Use phone wire for PoE?

J

JonSnow

Getting the hang of it
Dec 10, 2019
111
45
Winterfell
My house uses cat5 cables for the phone lines, I only wired one for the actual phone and the rest I can use for other purposes.

I have yet to terminate any of them, other than the one used for the phone and a hack on one for testing. I plan on using it for PoE cameras and a few PoE Wireless Access Points.

The problem I have is the cables don't actually run to my patch panel, which ever wall has the jack i have about 3-5ft of extra cable in the basement and i need to run each wire at 10ft to reach my patch panel. The idea is if i was to get the phone jacks wired they would daisy chain the cables.

Whats the best way to length these cables?
Is it a bad idea to run PoE with couplers and Cat5 cables?
Is it a bad idea to mix cat5 and cat6 cables when used for PoE?

I was planning on installing a RJ45 male plug on the cat5 phone wire and using a punch down keystone on the new cat6 cable i'd run, so its becomes a coupler. I haven't been able to find punch down couplers on both ends otherwise i would have went with that.

We'll also be finishing the basement at some point and worried the r45 plug may come loose or something, it has happened before.
 
Last edited:
JonSnow said:
My house uses cat5 cables for the phone lines, I only wired one for the actual phone and the rest I can use for other purposes.

I have yet to terminate any of them, other than the one used for the phone. I plan on using it for PoE cameras and a few wireless Access Points.

The problem I have is the cables don't actually run to my patch panel, which ever wall has the jack i have about 3-5ft of extra cable in the basement and i need to run each wire at 10ft to reach my patch panel. The idea is if i was to get the phone jacks wired they would daisy chain the cables.

Whats the best way to length these cables?

I was planning on installing a RJ45 male plug on the cat5 phone wire and using a punch down keystone on the new cat6 cable i'd run, so its becomes a coupler. I haven't been able to find punch down couplers on both ends otherwise i would have went with that.

We'll also be finishing the basement at some point and worried the r45 plug may come loose or something, it has happened before.
Click to expand...

Hi @JonSnow

Is it Cat5 or Cat5e?
 
The phone wire is Cat5 and not Cat5e.

I'm using one with an Access Point without PoE and its been fine so not really worried about data or throughput just need to know if its a bad idea for PoE.
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
  • Like
Reactions: aristobrat and TonyR
+1^^^, @Hammerhead786 .....that's the exact one I was getting ready to show the OP. :headbang:

You can extend an existing pre-terminated cable with a female-female RJ-45 coupler but I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT. I have done it in a protected, indoor environment as a temporary measure until I can replace the cable soon. The more mechanical connections you introduce into any circuit, the more possibility of problems. Extreme temperature swings, especially in an attic, can introduce thermally intermittent connections, especially with something that depends on spring pressure and friction to make and maintain a good, low impedance connection. Moisture from a basement or crawl space would not help either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hammerhead786
JonSnow said:
The phone wire is Cat5 and not Cat5e.

I'm using one with an Access Point without PoE and its been fine so not really worried about data or throughput just need to know if its a bad idea for PoE.
Click to expand...

Ideally, I would suggest upgrading your cable to Cat6, however, if this is not an option for you, then POE can be run on a Cat 5 cable.
 
Hammerhead786 said:
Since you have an unfinished basement, I would suggest you get some cat 5/cat 6 junction blocks. When you decide to finish your basement, you could fix the blocks to a stud and attach a cover plate over it in case you ever needed to access it again. Something like this: Amazon.com: SF Cable, CAT6 Junction Box, 110 Punch Down Type UL Listed: Computers & Accessories.
Click to expand...

I've been looking all over, I'm up north so shipping from Amazon.com won't work for me.

What about this? Do i need to worry about UL?

Tripp Lite N237-001 Cat6 Cat5e Unshielded Junction Box, 110 Style Punch Down : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

Tripp Lite N237-001 Cat6 Cat5e Unshielded Junction Box, 110 Style Punch Down : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement
www.amazon.ca

I bought a couple of these
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
JonSnow said:
I've been looking all over, I'm up north so shipping from Amazon.com won't work for me.

What about this? Do i need to worry about UL?

Tripp Lite N237-001 Cat6 Cat5e Unshielded Junction Box, 110 Style Punch Down : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

Tripp Lite N237-001 Cat6 Cat5e Unshielded Junction Box, 110 Style Punch Down : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement
www.amazon.ca

I bought a couple of these
Click to expand...

Take a look at this: CAT5e Punch Down Type Junction Box [ZJB-C5EPD] - $4.95 CDN : Cable Sales Canada, your computer cable and accessory online superstore!. Remember that this is for solid and not stranded cable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TonyR
  • Like
Reactions: Hammerhead786
TonyR said:
And they have a single gang, surface mount box for a CAT-5e jack: here
Click to expand...

Yes I planned to do exactly that, a keystone inside a blank surface mount box. The one end would still use the RJ45 male plug. I do like the idea of the junction box since eventually it will get covered by a ceiling but maybe to late.

If i decide to go either way, I'll be fine to use for PoE, especially the cat5 side?

I had already ordered the keystone, surface mount and RJ45 plugs, so rather not spend more on a junction box if i don't need to.
 
JonSnow said:
If i decide to go either way, I'll be fine to use for PoE, especially the cat5 side?
Click to expand...
Should be OK for POE as long as:
  • The cable is solid copper, not CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
  • You punchdown/terminate all ends/jacks correctly to the T-568B spec.
  • You test with simple Ethernet cable tester before putting into service.
 
  • Like
Reactions: looney2ns, JonSnow and Hammerhead786
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom