Am i the only one that thinks ethernet cables are as fragile as dropping glass....

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FS Effects

Weaksauce
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Mar 28, 2006
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Am i the only one that thinks ethernet cables are as fragile as dropping glass on the floor? a minor bump to the router can cause it to lose connection, router lift to a different location could cause it to lose connection. ethernet cable are so big and tight with no screws on each side like monitors. billions are using ethernet cables. am i the only one that thinks this is a bad invention, a mistake? i demand 2 screws on the side like monitor cables have.
 
Ethernet (and phone) cables are usually pretty robust, until the locking clip gets broken off. As long as you're careful when they're unplugged they're not that bad.
 
the little plastic head w/ the click is not strong enough to support the body weight of the cables. therefore, they suck, stink, worthless, 2 screws are much appreciated.

just like music cd vs dvd cases. you can go skydiving with dvd case without a pursuit and it can land safely without having to go to intensive care.
 
are you crimping your own cables or buying ones that are in the little baggies with the printed sticky labels, or are you buying big name brand molded ones ?

if ur still having problems, replace the router...

i have beat the shit out of one of my routers and it never even had a hiccup (no joke, beat it with a fist for another reason, mainly the wireless was having issues)
 
If you're relying on the connector to keep a cable in place, you're insane. There is a reason why professional racks have brackets to hold the cable up.

And if you want to know fragile, check out old 10base2 coaxial cable. That stuff did NOT like harsh treatment at all and would die completely. That and people disconnecting and not goddamn terminating their end, or splitting the network into two unrelated segments when they take the T with them.
 
cables are not meant to be supported by their connectors. even the screw in kind. It puts a lot of stress on the connector the insulator and the individual conductors that make up the cable. If they're going ot be hanging by the connector (whether it is RJ-45, DB-9, or BNC) you should place a stress reliever in the run. It can be something as simple as affixing the cable body to the desk by staples. leaving a little slack between the device it's connected to and the point of attachments. Although I do highly suggest avoiding staples as that can puncture the insulation and short out the cable.

EDIT: Damn I was beat twice trying to type this response and tend to 2 year old that woke up. :)
 
No problem w/ ethernet cables here. Given the frequency at which I connect/disconnect them, i'd be really irritated if I had to reach for a screwdriver each time.

Is it possible that you're simply buying cheap/poorly made cables?
 
I agree with ryan_975 and alan.p and support the cables anyway you can...

Matter of fact, when I took a lesson in structured networking installation, they stressed enough on the importance to make sure cables is well supported in most of the length. It's also important to avoid putting stress on a single point (connector, wire resting on a sharp corner or supported only each 10 feets).

At my workplace, all the networking wires is 90% concealed in tubing and the section which is in the free air is either supported by wire rails, wire closets or attached together and tied to a metal support. It's a network with over 2000 outlets ;)
 
FS Effects said:
the little plastic head w/ the click is not strong enough to support the body weight of the cables. therefore, they suck, stink, worthless, 2 screws are much appreciated.
Click to expand...

You must be using some kind of fisher-price brand plastic heads... Mine have managed to trip two people, one person got caught in it good enough to do a face-plant on the carpet, though knocked the computer out of the cabinet and ripped a few wires.

Though, ethernet cables... Not a good idea if you have long peices, to let the ends/heads hold up the weight of the cable.
 
FS Effects said:
Am i the only one that thinks ethernet cables are as fragile as dropping glass on the floor? a minor bump to the router can cause it to lose connection, router lift to a different location could cause it to lose connection. ethernet cable are so big and tight with no screws on each side like monitors. billions are using ethernet cables. am i the only one that thinks this is a bad invention, a mistake? i demand 2 screws on the side like monitor cables have.
Click to expand...
I have not experienced said problems before unless the plastic tab on my cable was broken off.
 
Never had a problem. If you want to talk about fragile, look at fiber optic.
 
Xipher said:
Never had a problem. If you want to talk about fragile, look at fiber optic.
Click to expand...
When I was in school (and working in the summer for the IT department there) my boss was a heavier guy, and we had just gotten in a roll of about 200FT of pre-cut/terminated fiber. It was coiled on the floor and ready for us cable monkeys to pull through some conduit. First, my boss had to give us the big lecture about how fragile it was...and in the process, he stepped directly on the coil of fiber on the floor and broke it in several places.

oops.

I have seen ethernet cables that are just demolished that still at least work somewhat though. I have done internship work in a few factories and the damage that the computer/network/infrastructure sustains just through daily use and wear is amazing. I am suprised that some of the stuff keeps working
eek.gif
 
alan.p said:
And if you want to know fragile, check out old 10base2 coaxial cable. That stuff did NOT like harsh treatment at all and would die completely. That and people disconnecting and not goddamn terminating their end, or splitting the network into two unrelated segments when they take the T with them.
Click to expand...

Yup...those sucked. I supported point of sale networks many years ago, we setup stores back then with that dang coax. Man...the T bars and term caps....what a pain...often walking people over the phone thruogh re-connecting the whole thing to bring their network back up.

To answer OPs question...no, I find RJ45 quite rugged, able to withstand quite a bit of abuse. Guessing bum cables or failing switch port is your case.
 
Ethernet cables are only as good as your router/switch or ap. A shitty router/switch or ap can give you unimaginable issues. Issues you might think are PC related could be router/switch or ap related. That said, if you move your router/switch or ap connections should not be lost, unless your really cranking on that sucker.
 
alan.p said:
And if you want to know fragile, check out old 10base2 coaxial cable. That stuff did NOT like harsh treatment at all and would die completely. That and people disconnecting and not goddamn terminating their end, or splitting the network into two unrelated segments when they take the T with them.
Click to expand...

You brought back some repressed memories. So many hours wasted trying to run down the line testing terminations and T-connectors trying to troubleshoot network issues. Then someone would need to move locations and no matter how many times you told them they would disconnect the line and cut off everyone after them. :rolleyes:

Or a terminator would go bad... why on earth would a cap with a resistor go bad? But so many times I would replace it and the network would start working again.

Thank goodness we no longer use that medium. Twisted pair may be require more installation costs but it works so much better.

The only thing worse was the mainframe wiring. I can't remember what it was called but it was really thick and used vampire taps.
 
FS Effects said:
Am i the only one that thinks ethernet cables are as fragile as dropping glass on the floor?
Click to expand...
Nope its all you.
either you have horrid cables or a horrid switch/router
 
I used to install cat5 and fiber for a living and I never had that kind of problems...when we used to pull out old cable wed swing like tarzan from the stuff in old warehouses/ wal mart buildings.

Like someone has said Ive seen people trip over temporary cables laying across the floor with no hiccup to the network equipment.
 
It has to be just you,
either
a) your router/switch/hub whatever is really crappy
b) you have a broken wire in the connector/cable and when you move it, it spreads apart and when it rests its back together
c) you have a broken tab that allows the plug to seperate from the socket or
d) there is some sort of short that happens similar to b

I have yanked cables quite hard and they have never had a problem.
 
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