Thin network cables?

[DR]

I want to have a network cable which I can take travelling - I want it to be a VERY thin cable - not 'bulky' like Cat5/6 - I need about 10 metres... retractable would be nice....

I can find loads at 1.5m and a few at 8ft.... but I need a little longer...

Any ideas?

[Gr44]

Only thing that springs to mind is RJ11... I dont know if it takes the voltages that standard 10/100 switches/routers dish out though, I'd imagine not.

How thin are you talking? I wouldn't call CAT5 massive.... CAT6 is a fair bit bigger, though.

[DR]

I just want something compact to travel with (I travel a LOT...) and I don't want to take a chunky cable...

[Gr44]

Well I can find some 10m CAT5 at work if you want... don't have anything smaller though.

Like I said, you could try crimping CAT5 ends onto RJ11 ( telephone wire ) but I'd test it some place fire-proof if I were you!

[DR]

heh

Why don't people make the retractable ones longer

[Gr44]

You could buy 2x5m and a coupler?

[DR]

Who does 5M ones?

[Gr44]

Bugger. 5m may have been optimistic after a google..... longest I found was 2m!

5x2m and many couplers ?

Make a competition.... first person to make a DIY 10m retractable CAT5 unit wins a.... <enter something you have spare> ?

Else, I'm all outta ideas!

[jackvdbuk]

perhaps its to do with the interference on longer cables, as its flat the cables cant be twisted to prevent crosstalk and all that ?

with small cables it probably negligible or something so doesnt really matter

[DR]

Yeah Ithink you are right, still painful

[Gr44]

How about this? $2 super flat CAT5E ethernet network cable flexible thin category 5 patch cord

[peterb]

Well I can find some 10m CAT5 at work if you want... don't have anything smaller though.

Like I said, you could try crimping CAT5 ends onto RJ11 ( telephone wire ) but I'd test it some place fire-proof if I were you!

The voltage isn't a problem, it is the line transmission characteristics. Cat 5 is twisted pair (although now most telephone installations use cat 5) The spec for cat 5 is quite tight and includes 4 cable pairs which dictates the minimum cable size. The lightest and most flexible will be stranded cable, and different cables do have different outer sheath thicvknesses, but unless yopu can inspect it first, that isn't much help! Using any old cable will give unreliable operation.

[mycarsavw]

Super flat Cat5e

US based though

EDIT: Gr44 got there three hours before me

[peterb]

Nearest UK equivalent I could find is this

Black Box: Product Display

(Google search using flat cat 5 as the search term)

[DR]

Cheers guys, will take a look now

[5cupa]

i have a blue flat 10m CAT5 cable. very light to carry