Coolport Network Cable Economisers
The Coolport range of network cable economisers (also known as network cable splitters or doublers as well as economizers) manufactured by HellermannTyton allow you to connect multiple devices using a single piece of network cable.
This is only possible because although a network cable contains 4 wire pairs (8 wires), only 2 pairs (4 wires) are actually needed for a computer connection. The other 2 pairs (4 wires) are therefore able to be used for other devices if you are stuck without enough cables.
[Note: Despite this being possible, you should always run more lengths of wire than you think you will need to every point when doing a new cable lay! This 'doubling up' solution can be less than ideal for various technical reasons, and can also only be used once to get you out of a jam!]
With the mass adoption of the structured cabling philosophy into offices - where computer network connections are carried alongside analogue and digital phones across standard installation of cat5e etc network cable - Hellermann Tyton have a range of color coded ‘cool’ ports designed to support different combinations of devices.
The Coolport colour scheme:
- Purple: 2xData (all pairs used)
- Red: 1xData + 1x(4Wire)Telephone (all pairs used)
- Blue: 1xData + 2x(2wire)Telephone (all pairs used)
- Amber: 3x(2wire)Telephone (1 pair unuse
The coolport itself measures: 6cm (wide) x 7cm (front to back) and they are 4cm high.
It is strange they picked a case design that only supports 3 devices - given that for 2 wire telephony a fourth telephone could easily be supported (the unused pair on the yellow/amber coolport).
Although hard to photograph, the output ports are clearly labelled on the back of the device:
While this is a little irelevant on the Purple (2 x PC) coolport, for the mixed use (telephony and computer) models this will be essential because all pins are visibly present (the copper contacts) on all of the coolports sockets.
The coolport has it’s ‘input’ socket on one end and the outputs on the other:
Unlike the official product illustrations, on production versions for two output devices, the third rj45 socket is NOT fitted. Instead a clear plastic tab fills its space. This is something that will certainly save headaches should an end user ever be reconnecting their cables.
This brings us onto the subject of build quality. For a plastic cased device, the coolports clearly fall into that category where the plastic strength is best described as “strong where it needs to be, - but perhaps a little sparing elsewhere”.
The mounting holes and tabs on the back are certainly strong, but the sides do flex slightly to the touch - and that clear plastic tab is clearly designed to be easily ‘knocked out’ during assembly of 3 device models
That said, the quality of the plastics used themselves is clearly high premium, and for any lightness they certainly don’t feel ‘cheap’ to the touch.
While there are plenty of network cable economizers out there, the coolports sail against convention by having a socket on the cable-run end, rather than a short (6″) protruding hard wired lead.
To me this is a major plus for two reasons: Firstly it is far more versatile as you can postion the split wherever you like without needing a further join (i.e. up on the users desk, rather than 6inches from the wall outlet), indeed you might even be able to avoid 1 join completely depending on how your cable run is terminated.
Secondly the cable ends on other types of splitter are rarely ‘hooded’ - meaning there is a strong likelihood the clips will break off some of them during installation / usage.
Additionally they are presentable and suitable for visible installation in ’soft’ environments - something which a high percentage of their competitors certainly arn’t, typically looking very ‘rough’.
They are available ‘white-boxed’ as a pair, or (also as a pair) complete with 4 network patch leads (2 short) in retail blister packaging. The premium for the retail boxed version is such that its probably not warranted just to acquire 4 network cables.
The white-box packaging measures: 14cm x 7.8cxm x 4.4cm. The dimensions of the coolports themselves are given above. Complete, the whitebox weights 125g with the product inside.
For the avoidance of doubt, they are bidirectional - either can be used at either end.
