[Tfug] OT: cabling

[Zack Williams]

> Currently, we have CATV, phone and CAT5 drops everywhere
> (i.e., all three in each drop).  The CATV and phone (CAT1?)
> lines will just be pushed back into the wall (in case someone,
> someday, decides to revert back to more conventional wiring).
> So, all of the media traffic will appear on the CAT5 cable.

The phone wiring is probably Cat3.  So you could run 10baseT on it if
you really wanted to.

> Is there any reason why we would want to run a *second*
> length of CAT5 to each of these locations (besides covering
> our backside for cable failures)?  I.e., would there ever be
> a need for two active drops in the same location?

Wired computer and wired printer? A wired IP phone, and a media
frontend in one room?  Blu-ray players often take an ethernet
connection as well.

While you could put switches on the end of each drop when you need
more ports, it's nicer from a bandwidth perspecitve to have one big
switch.

My home office has 4 Cat-5 drops, and all are being used right now.
The cost of the actual cable is small compared to the cost of running
it.  Always run more than you think you'll need, and you'll generally
be happy you did.

- Zack