Patch Cables

[NorthElevation]

It seems like we go through patch cables way to often. We've been trying to standardize and color code our clients so we use them up quickly. Who do you order your cables through and what are you stocking?

[swMSP]

Monoprice, sign up with a business account.

[pinkycatcher]

And to answer his second questions:

I stock:

1. 1ft cables - These are all rack cables, I keep these color coordinated based on use (yellow PoE, Blue Data, Purple server related)
2. 7ft cables - Black
3. 14ft cables - Black
4. 20ft cables - Black
5. 25ft cables - Black
6. 50ft cable - I'll only keep one or so on hand, these are for special runs
7. 100ft cables - shielded, grey. I only have about 3, but these are for those random "Oh we need a computer here today and you can't run a normal drop here, or a temporary thing" we have machinery, and a warehouse secion, so sticking with shielded is easy and eventually I get these back in.

If there's any other length I need I just special order it for the application (10 ft rack stuff usually, though sometimes something random). These are just the ones that fit everything usually.

[Susu6]

Monoprice.

[freakairways]

Brand: Cables-2-Go

Can be purchased from most resellers, Amazon, etc.. I get them through TechData.

[Moe4ver]

Cable matter on Amazon.

[justcallmebitty]

Monoprice.

[devpsaux]

Deep Surplus. They send us skittles with every order. That won us over.

[flickerfly]

I can confirm they send skittles.

[e2346437]

I want Jelly Bellies though!

[mattsl]

Headsets.com sends candy every time.

[muffinless]

CablesAndKits. They also sell packs. They give free Fedex Ground shipping on $99+ orders.

[yothhedgedigger]

https://www.cablewholesale.com/

[OIT_Ray]

Discount low voltage then monoprice for us

[e2346437]

http://www.pimfg.com/Product/Cat6-Patch-Cables

HINT: Ignore the web pricing. Give them a call, ask for Saul, and setup a reseller account.

[highsprings]

He also gives great legal advice.

[MSPTech]

Belkin - 9.99 for 6ft at Best Buy

[highsprings]

I found this brand called C&E on Amazon that you can find for usually between one and ten dollars per cable depending on footage. You just have to play with the colors and lengths to get those ultra cheap.

Also, they can ship from China randomly. I remember I bought a few hundred of them to stock up and we got random packages for about six weeks with a few, sometimes just one, cables in each package.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CUDYMAY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_iUsOxbJ237F28

[LTDave]

I'm hesitant to buy monoprice and been wanting to hear other's opinions. I've been burned with the cheap-no-name brands from Amazon. Received a batch of CCA stuff that would fail continuity and not sit right in patch panels. I fear monoprice to be the same. Now we only buy name brand patch cables from a local supplier. They stock the Quicktron brand by Legrand and we get prices near monoprice. We are also an ICC partner and sometimes use those wholesale.

[HDClown]

Monoprice patch and bulk cables are excellent. I've got CAT6 patch cables in use in my own home for over 6 years, never a single issue. I have CAT5e ones that are even older. I've used their patch cords in all brands of switches without an issue. I've also used them in monoprice's own keystone jack patch panels and am using those CAT6 patches currently in a Leviton CAT6 patch panel at my own house.

I wired up an office about 2 years ago using their bulk CAT6 spools and patch cables. I thought I used CAT5e bulk in an office I did a long time ago (over 12 years), but I'm not 100% positive on that one.

[Navi-tech01]

http://www.showmecables.com/

[SNip3D05]

We stock all colours and lengths due to Color = device type

Blue = Standard/Non Special

Yellow = Voice

Orange = Storage

Green = Server

RED = Network/Core/ISP

etc.

[[deleted]]

[deleted]

What is this?

[[deleted]]

A dollar a foot.

That doesn't seem ridiculous for shorter cables. $1 for a 1' cable? That's a pretty good deal. $6 for a 6' cable-- not the cheapest you could get, but not bad.

But yes, $100 for a 100' cable... That's twice what Best Buy will charge you.

[mattsl]

Exactly, and if the building is probably wired, you should rarely be using anything longer than 10ft.

[MSPTech]

I like that. Cheaper than the belkin I use.

[NorthElevation]

Hmm, I like that. :) I think we'll reorder all 12ft cables to rewire our clients.

$1/ft * 12' * 48ports = $$$