One other thing to consider is switches with fibre modules in them (or are addable.) That may be cheaper than media convertors plus switch.
Member
One other thing to consider is switches with fibre modules in them (or are addable.) That may be cheaper than media convertors plus switch.
Paul
Member
I would go with 1 1/4 if you can do it. Also, if Cat X is being used instead of fiber, I would recommend "direct burial". I would still install in a conduit. There is a gel inside the jacket to help protect against any water that may get into the conduit. It extra cost will not be that much more and could save on installing another copper line in the future.
Member
Mitchell,
I just reread you original post and see that you have the router already. If you install the conduit, you should be able to get a 200 foot Cat 5e cable with an RJ-45 plug on each end for around $50.00. That would allow you yo plug into the routers and see how the connection works. If you are happy, you could skip the need for fiber at this time.
Think about installing 2 "runs", that way you have a back up or could use one for voice.
Member
Well, I'm committed now. I have 2 of the Trendnet fiber converters I linked to earlier on the way. Got a pair new on Ebay for $50 total including shipping. That's what 2 APC RJ45 surge protectors would have run. I also have a short duplex patch cord with the ST connectors on its way for testing.
I also found a seller with a long enough (60M) patch cable that I could get for around $55 but it doesn't have a pull eye. I see you can buy a reusable pull eye for around $25. Any thoughts from the pros? Or should I just bite the bullet and buy a custom cable assembly?
Mitchell, I sent you some links last night.
Member
Those get expensive... the GBIC modules alone are $300 (need one at each end)... at least the ones I've used with the ProCurve stuff...Originally Posted by paul cottingham
Contributor
Mitchell, I have exactly same distance from my home to shop. When I did my electric cable I put a separate conductor for CAT5. But just last week I install my old PC at the shop, connect it to my wifi router with "Wireless 150N USB Adapter w/ detachable antenna" and INTELLINET NETWORK SOLUTIONS Indoor Omni-Directional Antenna.
it was no wifi signal at my shop when I did check with my mac laptop, but now I have very good to excellent signal with this setup. Even more, I can see another 15 wifi spots. By the way closest neighborhood house in 500-600 feet at least.
Ed.
Member
Mitchell,
I have about 350 total in any one run. I used stock cables and connectors to daisy chain them. I have several 75ft, 50ft and 25ft and a bunch of these...
allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/MT-88/CATEGORY-5E-COUPLER//1.html
I have a DSL modem/router 10/100 in the house and a Zonet 8-port Ethernet Switch in the garage. It's about 175ft from the DSL/Router to the Zonet then another 100ft to 150ft to the computers. I can run 8 computers in the garage and 4 in the house.
The Zonet is powered and conditions the signal so distance is not an issue. I think I paid about 15-bucks for the Zonet.
I turned off network discovery on all but the main Vista machine and assigned each computer it's own IP address. They all use the Samsung printer in the house.
Dave J
Forums: Where all too often, logic is the first casualty.
[OP]
Member
Dave's a power user. 12 computers....?
OK - I'll bite. What the heck do you do with all of them machines?
.
"I love the smell of sawdust in the morning".
Robert Duval in "Apileachips Now". - almost.
Laserpro Spirit 60W laser, Corel X3
Missionfurnishings, Mitchell Andrus Studios, NC
Member
Anyone else hear an evil laugh?
Member
I said, "can run..."
I have 3 in the house and 4 in the garage. In the house one has all the accounting and credit card processing software on it and that never sees the Internet so it is 100% safe and secure. The second one is an older one that still has a lot of programming stuff I sometimes refer to. It was not worth the effort to transfer it all to the Vista laptop so I just use a VNC when I need to look stuff up.
In the garage I have one for the laser which is running w2000 and then VirtualPC 2004 as the laser needs win3.1 and DOS 6.22.
The next one is win98 for one of the metalworking CNC milling machines. It is a big SOB weighing in at 4,500lbs. 100-ipm rapids etc, 2000-lbs table load, 5hp, 6,000rpm 3-phase spindle motor.
Another is a medium sized CNC metalworking mill that is running a 486-IBM desktop and DOS.
The Emco CNC lathe uses an older Toshiba laptop running w2000.
The fourth is a benchtop mill I use for engraving and that runs Mach3 under w2000.
I have another bench-top CNC lathe (win95) and also another bench-top mill (DOS 5.??) but they are not needed so they do not get counted, but could count as they are all part of the network when turned on.
They can all see each other and the data is stored on the laptop in the house.
Me? A gadget freak> Nah.
Dave J
Forums: Where all too often, logic is the first casualty.
Member
While it may work, I don't recommend joining cables. The 568 standard forbids this for a reason. It is an easy way to introduce bit timing errors and all manner of bad things. but to each his own....
I must be off, need to cut something on my tablesaw without any protective gear.....
Paul
Guest
can you cheat and use a CB type radio amplifier? you only need a couple of watts tops each way and you want to stay in the band frequency you start the signal out in.
Member
I can't really talk as I'm a geek too. I've got 2 wireless access points for our private network, 1 for a guest network with a captive portal--kind of like a hotel where no matter where you browse you can't get there until you log in, a PC-based router, a Windows Home Server, shop PC, home PC, work PC, home and work networked printers, DVR, Wii, a bridge in the shop, webcam (so the wife can check on me) in the shop, plus I'm sure something else I'm forgetting.
I want to add a machine to run VMWare Server for work/play.
And soon...fiber to the shop
Member
Matt, I like VirtualPC 2004 and 2007 - free too. Even though the install says it is not for the platforms I use it on, (w2000 and Vista Home Premium) they both work perfectly. I tried several of the others including VMWare but all had limitations and quirks. So far I cannot fault VPC.
I have a VPC2007 on my laptop, that is running w95, w98, DOS 6.22 and win3.1, w2000 and XP so I can test potential network configurations. Along with that all machines (except Vista) boot with TightVNC server so I can access them from anywhere in the world.
As well as all the cable I have the wifi Access Point too. All my friends have pre-assigned IPs and are connected by the time they walk through the door with a laptop under their arm.
And I wonder where all my spare time goes!
Dave J
Forums: Where all too often, logic is the first casualty.
Member
We are heavy VMWare users where I work, that's the only reason I'd go with that. I've used VirtualPC in training and at a previous job and I think its easier to use for the casual user. I was just in a training class where we used Sun VirtualBox. I thought it was cool on Day 1. By Day 3, I hated it. Every machine in the room had it crash at least once. Some damaged the virtual machine files in the process.
I got a short fiber cable (Ebay, $5 total) for testing in the mail yesterday. I'm expecting 2 media converters (Ebay, $50 total) today. And just this morning I bought a 50M fiber cable with the pull eye (Ebay, $28 total). I'd have never considered it if it weren't for this thread.
Mitchell will probably beat me on the install though since I need to wait for the gas company to build the gas main and install my service line before my HVAC contractor can do my gas conversion. Trenching to my shop will be about the last step in the whole process.
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