QUOTE (Doug @ 20 Dec 2007, 06:59)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>The Hornby Xpressnet connections use RJ11 connectors, but require twisted pairs of cables. Unfortunately most telephone cables don't have twisted pairs of cable.
What we have found to work is Cat5 Ethernet cable (which has the right type of twisted pair wires) with RJ11 or RJ12 connectors.
You can cut the telephone connectors off with about 5cm of cable and splice the wires to the Cat5 Ethernet cable.
Looking at the diagram below, the L&M wires need to be twisted together and the A&B wires need to be twisted together.
Have Hornby released their cables and 2-in-to1 Y-connectors that were promised earlier in the year?
***Doug, I'm sorry to contradict you but it is NOT necessary to use twisted pair cable with XpressNet unless you are making an absolutely HUGE layout with a but well in excess of 300 feet.
Standard phone cables are quite adequate. I have never seen a layout that has needed to go to the extreme of twisted pairs.
to quote from the Lenz Manual (As Lenz are the "creators and specifiers" of the net configuration, Hornby should be exactly the same)
Quote #1: You may use Module plugs instead of DIN plugs for wiring your XpressNet or any combination of Din and Module plugs. If you use module plugs you can use either 4 or 6 wire plugs.
Quote #2:For reasons of physics the maximum length of the
Xpress
Net depends on the kind and size of the wires used for the
Xpress
Net.With normal telephone wire the length should not exceed 300 ft. If you install a twin-core, twisted cable for the signal lines of the
Xpress
Net you can increase the length to up to 3000 ft. without problems.
Kind regards
Richard Johnson
DCCconcepts