atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Splitting a CAT5 for voice and data

Got a problem. Must rig up several phones where there is only CAT5 currently yet must keep the computrers on the network. If I made a splitter to pull off the unused pairs at the wall and patch panel, would this create any issues for either the phones or the network switch? I've done this for just network connections but never voice and network in the same cable.

REALLY bad practice but it will probably work.

Ive seen threads like this where the OP came back and reported that it was working fine .

why not just run some cat 3 for voice ?

I will when time and logistics permit. This is a must have NOW and the runs are long and require me to boot people from workstations. I can't do it until a weekend evening and they want 4 bodies with phones by the end of today.

Sell them cordless phones if they want it that bad, explaining the potential problems.

A general rule I use is if it ain't supposed to be, don't do it...it'll bite you every time sooner or later.

You can always run cat 3 along the floor with enough extra slack to do it right when time permits. Not the safeest practice, but better. Usually the client will give you the needed time to do it right.

Dave

Cordless is not an option, temporary cabling is not an option. If I have to run cable I will and they'll just have to lump it but seeing as how this is a Partner ACS I was hoping the voltages would be low enough to not cause crossover or induction. I *hate* jerry-rigging anything but this is a special case. Its an old brick building with hard top ceilings and getting cable in there is going to mean drilling and running wire mold - there just isn't the time to do it all today.

We all know this practice is not up to industry standard. We're not telling you anything new.

Technically speaking I doubt it would cause a problem with the data or the telephone unless you are connecting analog lines to the cable. If the telephone lines are analog the ringing current may cause a blip on the data signal but even then I doubt it would be noticeable.

The problem I have with doing things like this is that even though it is done as a temporary measure, they have a way of becoming "temporarily permanent".
Sometimes it's difficult, if not impossible, to get a customer to fork over more money to do things the right way once they see everything working the way they want. All they know is that it's working and that's good enough for them and especially the boss.

In the future when another vendor comes along and sees the way things have been rigged, do you think the customer is going to tell them they told you to do it that way? Not on your life. But they will be quick to give them the name of your company!

you know guys, when you go on a job and have some cabling to do, well do it right, because if you leave a cable on the floor no one know if someone will pull on it or something like that, so you will have to go back and pass another cable. the best thing to do is past the cable and put it down into the wall. If the costumer want it some where else later on, you gotta have to pass another cable,dont mind about the time or equipement, it is the costumer that pay for that. the best thing to do its alwyas do the job correctly.i almost forgot never pass a computer cable over neon that create indution and you cable will lose some of its signal.

Screw the 'puters. Take the two pairs and put the phone on it. As long as they work is all we have to worry about. :banana:

Would a CG worry about our phones?

-Hal

I didn't read this whole thread, so if this has been addressed already I apologize.

One thing to keep in mind, is that if you're not using a phone system and you're just bringing the dialtone to each station, the AC ring has a tendency to choke out the data signal during a ring.

take one of the data cables and run it to a 5 port switch , connect the four workstations to the switch now all four users are on the network via one cable and you have 3, 4 pair data cables that can now become phone cables feeding two partner extension per cable