[lug] Tad OT: Cat 5 cable interference?

[D. Stimits]

Justin wrote:
> 
> I have a winXP computer that is attached to my linux dhcp server via a
> 25' cat 5 network cable. I routed the cable under our condo into
> another room. The winXP computer seems to work ok about 75% of the
> time. If I ping the dhcp server I sometimes get packet loss and also
> the winXP box occasionally will not pull it's ip from the linux dhcp
> server. What I was wondering is if fiberglass insulation (or anything
> else under the house) could be interfering with the network
> connection? In the holes I drilled to put the cat 5 through I stuffed
> fiberglass insulation in there packed right in w/ the cable. So I
> don't know if this is causing any sort of problem or not. Thanks for
> any help.
> 
> Justin
> -----
> glow at jackmoves.com
> www.jackmoves.com
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I doubt anything non-metallic would hurt it. But if you crush or bend
sharply RF cables, that can be bad for quality. Or winding it a lot
(adds inductance). More often connectors are on improperly, or the cable
itself was the wrong thing for the job to start with. If it is a 100
MBit/sec network, you should have the "fast cat" (cat 5e I think) cable.
If you put your own connectors on, be double sure that they are perfect.

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com