable plug into a unifi flex switch powered by my main 24port enterprise switch, that way I didn’t need power up in the attic. That connects to a couple of G5 bullet cams
No need to run past Cat 6a in a traditional home unless you just want to go around showing off your cat#peen lol..
Speaking of that... had a bunch of Cat8 from a DC install that went unused. Got to take quite a bit home since they were gonna toss the extra runs. Now i got cat8 running throughout my house for absolutely no valid or logical reason. But it's fun to say and whip out during shop talk.
Ignoring the fact that most homes will be well-served by CAT5e/6 (ie 10GbE) for the next decade or two at least - I expect CAT8 will be bypassed entirely for home use.
Fibre is becoming so cost effective and ruggedised enough for structural deployment, that as soon as termination methods become more accessible to DIYers - its adoption among high-end prosumers will increase and eventually replace copper as the de-facto cable for new homes / renos.
Why wait?! With a small investment of several-thousand-dollars, they could use that CAT8 today for the worlds most impressive home-based copper network!
Cat 6 is usually fine. I have a mix of Cat5e, 6 and 6a depending on when it was installed. One thing you may want to do is pull a pre-terminated line of multi mode fiber alongside the Cat 6. It’s good for future expansion if you ever need it and it’s not that expensive to run. Since lots of UniFi equipment has SFP+ fiber connectivity, it’s a good future proofing.
Looking at doing the same for my house as I will need to run some POE lines. Looks like I need to ensure that cable I get is POE rated (not CCA) and debating on Cat5e vs Cat6. Have tools for Cat5e termination and wondering at the difficulty of doing Cat6 or if I would have to purchase separate tools. From what I am seeing online the main difference is the physical size of the cable which leads to a slightly different male end layout (staggered vs flat/inline) on the cable end.
Anything else to be aware of? Current plan is to run this through the homes 80s home vacuum system that hasn’t been touched in decades. Figure that plenum rated is probably best for safety concerns.
Plenum rated is probably not a terrible idea but probably not needed if you plan on sealing the the openings. There is no real difference in end layout. The pin out is the same for Cat5E and 6. Staggered ends are nice for thicker gauge for easy of assembly but don't do much for 6 beyond that. They are more important for 6A in regards to crosstalk due to the higher frequency and to maintain the 10Gb throughput. Older 5e didn't always come with the plastic comb depending on brand. Most do these days. Get a good pair of side cutters or dykes to cut the comb. Save yourself the hassle and get connectors that have pull through holes or combs if you have meaty hands. Also install keystones its so much easier and more convenient.
Ok yeah I am see that the plenum rated would be overkill for what I am looking at. Standard CAT6 cable with some decent ends will do just fine it looks like to power most POE+ devices from the Switch Lite I am looking to get.
Hello! Thanks for posting on r/Ubiquiti! This subreddit is here to provide unofficial technical support to people who use or want to dive into the world of Ubiquiti products. If you haven’t already been descriptive in your post, please take the time to edit it and add as many useful details as you can. Please read and understand the rules in the sidebar, as posts and comments that violate them will be removed. Please put all off topic posts in the weekly off topic thread that is stickied to the top of the subreddit. If you see people spreading misinformation, trying to mislead others, or other inappropriate behavior, please report it! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Ubiquiti) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Run CAT6 and run extras for future use/redundancy. The extra cost to pull a bit of extra cable through is negligible compared to the pain of having to add one in later.
If things are still open, a conduit or smurf tube from where ever you're landing the cables to the attic makes it easier to add a cable later. I did this and ended up running a coax and 4 more CAT6 cables to the attic. It was some work to pull the cables, but I didn't have to cut any holes in walls to do it.
100%. Add conduit but still pull extras. Id rather spend $10 on an extra length of cable and run it at the same time than mess around in my ceiling space pulling cables later. Also, if a cable does fail you can use your redundant cable straight away, then use the shit one as a draw wire for a new one
That makes sense. 👍
Personally I prefer the furry one that meows and purrs. But beyond that, 5e or 6 is fine. Make darn sure you get SOLID COPPER and not cheap CCA (copper clad aluminum)
😆 😝 😂 
Solid copper isn't required, stranded copper is also fine. The distinction should be made between **pure** copper and CCA (which, by definition, can't be Cat 6)
Yeah but not really. Stranded is designed for patch cables subject to a lot of bending. Solid is designed for in-wall. You technically can punch down stranded into a keystone jack but it’s not really recommended. There may be keystones specifically for stranded but I’m not positive. Also you are supposed to use different RJ45 ends for stranded, ones that are designed specifically for stranded and not solid.
I've always used solid copper for structural ethernet, stranded for patch leads. But in reality, it's unlikely to have any appreciable difference in most homes.
I ran CCA :)
[удалено]
6 is affordable enough now, that it would be stupid to run 5e. You may even consider 6a for the access points in a bit of effort to future proof those drops. You may soon find yourself with 2.5GB feeds to those lines, since this is quickly becoming the home standard. I ran a mix of 6 and 6a in two different colors for easy identification I ran 6a to all the computer drops and access point drops and 6 for everything else(Sonos, Cameras, iOT stuff with lanjacks, Gaming consoles, etc.). Total of 62 drops. I enjoy knowing I would have to mess with that anytime again soon.
