CAt 6 wiring issue - making own cables

Kristian

Just to add, the cable is CCA (Copper Clad Aluminium) not proper solid copper, i.e. rubbish cable.

techquest

Yes that say's it all, it is not Cat anything and sadly there is lots of it about and no good for data purposes.

Buy cat 6 online from RS Components

Take a look at the link. They supply Belden cables who bought CDT (Cable Design Technologies), who I worked for, and arguably the best cable manufacture in the world.

ChuckMountain

Yes sorry missed that bit.

So ...

The OP unfortunately, has chosen CCA so can never be certified as CAT anything even with the right test equipment.It is solid cable so not designed to be used as a patch cable, it is not very bendy etc.It is the wrong gauge 24AWG vs expected 23AWG (thicker) so will have a hard time anyway with connectors designed for proper CAT6 cableIs lucky it is working at all, don't sneeze or breath and it might be ok ....

techquest

Thinking about it, if this cable was sold to you as Cat6 then it is goods not fit for purpose or misleading advertisement, therefore you might have a claim against the seller.

Having read the blurb they describe it as

but they use CAT6 in the advertisement.

and the go on to say

It obviously doesn't do the above as you have found out.

Adverised as

So you have an argument given that this cable is not manufactured within the CAT6 specification and yet is advertised as CAT6. You have nothing to loose by raising this issue but might not consider £22.99 is not worth pursuing and right it off as a lesson learned.

mickevh

If you have CCA, then you can probably claim it is in breach of the UK trade descriptions act if it is sold as "cat" anything.

The "cat" standards mandate the use of pure copper conductors and CCA just isn't allowed (unless it's changed recently.) So, by definition, anything CCA cannot be described as "cat" anything and thusly is not "accurately described,"  "not of merchantable quality" and "not fit for the purpose for which it was sold to you" (I forget the exact wording in UK law.)

RMA and demand your money back. Cite the following articles if you like (there's plenty of similar if Google for it.)   What is CCA? What can it do to your network? | Computer Cable Store  https://www.fia-online.co.uk/pdf/Whites/wp-IAN002-01.pdf

techquest

Yes I agree as it is misleading advertising and a strong case to get the money back.

mickevh

Thank you - I bow to the wisdom of cabling experts who know this sort of stuff intimately, but it frustrates the hell out of me to see junk like this punted to unsuspecting lay people.

"In the day job" I'm increasingly minded to write into my PO's some kind of "no CCA" clause even with subbies I trust  - if nothing else for the sake of a*"%covering in case the board ever haul me in to ask when I'm getting the job done for so much more money that their "mates" in other companies.

I've already been over to Amazon to write some kind of "fake cable" review on what the OP linked. Perhaps we need some kind of crusade to be mounted by cabling experts and sympathisers (such as I) to be a bit more vociferous about "outing" such junk. Perhaps we need to encourage a #FAKE-CABLE hashtag.

[/RANT]

techquest

Sadly sellers pray on the lack of knowledge most unsuspecting users would have on the subject. After all Amazon wouldn't be selling such products on their site would they.  Ugh yes they do and you have a bunch of it to prove they do. In the scheme of all things Amazon it would probably represent a tiny proportion of their annual sales. Also I believe, in this case they may be saying they are not the seller and are just a facilitator of the transaction. But don't be put off by that.

The problem with this being an issue to the true manufactures of CAT cable in reality is it's a very small percentage of the overall market and doesn't really effect their annual figures. The other issue is how do you persuade a less knowledgeable  buyer to pay the going price for a box of Cat cable, that's how it is usually sold, 305 metres, about £200 - £300, when someone is selling so called Cat cable for 1/3 of the price. Generally the buyer doesn't want to know until they find out after the event.

But if I were you I would be getting a refund of of Amazon, they have very little ground to make a stance on.

ellchester

Thank you for everyone’s advice. amazon have agreed a refund. I had no idea it wasn’t Cat 6 cable

techquest

That is great to hear and a result that was the right thing for Amazon to do., glad you got there. And please don't think for one second anyone on here is saying anything other than you weren't to know that their add was misleading, because that is what it is for those not in the know.

If you need any help or advice on a new source of genuine Cat6 cable then please let us know we will be only to glad to point you in the right direction.