[kwlug-disc] CAT6 - worthwhile?

[unsolicited]

No. To expect it is unreasonable.

Each device on wi-fi halves the throughput for each device on the wi-fi. 
So your 300Mbps, which you will never achieve (below), goes to 150 as 
soon as you put something else on. Like a printer. Even just a device 
turned on has a hearbeat / continuously scans for connectivity and takes 
up some of the time slices.

And wi-fi (let alone usb over esata) has much more protocol overhead 
such that data throughput is seriously degraded. Add in checksumming and 
encryption and it gets even worse.

- each device on copper has a full speed dedicated connection. (Doesn't 
mean two devices on a switch trying to talk to the next hop beyond the 
switch get it - even gigabit switch to switch is still only gigabit. BUT 
- each device will get full speed when it's got the wire, and each 
device will get through what it needs to do faster. If the two devices 
are talking to each other, then they talk full speed to each other, and 
something else can talk full speed up the line to the next switch - 
simultaneously. In such a scenario, each device would be doing much less 
better than 1/4 full speed, wifi.)

300Mbps is only achievable through dual-band *5GHz* - not always 
achievable with other networks around.

Just as I noted its ludicrous that not everything comes with Gbps NICs 
these days, even fewer come with 5GHz, let alone dual, wi-fi radios.

So, sorry to say, your shiny new 5GHz router, connected to your 2.4GHz 
single band printer has bought you ... nothing.

Even throwing down a network cable to the printer, at 10Mbps, will gain 
you a 15x speed increase, IIRC. And every other wi-fi device will gain 
from not competing with the printer any more.

- just like turning off wi-fi on your phone will do the same.

I ran speed tests when I got the last laptop - maybe it's useful. 
http://kwlug.org/node/750

In the end, the only thing that matters is - is it fast enough for you?

In the end, wi-fi is a fantasy. Do backflips to figure out copper if you 
have to - it's worth it. 'cause there will always be another wi-fi 
device coming along to chew up what wi-fi bandwidth you have - like your 
phone (no copper connection equivalent), or someone else's, needing the 
internet ... 'just for a moment.'


On 13-10-26 11:26 AM, John Kerr wrote:
> My current router at work is rated at 56mb. I just purchased a new  router
> rated up to 300mbps. Great except the Internet comes in at 25mbps.
>
> I have purchased a new wireless printer as well.
> So I bought the new router so that any printing jobs will be done faster.
> Am I in my right mind on this?
>
> To me it is the last 50 feet that are important. Will there soon be a
> wireless Internet service that will give us the speed that our routers are
> capable of?
>
> Cheers
>
> John
>
>
>
>
> On Sat, Oct 26, 2013 at 2:30 AM, unsolicited<unsolicited at swiz.ca>  wrote:
>
>> OK, but my real basic question is, to what end?
>>
>> Gigabit has even now not permeated enough of the world. (Why any laptop
>> still comes with 10/100 is beyond me). Even my USB 3.0 / gigabit adapter
>> can't saturate the gigabit.
>>
>> Future proof for what (copper wise)?
>>
>> If the world is going tablets and phones - that's wifi, not copper. Even
>> if you have copper and an AP at each room for wi-fi devices to connect to,
>> no amount of devices on that wi-fi will ever saturate the gigabit - wi-fi
>> will never be that fast. (?)
>>
>> Home wise, I'm not prepared to even put out for multi-run bonding - the
>> equipment required at each end is extraordinarily expensive (for home). I
>> don't imagine it's any different for 10Gps CAT6 ethernet, let alone fibre.
>> And if it's fibre we get to, the copper run, 5e or 6, isn't going to be
>> useful.
>>
>> So if most things can't saturate gigabit now, and fibre is going to need
>> another run anyways if we get there ... future proof for what (sorts of
>> beasties / media)?
>>
>> I'm not objecting to 6 over 5e, I just wonder ... for what?
>> - especially given the more expensive equipment required at each switch
>> point, and the tighter bend and untwist limits for 6. I'd bet every home 6
>> installation breaks at each jack / switch / 5e device<->jack cable.
>>
>> If you've bent a cable, what, more than 30 degrees, or untwisted a pair,
>> or untwisted pairs more than 1/2 inch - you've just made using cat 6
>> pointless.
>>
>>
>> So my real question was ... what's coming that might need 6 over 5e?
>>
>> In house HD video distribution?
>>
>>
>> On 13-10-25 04:57 PM, John Van Ostrand wrote:
>>
>>> Personally I think any new installation should use Cat 6. It's only
>>> marginally more expensive than 5e but could future-proof your house a
>>> little more. That said 5e will perform very well in a house since runs
>>> tend
>>> to be short and will work in cases where Cat 6 is supposedly required. The
>>> way I look at it is that the time spend installing is the the most
>>> expensive cost (even when done yourself) so using a higher grade cable
>>> future-proofs so you can avoid pulling everything out and re-doing cable.
>>> Sometimes I'll use 5e jacks because those are easier to replace.
>>>
>> .
>> .
>> .
>>
>>
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