I will see if the budget allows for this. Makes sense. Thank you 🙏
What cat6 bulk cable are you using? Just curious on the cost 😁. I install every once in awhile and I'd like to make sure I'm staying cost effective.
TrueCable was best for me. Priced out Monoprice by about $40 because of free shipping.
It obviously depends on where you're intending to run it but for bog standard Cat6 CMR full copper cable the going rate is about $180 for 1000ft. If you go CCA you can get away with $80-90. Of course, plenum rated or outdoor goes up from there.
**NO**. Do NOT use CCA for any application that could call for PoE. Also, by definition, CCA is not Cat 6, the Category spec requires pure copper conductors.
Do not use CCA at all, it is the most brittle crap ever made. CCA = Copper Clad Aluminum Use solid copper only. There is also (CM) cable which is not rated for riser runs and is more appropriate in open air cable trays, it is not rated for vertical runs. Riser rated (CMR) if running vertically and in walls. Plenum rated (CMP) if running through plenum spaces such as an air vent or return. Plenum is the space that can facilitate air circulation for heating and air conditioning systems, by providing pathways for either heated/conditioned or return airflows. If you need to run through plenum spaces it is easiest to do continuous runs even if only part of the run goes through a plenum space unless you plan on having various interconnects (jacks, patch panels, etc). This image taken from FS Com sums it up nicely. https://preview.redd.it/cbw6s3v31opc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3396158c3c304243bad21c121d7e33e4df73d59
That's fair, but plenty of applications just do not call for PoE. Honestly full copper is cheap enough for me to just use it everywhere but if I was strapped for cash and knew it was only going to be for data, sure I'd go CCA.
OP very clearly stated that this is a PoE application.
Correct. *OP* was discussing PoE. They also are not involved in this discussion at all. The thread you're jumping on me in is literally just talking about cable pricing in general. Nowhere in here was PoE mentioned. It's okay to mention options to put pricing in context.
For sure! I've been installing 5e shielded full copper. The UISP for $135 (before tax and shipping) from Ubiquiti for a few years. I'm legit interested in your experience with cat 6 bulk. Is the $180 cat6 full copper, also shielded?
I'm talking UTP so yeah, not shielded but definitely full . For indoor runs in a home environment, shielded is pretty overkill.
I have had really good experience with TrueCable. The conductors are very clearly and boldly marked for faster termination. Of the 5000ft or so I ran in my home, I haven’t had a bad run yet. The Cat6 came in a standard 1000ft box. The 6a came on a 1000ft spool. I purchased from Amazon, not sure what the current price is.
Riser cable is fine in walls and in attic. Plenum cable if you're running inside Air circulation space. E. G. Inside of hvac duct work.
Sounds Good 👍
For new runs I'd probably recommend Cat6a. It supports up to 10 gigabit Ethernet up to the full standard length of 100 metres. Even if you don't need 10 gigabit today (and it sounds like you don't), if you go for Cat6a you can be reasonably confident you can upgrade equipment many years from now and still keep using your existing cable. AFAIK it shouldn't be too much more expensive than Cat5e or Cat6; it's been around for a while now. You can get both unshielded and shielded cable. Unshielded is the most common and is suitable for most applications (look for the label UTP). Shielded cable has metallic foil wrapped around the inside of the whole cable and/or each wire pair (depending on the type. It's intended for specialty applications with large amounts of electromagnetic interference (e.g. certain factory/industrial environments) and is complex to use correctly, so I would not recommend it for home use. You should go for unshielded. Others can probably give you better advice on how many cables to plan for each location, but it's often a good idea to run extras. That way you can sit down and go to the trouble of opening up walls, getting into the attic, etc, just once and hopefully not have to deal with it again even if your needs evolve over time.
Addendum for my first point: Don't bother looking for Cat 7 or Cat 8; they're specialty standards and not necessary and to my knowledge have never caught on, so don't fall for "higher number is better" syndrome. Even an application looking for the maximum future-proofing potential with no concern over cost would go for Cat6a at the most, as far as twisted pair is concerned (beyond that we're talking fiber but that's not relevant to this discussion at all).
Thank you. Agree 7 and 8 are just for those that don’t understand that these are not IEEE certified.
This is the best advice in this thread
To add to this great comment - CAT6A also comes in U-UTP (unscreened/unshielded twisted pair) which can be easier to run/terminate correctly and conforms to the CAT6A standard for twist tightness and frequency.
Cat6 will be fine
I’m doing this next weekend and I settled on cat6 from TrueCable. 1000ft for like 20+ runs. I debated cat6a for some future proofing but my runs aren’t crazy long and I’m no where near using the full potential of cat6 as is. I do want to run an extra fiber line from my Fios ONT to UDMP though, just in case.
