On Wed, 2003-01-29 at 11:31, Adam Bower wrote:
*shudder* its very easy to make cables that look as though they will work, work sometimes and so on. Go and buy a cable unless you have a cable tester and can be 100% sure that it will work, In the past when making cables it has been a fiddly pain in the bum and only ever done when really necessary and the long term success rate even with all of the proper crimping tools and cable testers was at best "low"
I totally agree with Adam.When it comes to network cables, get someone else to do it. If you want to do it on the cheap, do what I do:-
1. Find a skip outside a newly refurbished office. 2. "Appropriate" tens of metres of cat5 from said skip. If someone is about (i.e. the cable company), just ask, they'll give it to you if you say it's for home. 3. Go into your local computer store having cut the length you need (always add at least an extra metre ot two though- why not? the cable was free?), and get them to do it. My local shop do it for 3 quid per cable.
Secondly, http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Clearance_Lines_16.h... has a switch for £36, which is only a tenner more than most 4 port hubs, may be worth the extra money.
Hope that helps. :)