Using 'spare' pairs?

I've got an external building to which i've previously run a length of
CAT5 cable.

It is my understanding, that of the 8 wires within, only a few are
actually used, despite all being connected....?

Is it possible to connect these 'spare' wires to a second terminal block
in the same faceplate to facilitate a 2nd network point?

The spanner in the works for me, is that I run a gigabit network, which,
AIUI, uses more pairs than 10/100

?

TIA


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/Tx2 wrote:
> It is my understanding, that of the 8 wires within, only a few are
> actually used, despite all being connected....?

Correct. Your common or garden network run will use two pairs - 1 & 2
and 3 & 6.

> Is it possible to connect these 'spare' wires to a second terminal block
> in the same faceplate to facilitate a 2nd network point?

Technically, yes.

> The spanner in the works for me, is that I run a gigabit network, which,
> AIUI, uses more pairs than 10/100

Nup - an older Gigabit standard used all four pairs, but was discarded
as being a pain in the arse. The modern standard uses the same pairs as
100-Base-TX, which are the aformentioned 1 & 2 and 3 & 6. Gigabit is,
however, more sensitive to things like near-end crosstalk and RFI/EMI
interference - you may find that running two lots down a single cable is
unreliable over long distances and you need to force it down to 100-Base-TX.

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Gareth Halfacree
http://gareth.halfacree.co.uk

"Gareth R Halfacree" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> /Tx2 wrote:
>> It is my understanding, that of the 8 wires within, only a few are
>> actually used, despite all being connected....?
>
> Correct. Your common or garden network run will use two pairs - 1 & 2 and
> 3 & 6.
>
>> Is it possible to connect these 'spare' wires to a second terminal block
>> in the same faceplate to facilitate a 2nd network point?

Yes. Also, Google "cable economiser".

>> The spanner in the works for me, is that I run a gigabit network, which,
>> AIUI, uses more pairs than 10/100
>
> Nup - an older Gigabit standard used all four pairs, but was discarded as
> being a pain in the arse. The modern standard uses the same pairs as
> 100-Base-TX, which are the aformentioned 1 & 2 and 3 & 6.

What have you been smoking? 1000BASE-T (undoubtedly what the OP is using)
uses all four pairs. In order to retain gigabit connectivity, the only
options are to run another cable or add a switch.

Alex

Alex Fraser wrote:
> What have you been smoking? 1000BASE-T (undoubtedly what the OP is using)
> uses all four pairs. In order to retain gigabit connectivity, the only
> options are to run another cable or add a switch.

Hmm. You're quite right - what the hell *was* I thinking of? Ah, well;
the advice was worth what was paid for it.

On a completely unrelated note, this is *very* nice beer.

--
Gareth Halfacree
http://gareth.halfacree.co.uk