Long cat5e extension cable

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RGP

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Topic # 128809 23-Aug-2013 22:59

Hi - How long is too long for a cat5e extension cable? I need to install a temporary internet connection for one week, each year, between a farmhouse (satellite broadband connection) and the farm cottage about 100 mtrs away in a remote area (no cell phone coverage). I have previously run a temporary line between the two for telephone but this year and am considering running a separate cat5e cable as well alongside for broadband. Is 100mtrs too far? Tried dailup last year but connection through usb modem to laptop was painfully slow.

cheers
Ross

chevrolux

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Reply # 883707 23-Aug-2013 23:39

You can run am ethernet cable up to 100m. If you really want to make sure it will work use good quality Cat6 and you should be good as gold.

InstallerUFB

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Reply # 883748 24-Aug-2013 06:30

100m is the design max for UTP cabling (10/100/1000) - that is 100m of solid core cable with plugs crimped onto each end and dirctly pluged into your equipment -

The use of strandard cabling (patch cords) reduces the effective lenght - so for about 80m of patch cord you have the about the same effective length of 100m soild

RunningMan

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Reply # 883757 24-Aug-2013 07:28

If distance wise you are OK, why not run it in a conduit or some other protection and make it more permanent, rather than a temp job each year?

Alternatively, use WiFi. With LOS and no interference, even residential grade gear may be OK for 100m...

coffeebaron

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Reply # 883789 24-Aug-2013 10:25

If there is a phoneline between the houses you can run VDSL LAN extender. This is good for 500m plus. You can also do the same with the CAT5e/6 cable if the 100m is a bit of a stretch.

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Zeon

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Reply # 883808 24-Aug-2013 11:39

If you have good quality cable and good quality connections you can probably go over that slightly. Ubqiuiti have specialist outdoor cat5 cable as I think others do also.

Inphinity

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Reply # 883821 24-Aug-2013 12:30

You can use an active repeater part-way along the run if needed (and if practical for your setup) to increase the permissible run length.

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cyril7

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Reply # 883857 24-Aug-2013 13:23

From experience, just over 100m is not an issue, but start pushing 120odd and you might have issues. If you use 23awg cat6 outdoor rated cable you will help things as the attenuation is lower. Then next thing after attenuation that kills you is skew, but that is only an issue if you are trying to do GigE, for 10/100 Fast ethernet skew is not an issue in this context.

As an aside, cat5e is normally 24AWG, to meet ClassE specs most (but not all) manufactures use 23AWG for Cat6, this helps with cross talk and attenuation, that said ethernet structured cabling is only designed for 100m total channel length, 90m of fixed cabling plus 2x 5m patch/fly leads, clearly if you forgo terminating on jacks with patch/fly leads and just put RJ45 plugs in each end and direct into the NICs/Switches at each end you will help wiith an over length channel.

As others have mentioned, you could put a switch midspan if there was a suitable housing, send DC power to it using a passive injector, this will get around the the over length channel issue.

Cyril

RGP

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Reply # 883953 24-Aug-2013 17:25

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. To keep it low cost I will probably get some Cat6 cable and give it a go. A switch in the middle of the line would also be a good option if needed.
Cyril - How does a passive power injector work? Does it use the same Cat6 cable? As it's only for a week I suppose I could run the switch off a 12v battery??

Thanks again
Ross

richms

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Reply # 883970 24-Aug-2013 17:53

I have run 100 meg ethernet thru most of a box of 305m of wire that I didnt want to cut any more off. It worked. Probably about 180-200m of cable left in the box. Didnt try gigabit, speeds seemed ok, it was a temporary cable thru someones backyard between 2 houses when an ISP dropped the ball with a move. Was going to cut the cable if it didnt work on the remaining box worth but it did so ended up not cutting it.

Richard rich.ms

PaulBags

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Reply # 884338 25-Aug-2013 21:23

richms: I have run 100 meg ethernet thru most of a box of 305m of wire that I didnt want to cut any more off. It worked. Probably about 180-200m of cable left in the box. Didnt try gigabit, speeds seemed ok, it was a temporary cable thru someones backyard between 2 houses when an ISP dropped the ball with a move. Was going to cut the cable if it didnt work on the remaining box worth but it did so ended up not cutting it.

Slightly off topic, but reminds me of this article.

webwat

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Reply # 886533 29-Aug-2013 14:28

I would say the main thing is to use outdoor gel-filled cable, whether Cat5e or Cat6. This will prevent moisture getting into the cable and causing trouble since the normal cable jacket absorbs moisture. It will also make it messy to put a plug on the end, so make sure you have some paper towels ready to wipe the grease off the wires.

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