[PLUG] Cat 5e wiring

[John Jason Jordan]

On Thu, 9 Oct 2008 21:17:51 -0700
"Larry Brigman" <larry.brigman at gmail.com> dijo:

> Cat 5 needs to be point to point.  You cannot share a drop between
> machine and you
> cannot have a drop or splice that has a connection point in the middle.
> two computers or pieces of equipment two sets of wires
> 3 - 3
> etc.

Here is what I did (using Cat6, but same principles): I wanted three
outlets in each bedroom, but realized that I would never use more than
one of them. The reason for three wall plates is because I hate cables
snaking across the floor, so I wanted one plate on each of three walls. 

I wired the cable to the plate that was the most likely to be used and
terminated it in a Leviton plug. For purposes of this discussion, call
this plug A. Then I ran a wire from that wall outlet to the next one
(plug B) and just left the wire inside the boxes for plugs A and B. I
put a connector on the cable in both box A and B and also a snap
connector. I repeated the process for plug C. For future reference I
wrote down what I had done on a piece of paper, in triplicate, folded
them, and put a copy inside each box. 

If I ever plug a computer into B or C and it doesn't work, I know the
first thing I'm going to do is pull the plate off the box and inspect
what's inside the box. That's when I'll see the paper, realize that I
need to open all three boxes and use the snap connectors to make the
wire terminate at the plate I want to use.

Kind of clunky, and the couplers may degrade the signal slightly
(although they are rated Cat6), but it works. And chances are I may
never use plates B and C. I just wanted them there because tearing the
sheetrock down to rewire things is way messy.