Help running network cable through attic

C

CorpX

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
285
The attic is "V Shaped", so I cant just drag cables from one part of the house to the other. I looked around and it looks like the only way to get the cables across would be to put them next to the power cables to get it across.

I've read that its not a good idea to put network cables (I want to do Cat 6) next to power lines, so I was wondering if there was some sort of "cover" I could use to shield the cat6 from the power cables.


Here is a pic of where the network cables would run through.

35lx26x.jpg




Thanks
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the power cables; it's ideal to avoid them but it wouldn't normally cause any issues either.
 
Running a network cable anywhere near a flourescent light ballast or near long flourescent tubes is the real killer.

You could run STP (shielded twisted pair) rather than UTP if you can't avoid those kinds of items.
 
keenan said:
I wouldn't worry too much about the power cables; it's ideal to avoid them but it wouldn't normally cause any issues either.
Click to expand...

I would have to differ with you on that. So would most every low voltage cable installer. Running cat 6 (or any other unshielded copper communications cable) next to a line carrying household current for any significant length of time and especially across an entire attic, would introduce a variety of signal problems. The most common way to avoid this is to move the cat 6 over to the next space between the studs or floor joists.

LizardKing's suggestion would also do the trick, as long as there is enough distance between the power and the cat 6.

Shielded cat 6 might also work here, but it is more expensive and requires that the shielding be properly grounded.
 
2nhgfv6.jpg


I dont think there's anywhere I can hang it to. There's a hole where the coax goes through to the get to the other side, but I'm not sure if I can get my cat6 across (coax is stapled, so I cant use it to pull the cat6).
 
TTT any ideas?

I could run the cat6 on the other side of the insulation till it reaches the hole and then it'll be next to the power lines for 2 ft or so.

Is that acceptable?
 
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The less time the cat 6 spends next to the power cables, the better. Two feet is better than 20 or 30. Remember too that if you have cross the power cables with the cat 6, try to do it at as close to a right angle as possible. This will also help to minimize the interference
 
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