Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
geminigirl6879

I ordered Verizon 3.0 MBps DSL and it will be 'ready' tomorrow. Upon receiving my Westell 7500 modem/router, I realized they sent 1 Cat 5e Ethernet/USB wire. Being I will be connecting 2 laptops to the modem/router, I found my old Cat 5 wire I used for Road Runner Cable Internet. Will using the Cat 5 wire affect the usage of the DSL service?

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Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

the modem will connect to your phone jack using regular phone wire. the ethernet is for connecting your computer to the modem. If your going to use wireless, then you just will not use the ethernet cable. If your going to wire the computers then you will use the ethernet to connect the computers to the router/modem.

wired is usually more reliable, but wireless lets you walk around. Wired is also generally faster

Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
geminigirl6879

Yes, I know how to connect the modem to the phone jack and then the wires to the computers. I am just wondering if using a Cat 5 wire from the modem to one of the computers will affect the service.

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Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

nope

its just a means of connection. the type of connection really doesnt matter. the cat 5 is just more stable than wireless. But it wont affect how it works, just how it connects.

Really the only thing that will affect your service is the number of computers. With 2 you shouldnt have any issues.

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Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
geminigirl6879

So, There's no real difference between a Cat 5 wire and a Cat 5e wire, correct?

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Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

for all intents and purposes for this discussion, Correct.

Cat 5 and Cat 5e are slightly different, but for basic connectivity they work and act the same. No need into getting into the technical differences. For this application, it wont matter which you use.

Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

I might as jump in here and give to the specs.

The top speed of Cat 5 is100 Mbps and the top speed of Cat 5e is 350 Mbps.

This is from source:

http://www.connectworld.net/syscon/support.htm

While that is true, there are some issue(s).

#1 The top speed of Verizon DSL is 7.1 MB down / 768 Kbps upload.

This is from source

a) http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/HighspeedInternet/Plans/Plans.htm

b) and http://smallbusiness.verizon.com/products/internet/hsi_pricing.aspx

#2 The top speed of ADSL (which you have OR will have) is 24 Mbits down / 3.5 Mbits up.

This is from source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asymmetric_Digital_Subscriber_Line

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Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
geminigirl6879

Well, we have 3 MBps, but the Cat 5 seems to work fine for the system using it.

Would it be worth it to get a Cat 5e for the other system?

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Re: Using Cat 5 wire with DSL?
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

Yes, you could.

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