How to verify transmission quality & cables on gigabit network?

[Mike McCarty]

Don Russell wrote:
> Rob wrote:
> 
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have a cluster, master + 8 nodes, connected via
>> a Netgear Gigabit Ethernet Switch (model JGS516).
>>
>> The cables are of CAT5 type.
>>   
> 
> I assume you mean Cat 5e UTP. If you really mean Cat 5, no, I wouldn't 
> expect it to work well in a gigabit environment.
> Cat 5e, on the other hand supports gigabit rates.

Looking at the specs over on
http://discountcablesusa.com/ethernet-cables.html
I don't see why CAT5 wouldn't work reasonably well for short
runs. For longer runs, it looks like the cross-talk
might get you if the cable really doesn't meet CAT5e
specs.

A quote from that page:

> It might seem that CAT5 and CAT5e are the same. Pretty much they are,
> the CAT5e specification simply included some additional limits over the
> CAT5 specification. The reality is that most CAT5 cable is in fact CAT5e
> cable just not certified as such. Here is a comparison of those extra
> specifications.

And this is my experience.

YMMV

[snip]

Mike
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