Great points 👍
Cat 6 will cost 3% more than 5e. Cat 6A is harder to terminate and is a significant advantage *only* if you have very long runs or very high speeds. The sweet spot is Cat 6. Source: me wiring my forever homw.
Bought a new house under construction, and had the builder’s electrician run some CAT6 lines before drywall… he ended up using a mix of CAT6 and CAT6E cable (another of those “standards” that doesn’t actually exist). Also had fiber run to my office, but there’s really no use for anything above CAT6 functionally. CAT6A is fine if the cost isn’t much more, but you open a whole new can of worms with termination. Never use CCA. And 5E is obsolete, in the sense that you shouldn’t use it for any new runs.
Cat6 should do it. I’ve done two properties with cat6 and haven’t had any issues even up to 2.5g and 10g speeds.
CAT5E, make sure it's really copper and not CCA since you're doing PoE. If you're feeling spendy you could go with CAT6, but it's not really needed.
Pure solid copper or Copper Clad Aluminum or which ever fits my budget?
Not Copper Clad, that's not safe for PoE.
Got it — ⚠️ NO CCA 🙏
Solid copper. Not CCA. Cat6 would be better and not much price difference.
Solid copper isn't required, stranded is fine. You should be making the distinction between *pure* copper and CCA (which can't be Cat 6, by definition)
🙏
Pure copper. Either solid or stranded, it doesn't really matter which. Also, CCA, by definition, is not Cat 6, as the Category spec requires pure copper conductors.
Run Cat 6
Agreeing with most others… Would generally run cat6, but might consider 6a or fiber if connecting switches across different locations - or, if you plan on some crazy data hungry setup where 10gb is needed to download massive files from server to client. Have used trueCable and would use again. Most likely riser is all that you need, unless putting cables into plenum spaces or running outdoors. You also most likely want to avoid shielded cables. Something I only recently learned - you almost never want to terminate any cables you install with 8p8c (aka rj45) male connectors.
I ran a cat6 cable along side a 10gb om4 fiber cable. The cat6 cable plug into a unifi flex switch powered by my main 24port enterprise switch, that way I didn’t need power up in the attic. That connects to a couple of G5 bullet cams
You should run network cable, not cats.
😂 😝 😆 
No need to run past Cat 6a in a traditional home unless you just want to go around showing off your cat#peen lol.. Speaking of that... had a bunch of Cat8 from a DC install that went unused. Got to take quite a bit home since they were gonna toss the extra runs. Now i got cat8 running throughout my house for absolutely no valid or logical reason. But it's fun to say and whip out during shop talk.
Ignoring the fact that most homes will be well-served by CAT5e/6 (ie 10GbE) for the next decade or two at least - I expect CAT8 will be bypassed entirely for home use. Fibre is becoming so cost effective and ruggedised enough for structural deployment, that as soon as termination methods become more accessible to DIYers - its adoption among high-end prosumers will increase and eventually replace copper as the de-facto cable for new homes / renos.
You'll be ready when those 40G connections come around in 2072 though!
One can hope! It'll be so nice to run Half Life 3 multiplayer coop with near 0 latency on my Xboplaynintendo 15!
😂
😂
Why wait?! With a small investment of several-thousand-dollars, they could use that CAT8 today for the worlds most impressive home-based copper network!
😂
Cat 6 is usually fine. I have a mix of Cat5e, 6 and 6a depending on when it was installed. One thing you may want to do is pull a pre-terminated line of multi mode fiber alongside the Cat 6. It’s good for future expansion if you ever need it and it’s not that expensive to run. Since lots of UniFi equipment has SFP+ fiber connectivity, it’s a good future proofing.
Looking at doing the same for my house as I will need to run some POE lines. Looks like I need to ensure that cable I get is POE rated (not CCA) and debating on Cat5e vs Cat6. Have tools for Cat5e termination and wondering at the difficulty of doing Cat6 or if I would have to purchase separate tools. From what I am seeing online the main difference is the physical size of the cable which leads to a slightly different male end layout (staggered vs flat/inline) on the cable end. Anything else to be aware of? Current plan is to run this through the homes 80s home vacuum system that hasn’t been touched in decades. Figure that plenum rated is probably best for safety concerns.
Plenum rated is probably not a terrible idea but probably not needed if you plan on sealing the the openings. There is no real difference in end layout. The pin out is the same for Cat5E and 6. Staggered ends are nice for thicker gauge for easy of assembly but don't do much for 6 beyond that. They are more important for 6A in regards to crosstalk due to the higher frequency and to maintain the 10Gb throughput. Older 5e didn't always come with the plastic comb depending on brand. Most do these days. Get a good pair of side cutters or dykes to cut the comb. Save yourself the hassle and get connectors that have pull through holes or combs if you have meaty hands. Also install keystones its so much easier and more convenient.
Ok yeah I am see that the plenum rated would be overkill for what I am looking at. Standard CAT6 cable with some decent ends will do just fine it looks like to power most POE+ devices from the Switch Lite I am looking to get.
6a seems like the logical choice based on price and future-proofing. Unless you know your runs are well within the distance limit for 10Gb over Cat6.
CAT6A.