got a new comp...how do i xfer files from old2new computer

[impostal22]

Originally posted by pbzmag


A crossover cable is used to connect two like devices together. IE, pc-pc, hub-hub.

you can't just connect them via say...a regular cable? lol..i guess i should confirm my setup before i do anything else...make sure it works before i attempt it...

coax cable running from my wall to my cable modem...a regular ethernet cable running from my cable modem to my linksys router (do i need a crossover cable to do that?). and then a cat5e running from router to old computer, and a cat5e running from router to new computer. and maybe a cat5e running from router to xbox. is there a reason i should use cat5e instead of cat6? i know cat6 is faster...but i think i remember reading somewhere that not all nic's are compatible with cat6 or SOMETHING...

[pbzmag]

Originally posted by impostal22


you can't just connect them via say...a regular cable? lol..i guess i should confirm my setup before i do anything else...make sure it works before i attempt it...

coax cable running from my wall to my cable modem...a regular ethernet cable running from my cable modem to my linksys router (do i need a crossover cable to do that?). and then a cat5e running from router to old computer, and a cat5e running from router to new computer. and maybe a cat5e running from router to xbox. is there a reason i should use cat5e instead of cat6? i know cat6 is faster...but i think i remember reading somewhere that not all nic's are compatible with cat6 or SOMETHING...

If you mean a regular cable as in a straight patch cable, then no. If you use a straight patch cable from a pc to pc, the TX pin will transmit to the TX pin of the other computer. That's why a crossover cable is need to send data from the TX of PC1 to the RX of PC2. You will be fine with a regular patch cable connecting the cable modem and LinkSys router. With cat6 cable, using it will won't do much since your going only a few feet. Cat6 cable has more twists than cat5e which really helps getting data through longer runs. With your setup, a regular cat5/cat5e patch cable is fine.

[impostal22]

actually from the router, it's going to two computers. one is about 10 feet from the router..the other is at least 50...so would cat6 work well for the second one?

[pbzmag]

Originally posted by impostal22
actually from the router, it's going to two computers. one is about 10 feet from the router..the other is at least 50...so would cat6 work well for the second one?

I believe that cat5 UTP works up to 100 meters. You will be fine with that. When I did a few projects installing new pc's and cable runs, we had some runs going from the 1st floor to the 3rd floor with no data xfer problems.

[Nobody077]

Cat5 will be fine, I am useing Cat5 for all comps, one is on a 75foot line and there is no noticable diffrance in network performance compared to the comp on a 3foot line.
If you have iny CB/HAM radios or neighbors with CB/Ham radios then Cat6 may be a good choice. it is better at keeping RF noise out of the line.

[impostal22]

i thought cat6 were also faster at transferring data??

[Nobody077]

Your Router can problay only transfer data at 100mbps, and most common NIC'c are 10/100mbps cards, the Cat5 will easly handel the 100mbps at the lengths you will need. The Cat6 should be used with the newer(and expencive) 1000mbps systems, or very RF noisy areas.

[Dryden]

Cat5 should be fine for your situation. Both Cat5e and Cat6 are usable for Gigabit Ethernet, but your cards and router likely aren't up to that speed anyhow. Also, you don't need to be overly concerned with network speeds given that - unless your new PC is loaded to the gills with extras - neither machine can read/write data that fast at the bus or disk levels.

The only reason I'd suggest getting a higher grade cable is that, as already mentioned, it may help eliminate line noise if you have a lot of RF chatter in the area, which could be produced from things like vacuum cleaners, microwaves, and halogen lights.

[impostal22]

what's the difference between cat5 and cat5e? would the cat5e efficiently cut down on this "RF noise"? what does this noise do to the connection? slow it down? what all makes this noise, so i know if i even have to worry abuot it?

[Dryden]

Network cabling, like most other carrier medium, uses twisted pairs of copper wires. The more twists per foot of cable, the more resistent to EMI the cable is. However, since there are more twists per foot, it requires more copper wire to reach a given distance, hence the higher cost.

EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) or RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) is most commonly caused by flourescent lights and motors. While flourescent lighting isn't all that common in the home, you'll find motors everywhere ... as I mentioned earlier: in vacuum cleaners/shampooers, microwaves, etc.

Again, I'd stress you look at your particular situation of how far all units are from one another and where the cabling will actually run - along a baseboard? over a drop-ceiling in a basement? If everything is in one room, you shouldn't have to worry too much about it.

EMI will degrade the signal, which requires packet retransmissions. To you, the end effect is that the network appears slower. With only two computers, this is largely irrelevent, since you won't generate any appreciable volume of traffic.

As for the cables themselves:

Cat 5: Most popular type. Cheap, works, but is susceptible to EMI.

Cat 5e: The 'e' means 'enhanced.' There are more twists per foot of cable, and is made from higher grade copper, which both help combat EMI and allows for a stronger signal for faster throughput. But since Cat5 is already sufficient for 10/100, you won't realize the 1000Mb benefit of Cat5e, only the EMI resistence. As mentioned, since there are more twists, it requires more copper to make an equivilent length of cable ... hence, more expensive and more rigid.

Cat 6: Each pair of copper wires is foil wrapped, then the entire jacket of four-pairs is foil wrapped again and placed in a fire-proof sheath. Not commonly used, since Cat5e has the same abilities in network applications, but strongly resistent to EMI - and it appeases the fire marshalls when they visit large network facilities.

[impostal22]

*speechless* thanks so much for the info dryden!!!!!!!

[pbzmag]

Don't forget that STP(Shielded Twisted Pair) also ups the cost of cable. Dryden, the Cat6 that you described sounds like the STP version. I have worked with cat6 before and have not encountered foil.

[Dryden]

pbzmag,

All Cat 6 cable should have some additional insulation for each wire pair and the entire wire bundle, without it Cat 6 would be no different from Cat 5e outside of the flame retardant sheath, which even some brands of Cat 5e come in anyhow.

If you don't see anything that looks physically like foil, try cutting a section of a Cat 6 line diagonally to see if there is a wire braid or foil element molded directly into the jackets of each individual wire and/or the bundle's sheath.

A shielded cable would further contain another layer of foil or wire braid around anything else already in the cable sheath based on it's physical type.

[pbzmag]

Originally posted by Dryden
pbzmag,

All Cat 6 cable should have some additional insulation for each wire pair and the entire wire bundle, without it Cat 6 would be no different from Cat 5e outside of the flame retardant sheath, which even some brands of Cat 5e come in anyhow.

If you don't see anything that looks physically like foil, try cutting a section of a Cat 6 line diagonally to see if there is a wire braid or foil element molded directly into the jackets of each individual wire and/or the bundle's sheath.

A shielded cable would further contain another layer of foil or wire braid around anything else already in the cable sheath based on it's physical type.

Last time I worked with cat6 was just over a year ago. I was patching some old 66 blocks and leftover cat6 cable was the only thing available. From what I remember, the pairs didn't have any foil. I do remember that the sheath said cat6 but can't remember any foil on it. I also remember working with it back in 2001 for another company who installed cat6 for their new building. The cat6 patch cable did say "cat6 UTP".

[Blazestorm]

just take the harddrive from the original computer, stick it in the new one, set it as a Slave... than just copy and paste

Simplest way in my opinion... unless you're scared off all the scary fans and plugs and wires inside of a computer