callycoon Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I have a question regarding the CAT 5 cables that are sold on LOR's website. What does the term bootless refer too. Do these cables require additional assembly after recieving them or are they ready to use.Thanks,Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cray Augsburg Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) A boot on a Cat5 cable is the plastic "hood" that goes around the connector (kind of like the "boot" around the base of a stick shift in a car). It supposedly protects the connector from the "elements" -- dirt, debris, and/or spilt coffee on a long night of sequencing. The problems are:1) the female connectors on the LOR circuit board have little room around them. The boot makes it even tighter, so unplugging the cable can be a little more difficult.2) the lands (circuit board traces) to the female connector on the LOR circuit board can be a bit fragile. The boot around the male connector makes it a little difficult to hold the release tab down when unplugging the connector. In some cases this has been known to cause the female connector to break free from the board, ripping up the lands as it goes. I haven't had this happen, but others have. It is best to simply remove the boot from any Cat5 connectors with a utility knife.Check this link for proof positive:http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/22216-broken-cat5-ports/ Edited September 11, 2012 by Cray Augsburg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrant Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I buy cables from a company in Florda which usually has the best prices that I've seen. pccables.com I bought a pile of CAT6 as they have more shielding but they're designed for TCIP comm as opposed to RS485 but that's what LOR went with, probably to help save us money! Actual RS485 cables are twisted pairs and shielded and I think CAT5/6 is a bit different but a whole lot cheaper. As long as it works, who cares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 It's very easy to change a cable with boots into a "bootless" cable. All you need is a sharp knife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Linburg Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I get cables on eBay. Yes, they are low quality but they work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 The primary advantage of cables with the boot is that you can pull a cable through a wiring mess (common in large LAN closets) without the tab getting caught on some cable and breaking off. It generally does make it harder to unplug the connector. I never use booted connectors and usually remove the boot if I happen across cables that have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LORisAwesome Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Home Depot seems to have pretty decent prices on Cat5 cables. They do have a boot, but it is easily removed.Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
columbus27 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I get my cat5 from out of work cable tech on Craigslist, or at a used computer shop her in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Roberson Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 monoprice.com has very good prices on cat5 or 6 cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max-Paul Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 A boot on a Cat5 cable is the plastic "hood" that goes around the connector (kind of like the "boot" around the base of a stick shift in a car). It supposedly protects the connector from the "elements" -- dirt, debris, and/or spilt coffee on a long night of sequencing. Your joking right Cray?The boot has only one purpose and it is to protect the locking tab. Ok two purposes. Second one is part of the first reason. But it is to make it easier to pull the cable back. And if the locking tab is not getting hooked, it is easier to pull back without getting snagged and breaking off the locking tab. The boot does not cover the connector contacts. It does not make a seal between the cable and jack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cray Augsburg Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Your joking right Cray?The boot has only one purpose and it is to protect the locking tab. Ok two purposes. Second one is part of the first reason. But it is to make it easier to pull the cable back. And if the locking tab is not getting hooked, it is easier to pull back without getting snagged and breaking off the locking tab. The boot does not cover the connector contacts. It does not make a seal between the cable and jack.OK. Who knows what I was thinking that morning? It was early! Of course you are correct, MP. Tho, the bottom line is, I always remove the boots on premade cables anyway. Usually, I make my own cables, thus dispensing with the need to remove the boot.Thanks for the catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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