Posted: 12/31/2009 11:02:07 AM EDT
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I remember reading an article years ago on why NOT to install Cat5 cabling between buildings. Anyone got a link to a good article on this subject? |
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Maybe this? Do they make Cat5 cable that's suitable for outdoor use?
EDIT: Found this article, you can use it outside, But it wont last long. Using Cat5 outdoors Here is another article. Yes, CAT5 (or CAT5e) Ethernet cables can be run outdoors to network computers between homes or other buildings.
With their thin plastic casing, ordinary Ethernet cables will deteriorate quickly when exposed to the elements. For best results, outdoor Ethernet cables should be placed in a conduit and then buried under the ground about 15-20cm (6-8 inches) and at least that far away from power lines or other sources of electrical interference. PVC or other plastic pipe, installed with waterproofing, can work as a conduit. Ordinary CAT5 cable was not designed for outdoor uses, however; extreme temperatures and humidity will shorten the useful lifetime of such an outdoor network. Preferably, special exterior or direct burial CAT5 cables should be used for outdoor runs instead of ordinary CAT5. Direct burial CAT5 costs more, but it is designed specifically for outdoor use. Exterior-grade Ethernet cables are waterproof and thus do not require conduit. Both ordinary and direct burial CAT5 cables attract lighting strikes to some degree. Simply burying a cable underground does not lessen its affinity for lightning. Accordinly, CAT5 surge protectors should be installed as part of outdoor Ethernet networks to guard against lightning strikes. A single Ethernet cable, whether indoor or outdoor, is only designed to function over a distance of about 100m (328 feet). Some networks operate successfully with Ethernet cables run 200m or more. When extended past the recommended limit of 100m, Ethernet reliability and performance may suffer, and results can vary from one cable to the next. Active hubs or other repeater devices can be installed with a series of CAT5 cables to greatly extend the range of an Ethernet outdoor network. |
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Quoted:
I remember reading an article years ago on why NOT to install Cat5 cabling between buildings. Anyone got a link to a good article on this subject? Do you really really like lightning? Then feel free to install cat5! It'll fry your cards when it hits, and if you're lucky it won't start a fire. How far and how fast are you trying to get? |
| Nope, it has nothing to do with the weathering. Anytime you have two separate buildings and are dealing with a voltage potential. Running copper between these two points will essentially put voltage on the line. It can mean you just get poor signaling but it can be bad enough to burn out switch ports. Just don't do it. Worst case scenario just run media adapters on each end with a fiber run between the buildings. |
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Here is outdoor burial cat5e.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10233&cs_id=1023305&p_id=4889&seq=1&format=2 I don't see how there would be a problem burying it, as long as no one digs in to it by mistake. |
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Quoted: Nope, it has nothing to do with the weathering. Anytime you have two separate buildings and are dealing with a voltage potential. Running copper between these two points will essentially put voltage on the line. It can mean you just get poor signaling but it can be bad enough to burn out switch ports. Just don't do it. Worst case scenario just run media adapters on each end with a fiber run between the buildings. This, kinda. Buildings with different power sources can be out of sync with each other on the 60hz cycle and thus can cause signaling issues. Speeds will be slower due to error correction with poor signal. The signal is digital so there will be no more than +-5 v on the line, ever, if there are you are seriously doing it wrong as you are injecting a ground loop some how and in that case you will fry switches all day long. Oscillators in the switches and other gear may be out of sync depending how they get their reference. That said, if it is less than 100m, you will be fine as long as it isn't a major backbone link. If you are hooking up a few computers on the other end, no prob, if you are connecting 2 large networks you will have problems and need fiber. ETA: If you are connecting more than a few computers, but not a large network, you could look into link aggregation if your switches support it and get more bandwidth that way. |
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+1 for killahurtz
if going bldg to bldg - need lightning protection,, ground lugs, bullet bonds, etc. U also need OSP rated UTP with a shield and ground wire, plus different bldgs have different ground potentials so if u ground at both ends may get ground loop. Plus distance is a factor no more than 90 meters for cable and than 10 meters for patch cords on each end. That is what spec says, but I have installed at longer distance. Depends what u are pushing, 10/100/1000. If u have any questions IM me |
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Going about 200 ft to a sign on the side of the road. The cable (whatever it is) will be in professionally installed conduit. I suggested mulitmode fiber and media converters... But I have a few people who are insisting that it will be "OK"...which is why I need a good reference to site. I do have a 1,000 ft spool of outdoor rated shielded CatV for those ocassions when I am forced to run CatV outdoors and have no other options (such as up a light pole to a radio) FWIW, I have seen CatV run between buildings, unshielded, in leaky conduit...and it works....but I sure as hell didn't install it |