Anyone run Cat5 or Cat6 to their shop?

[Derek Gilmer]

Thanks, but I'm running a business here. Money I got, time to frig around with coffee cans I don't.
.

In that case get a local networking/comptuer place to come out and quote running it.

If you want to do it yourself I'd say run the cat 6 cable much less trouble than fiber. Get some leviton in wall jacks, they are color coded for easy install. Then plug a router/powered switch in at the wall on both ends and you are good to go. We have runs between data centers a little over 300' actually and it is ok.

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCC...minisite=10027

[Matt Meiser]

Mitchell, here's what I've found.

Media Converters: http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16833156005. These use ST connectors.

Cable: http://www.lanshack.com/2-Strand-Cus...y-P3185C0.aspx

It would cost me around $300 in my case for the system.

[Matt Meiser]

Thanks, but I'm running a business here. Money I got, time to frig around with coffee cans I don't.
.

Hey, that's what the local wireless internet service provider was doing. Of course it didn't work when I had them install it and their web site has since disappeared so....

[paul cottingham]

Have you seen that or are you speculating? I ask because in industrial environments, I've seen problems occur when they lay in in the same cable tray as 480V, but not much else caused by wiring. Overheated or substandard equipment is another story. In my own house I've run multiple runs to each room and most of it runs along one basement wall and branches from there. That big bundle contains phone, Ethernet, and video coax and it works fine. I ran 2 cat5e's to each room, one blue jack and one white jack. blue is ethernet, white is phone but they can be repurposed as needed. That's how most offices I've worked in were wired as well.

I'm inferring. I've seen computers screwed up that have a phone line in a conduit next to a network cable. I can't prove a connection, but can infer one. Thats why I said may give you grief. :-)

Hell, I've seen computers reboot when you switch on a light because someone tied the network cable to a power line for a light with zap straps....

That being said, I too, have massive bundles of cable in my home with mixed cabling and have had little trouble. But I would be careful in conduit. In any offices we wired we avoided phone lines religiously when we wired and that served us well. Again speculation, but informed speculation, as "best practices" (whatever that means) would dictate avoiding phone lines.

[Derek Gilmer]

I'm inferring. I've seen computers screwed up that have a phone line in a conduit next to a network cable. I can't prove a connection, but can infer one. Thats why I said may give you grief. :-)

Hell, I've seen computers reboot when you switch on a light because someone tied the network cable to a power line for a light with zap straps....

That being said, I too, have massive bundles of cable in my home with mixed cabling and have had little trouble. But I would be careful in conduit. In any offices we wired we avoided phone lines religiously when we wired and that served us well. Again speculation, but informed speculation, as "best practices" (whatever that means) would dictate avoiding phone lines.

And I'd be nervous of what the interference over a long run could to to network performance.

[paul cottingham]

Mitchell, Newegg has media converters for as little as $60. TrendNet but they're getting good reviews. Obviously you need a pair.

I haven't yet found long preterminated cables. But I'm wondering, can you pull a pre-terminated fiber cable through 220' of 3/4" conduit? Or do you have to pull unterminated cable and have someone do the terminations. I'm guessing the terminations aren't a one-time DIY job?

Leviton sells a mechanical connector for fibre that is easy to install. There may be a place that rents the termination equipment locally. It's easy (or at least easier than using epoxy or cyanoaccrolate.)

[paul cottingham]

And I'd be nervous of what the interference over a long run could to to network performance.

Yes you would get all kinds of bit timing errors.

[Mitchell Andrus]

I heard back from a company:

To: Mitch Andrus

Fiber Optic would be a better option. Then you do not need to be concerned about voltage surges or ground loops.

I would suggest getting a pair of the model EIS-M-ST $129 each.

You would connect the pair of units with Multi-mode fiber with ST connectors.

Below is a link to more information.

http://www.bb-elec.com/product_multi...tiFamilyId=100


The Fiber optic cable that we sell is not rated for outdoors, so you may need to source that cable.



Sincerely
Peter Fitzpatrick
Technical Support Representative
B&B Electronics
707 Dayton Rd
P.O. Box 1040
Ottawa IL 61350
Phone: 815-433-5100 ext 261
Fax: 815-433-5104

[Mitchell Andrus]

Mitchell, here's what I've found.

Media Converters: http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16833156005. These use ST connectors.

Cable: http://www.lanshack.com/2-Strand-Cus...y-P3185C0.aspx

It would cost me around $300 in my case for the system.

Thanks, I'll check this out. ST connectors seems to be the right ones too.
.

[Matt Meiser]

Check out Ebay Seller CablesAndKits. I can do mine for about $200 from them.

[paul cottingham]

st's or sc's will work. just match them up with the media convertor you get. I prefer st's but just because they are what I learned on.

[Warren Johnson]

3/4 in conduit would be too tight to pull a fiber with connectors on. I suggest you contact a local electrcian, or a company that does voice and data work. Install the fiber yourself and ask them to terminate and test it.

If you go with fiber you will need a media convertor to change signal back to copper (cat x) on both ends.

If you use Cat x, then plug into PC in shop and your router/switch in the house.

[Matt Meiser]

Warren, how big a conduit would you recommend for a duplex SC connector?

[Mitchell Andrus]

3/4 in conduit would be too tight to pull a fiber with connectors on. I suggest you contact a local electrcian, or a company that does voice and data work. Install the fiber yourself and ask them to terminate and test it.

If you go with fiber you will need a media convertor to change signal back to copper (cat x) on both ends.

If you use Cat x, then plug into PC in shop and your router/switch in the house.

All good. I'm thinking 1.5" or better. I've been warned to be sure the cable has a 'pull strand' in it. Not all do and most non-reinforced fiber-optic cables will not survive a 200+' pull.
.

[Matt Meiser]

PVC conduit is so cheap it doesn't really hurt the wallet too much to upsize. As I mentioned before, 3/4" is $0.10/ft but it only jumps to $0.25/ft or so for 1-1/2. A lot cheaper than an electrician visit.

Mitchell, another source I found, well I knew of them, but I found they can do custom assemblies is http://www.showmecables.com. They quoted me $150 for a 62 meter duplex cable with ST connectors and a pull eye. People from work have dealt with them before with good success.

If you go ahead with this, please keep this thread updated--I'll be watching with interest. I'm probably 6-8 weeks out on mine since there's a number of other things that have to happen first.