On Sun, 8 Nov 2020 05:00:04 -0800 (PST), TimR wrote:

On Friday, November 6, 2020 at 11:43:54 PM UTC-5, Jim Joyce wrote:
The real way this is done in a commercial environment is you run the
CAT 5/6 cable and terminate it in keystone connectors in a shallow
handy box with a plate on it. No special crimpers and the hole can be
1/4" or so. Then you can use premade patch cables for the connection
to the machines. You have about 100 meters of total cable you can run
so you take the path of least resistance not necessarily the shortest
one. Getting an RJ45 through a half inch hole probably is not going to
work for you. If I really need to do it I punch a 9/16 or 5/8 but I
usually do it right and terminate in keystones.

Keystones are what I've used in my last 3 houses to distribute Ethernet
from one part of the house to another. I wouldn't do it any other way.



Stupid question probably, but is the patch cord the same as the bulk? Can you cut off an end and punch down to a keystone? Curious because the patch cord at home depot is far cheaper and there's more selection.

My experience is limited there, but every patch cord I've taken apart has
been stranded conductors to provide improved flexibility, while the bulk
cable I've worked with has been solid conductor. I think you'd have a
harder time punching down stranded conductors.

I don't think HD is where I'd go for Ethernet cables. Is that all you have
available around there? If retail stores are limited, check out
www.monoprice.com.

Cat6a would be my choice. That's what I put into my new house last year.
https://www.monoprice.com/category/networking/networking-bulk-cables/cat6a-bulk-ethernet-cables


Also 100 meters of cable must be reduced by each connection I would think. But I wonder how much.

What kind of house is this where you need to be concerned about the 100m
limit? Wow

If the length does become an issue, you'll need to break up the run into
two or more segments, coupled by an active element such as a switch. A
passive hub wouldn't suffice, but I haven't actually even seen a hub since
the very early 1990's. You're unlikely to run into a hub, but I'd be
surprised if you were running into the length limit in the first place.