Office Network Upgrade

[Abby Normal]

We've installed solid state drives in all of our computers, recently, and today we installed a new gigabit router and a gigabit business class switch. Already opening ATX client list on a workstation is faster, and, of course, the SSDs make the computer faster than they were when they were brand new.

Next, we're going to rewire the entire office with latest Ethernet cable. The cable we have now is almost 20 years old and some of the ends are starting to crumble a bit.

The 500 GB SSDs were only 145 each, the router was 90 and the switch was 20 after a 10 dollar rebate. The wiring will probably be the biggest expense.

[rfassett]

My initial thought was that I want to come work in your office.  But then I said, "wait a minute".  ATX is already fast enough on my system.  Any faster would be wasted speed.  You see, I think me and my system have come to a point of complete correlation.  As I have slowed down, the system has slowed down less.  And I feel like we are right now at that point where the x line intersects the y line.  Life is good. Any faster and I would not be able to keep up. 

But good for you.  Hope that re-wire does not become troublesome.  I had my office hard wired when I built the office 15 years ago and have never given a thought to replacing the Ethernet cables.  I haven't noticed any of that crumbling yet. But since you pointed it out, I guess I will now have to keep watch.  All of our cables are in a controlled air environment in the basement.  Don't know if that would make any difference.

 

[Jack from Ohio]

41 minutes ago, Abby Normal said:

We've installed solid state drives in all of our computers, recently, and today we installed a new gigabit router and a gigabit business class switch. Already opening ATX client list on a workstation is faster, and, of course, the SSDs make the computer faster than they were when they were brand new.

Next, we're going to rewire the entire office with latest Ethernet cable. The cable we have now is almost 20 years old and some of the ends are starting to crumble a bit.

The 500 GB SSDs were only 145 each, the router was 90 and the switch was 20 after a 10 dollar rebate. The wiring will probably be the biggest expense.

You may not have to totally rewire.  If you have Cat5 or higher, reworking all the terminations and using patch cables will accomplish your quest.  To have full Gigabit compatibility, all 8 wires in the Cat5 must be terminated properly.  Changing the actual cables will have very little difference in speed.  In fact, the difference will just barely be measurable and not noticeable as a user.

Did that here at the firm, made sure all lines were passing info at Gigabit speed and noticed a huge difference.  I found several places where Cat5 cable was connected in the middle of a long run with wires just twisted and taped.  That wire was replaced.  However, if I had simply terminated both ends with a jack and used a 1ft patch cord, I could have accomplished the same thing.  It was just easier to pull a new wire. (access was easy)

[Abby Normal]

Thanks, Jack. I'll have the cable tested before replacing it. It made me nervous when that one cable had to be re-terminated twice to get it to work, and the casing was brittle and crumbling.  Our cables run up into a hot attic, but if they test fast enough, maybe we'll leave them for a few more years.

[Jack from Ohio]

2 hours ago, Abby Normal said:

Thanks, Jack. I'll have the cable tested before replacing it. It made me nervous when that one cable had to be re-terminated twice to get it to work, and the casing was brittle and crumbling.  Our cables run up into a hot attic, but if they test fast enough, maybe we'll leave them for a few more years.

The outer jacket is not nearly as durable as the individual wire insulation.  Unless you have critters in the space where your wires run, you should have no problem.

Another tip.  I terminate every wire with a punch down jack.  Then use patch cords.  I do not trust self-installed RJ-45 plugs.  I can be certain the punch down connections are good.  Self installed jacks are trouble waiting to happen.

[Abby Normal]

We did have squirrels in the attic for a few months. Had them trapped and removed and they haven't been back. Need to put cages on our attic vent fans.

[Jack from Ohio]

9 hours ago, Abby Normal said:

We did have squirrels in the attic for a few months. Had them trapped and removed and they haven't been back. Need to put cages on our attic vent fans.

Then you should do a visual inspection.  Squirrels like the taste of wire insulation.  In fact, you should look at all wiring in the attic for the same reason.  I lived out in the country in a wooded area and we had squirrel problems all the time.