Subscriber Discussion

Which Network Cable Manufacturers Will Warranty A Direct Attached Horizontal Cable Run?

U
Undisclosed #1
Dec 22, 2015

A while back, in either a discussion or the comments of an article, there was a discussion of the problem of cable manufacturers not warrantying horizontal network cable runs connected directly to an IP camera. At the time, I think Berk-Tek was the only manufacturer that warrantied a direct attached run. I couldn't find the discussion, but I wanted to find out if that was still the case or if more cable manufactures had started to warranty this installation

MI
Matt Ion
Dec 23, 2015

I'm missing something here... manufacturer-warrantied cable RUNS? Horizontal... vs vertical? Direct attached meaning... straight into an RJ45 plug rather than a keystone? How would such a thing affect warranty by a cable manufacturer?

DM
Duncan Miller
Dec 23, 2015
Usually when you install a manufactures product such as hubbell, siemon, or leviton you have to install it as a complete system as per TIA/EIA standards. Since TIA/EIA does't support RJ45 plugs yet ,unless they have changed the specs recently, the cabling system would not be warrantied. That being said unless your are bidding on a job that requires all cabling to be installed as per TIA/EIA specifications and must be provided with manufacture warranty I would really be concerned. The manufacture is only going to warranty bad cabling and not poor installation. In all the years of installing data cabling I have only come across bad cable once and it was an offshore cable.
U
Undisclosed #2
Dec 23, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Since TIA/EIA does't support RJ45 plugs yet, unless they have changed the specs recently...

Hot off the press, 862-B has been approved for publication.

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DM
Duncan Miller
Dec 23, 2015
Thanks for the info. I knew it was coming just didn't know when. So if TIA/EIA is now allowing direct connection to devices I would assume that most manufactures should warranty the cable system now.
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Richard Lavin
Dec 23, 2015
Salas O'Brien • IPVMU Certified
Thanks for the link. With that standard being approved for publication, it should follow shortly that cable manufacturers will start to certify/warranty those direct connected runs.
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Richard Lavin
Dec 23, 2015
Salas O'Brien • IPVMU Certified

In structured cabling parlance, "horizontal" cabling is just the cabling that goes from the IDF to the data jacks on the walls, as opposed to "backbone" cabling that goes from MDF to IDF or between IDFs.

I was the OP, but John posted the question for me because I was having problems with the discussions link as others had mentioned. (Clearing the cache has fixed the problem.)

Anyway, my firm is working on a project where we are designing/specifying network cabling as well as security systems. The client is requiring the network cabling to be specified as a certified/warrantied system. As I typically do, I put the Cat6 cables for security devices like IP cameras and VoIP intercoms in the 28 05 13 spec with the other security cables rather than in the 27 15 00 spec with the horizontal data cabling. The client asked why I did that and I explained that the data cable manufacturers would not certify/warranty a horizontal cable run that connects directly to a device. In order for a run to be certified, they normally require it to be terminated to a patch panel in the IDF and then a jack in the field (wall panel or biscuit box). Since those direct connected runs could not be part of the certified network cabling system, I though it was preferable to have the security contractor provide all of the cabling to all security devices and avoid any coordination issues. The client accepted that, so the issue is resolved, but I just wondered if my information was current. I thought there might be some guys on this forum that might do structured cabling install as well as security and that they might know if this situation had changed recently.

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Ethan Ace
Dec 23, 2015

I'm not saying all manufacturers will accept direct attach, but a lot of them will understand if you explain why it's done. I know of multiple systems done with plugs instead of jacks which are warrantied. Getting to know your local manufacturer's rep helps, too.

Talk to the manufacturer(s) you've chosen up front and see what their take is.

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