Small Diameter Cat5/6 Ethernet Cable

Hi.

Is there such a thing as ethernet cable that is thinner than the norm of around 6mm diameter. If so, can anyone tell me where I can find such a product. I'd be looking for 50/100m of cat5/6, prefrably infrastructure cable.

I currently have a 6.3mm cable alongside a redundant phone extension cable that runs through single 10/12mm holes in joists in the ceiling space between downstairs/upstairs. I was hoping to use the old phone cable to pull through an additional data cable but having explored each end there is insufficient space in the existing holes. I was hoping that if I could find some thinner cable I could replace both cables using the existing cables as pull-throughs.

Having done an internet search all I can find is ready made 20m Cat 6 leads with 3.5mm dia cable but being 30AWG patch cable it'd be difficult (but not impossible) to terminate and possibly too fragile to pull through.

Any help appreciated. Cheers - Andy

Edit: I won't be using PoE.

Edited by Rhubarb (Thu 04-Feb-21 20:30:28)

Makes the holes bigger?

In reply to a post by gomezz:

Makes the holes bigger?

I'm trying to avoid moving furniture and lifting carpets and floorboards in two rooms.

The holes were originally made for the phone cable many years ago, I managed to pull the phone cable back with a pull-through attached and then pull the phone cable back in with the data cable some years later. Was hoping to repeat same to get 2 data cables in instead.

Have a search for 8 pair Cat5e or Cat6. It is around but a quick look and connot find any.

I can see 12, 16, 24, & 25 pair but 12 pair is too large and 25 pair too expensive and unweildy

Yoy can get flat cables, if that helps.

Depending on what speed you need on the links you can get RJ45 splitters which will give 2 x 100Mbps over the one cable.

You’re better off putting in “proper” solid-core 22-24 AWG cable, with all 4 pairs present.

Much of the extra small diameter (stranded-core) cordage only has pairs 2 and 3 present (orange/green) and often smaller gauge for short quite short distances and often just 10/100 Ethernet.

Hi. Thanks to all for your replies. Having spent more time looking for suitable cable last night I've decided that my plan is a non-starter. I was thinking that if I could squeeze another cable in in place of the redundant extension cable I could do away with the Homeplug setup linking my TV etc. The current arrangement works so I'll just leave it as it is. I don't want to risk messing up the existing cable link because it's central to my upcoming FTTP installation. Cheers - Andy

Have seen your latest comment about NO CHANGE.

What is the existing cable? Is it true Cat5e or Cat6? If so, does it work at 1Gbps? If it does, they why not put a small 4,5, 8 port switch on the end and then feed from there to the various devices or further infrastructure cables? A small unmanaged switch is reasonably cheap and would give you most of the advantages that a second cable would give, plus more.

In my experience the chances of being able to pull a cable through joists like that using an old cable without issue is very low. You are going to have to make sure you have a super smooth transition and zero kinks or twists in the cable. It's very definitely a two person job and I would suggest some heatshrink for where you join the old to the new cable to reduce the chances of snagging.

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/cat5e-cable/0557470/

is a 5mm diameter Cat5e

£116 per box !


Was just looking at my supplier and they too have a 5mm https://www.fscables.com/sites/admin/plugins/elfinde... and https://www.fscables.com/sites/admin/plugins/elfinde... will almost certainly be cheaper

In reply to a post by MHC:

..What is the existing cable?...

Hi. Thanks for the reply. The existing cable currently only carries the unfiltered phone line to the modem using one pair. I was intending to use it to connect the ONT to the router once the FTTP gets installed. The cable definitely has 4 pairs but you've prompted me to wonder if it's cat 5 or 5e. The cable was installed by me just after ADSL became available, looking at SamKnows that was 2003 so it may well be cat 5. I've got a metre or so stuffed in the cavity either end so I'll have to pull it out and look at the markings when I can turn the internet off. Current thinking is to reconsider the ONT location. I'll still replace the existing cable with a single Cat 5e/6 cable if it's not suitable for 1Gbps. Andy

Edited by Rhubarb (Fri 05-Feb-21 13:51:38)

In reply to a post by Rhubarb:

In reply to a post by MHC:

..What is the existing cable?...

Hi. Thanks for the reply. The existing cable currently only carries the unfiltered phone line to the modem using one pair. I was intending to use it to connect the ONT to the router once the FTTP gets installed. The cable definitely has 4 pairs but you've prompted me to wonder if it's cat 5 or 5e. The cable was installed by me just after ADSL became available, looking at SamKnows that was 2003 so it may well be cat 5. I've got a metre or so stuffed in the cavity either end so I'll have to pull it out and look at the markings when I can turn the internet off. Current thinking is to reconsider the ONT location. I'll still replace the existing cable with a single Cat 5e/6 cable if it's not suitable for 1Gbps. Andy

If it was 2003 - it will 100% be Cat5e

In reply to a post by jabuzzard:

In my experience the chances of being able to pull a cable through joists like that using an old cable without issue is very low...

Yep, true. The run through the joists is about 7m straight horizontal run where I can access the first and last joist along with a central point with little disruption. I'll use a substantial single core cable as a pull through and solder it to the cores of the replacement cable and cover with heat shrink as you suggested. That's what I did when I pulled the current cables in. I seem to recall I used some washing up liquid as well.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

If it was 2003 - it will 100% be Cat5e

Cheers. Just had a look at the cable, the outer sheath says CAT 5 with the word ENHANCED along it so it's looking good. Andy

Looks good.

If it's a moderate length run, it should run Gig ethernet without a hitch. You can test beforehand, just plug one end to a 1G switch port and a 1G laptop on the other end to see if the link establishes.

Hi - you could try Comms Express Cat.6 (part # UTPS6E-CE100) at £47.40 per 100m - 5.8mm o.d. and thinner than usual Cat.6. I've used this cable on 100m runs and links at 1Gbps.
Pat