Re: [PLUG] How to diagnose poor Ethernet throughput with Mint

[bergman--- via plug <plug@lists.phillylinux.org>]

In the message dated: Sat, 08 Feb 2025 10:26:43 -0500,
The pithy ruminations from bergman--- via plug on 
[Re: [PLUG] How to diagnose poor Ethernet throughput with Mint] were:
=> 
=> Some observations:
=> 
=>  CAT6 is much less forgiving of terminations, bend radius, and cables
=>  being tightly bound (ie., pulling zip-tie cable straps too much) than
=>  CAT5*
=>   

"terminations": fixed premesis cabling (as opposed to patch cords
    [whether 10cm or 100m] with factory applied plugs) is almost always
    pulled off a spool and run from point A to point B (IDFs) in the
    building, then terminated (punched down) at a patch panel or with
    crimped-on plugs (ie., RJ45). Similar to the "last mile" problem
    in getting good WAN bandwidth, cabling has the "last inch" problem,
    where tiny mistakes in the manual process of cutting the cable jacket,
    removing packing, untwisting wires in pairs, cutting insulation
    off individual wires and then mechanically attaching them to a
    patch panel or plug can have a big impact on the overall quality,
    even if the 99.5 meters of cable between the two ends is just fine.

"bend radius": minimum radius for any bend in the cable path without
    affecting signal quality. This varies depending on the class (Cat 5,
    Cat 6, etc) and type (plenum, shielded, etc) of cable. For example,
    some Cat5 has a 0.75" bend radius -- it can make a pretty sharp
    turn, and some sheilded Cat6 has a 2" bend radius -- if you neatly
    dress those cables following the square corners of your rack, maybe
    even looping excess into a long narrow bundle to fit into dead space
    in the rack uprights without blocking airflow and then strap them
    down tightly to look nice and clean...  you'll degrade the signal
    and have to do it all over again, maybe with new cables.

Oh, and don't get me started about on-prem fiber terminations.

Mark


-- 
Mark Bergman    Biker, Rock Climber, SCUBA Diver, Unix mechanic, IATSE #1 Stagehand
'94 Yamaha GTS1000A^1					   2023 Triumph GT Explorer
	  		https://www.flickr.com/photos/rmsppu

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