Cat 5e in ground

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Gordy7

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#197945 19-Jun-2016 17:12

I want to run a Cat 5e cable just below ground surface in a lawn for 6 to 12 months.

Probably running lowish data rates on a 100Mbps network and with PoE.

Total cable length about 40m with about 20m underground. Not planning on any extra cable protection.

Any particular cable I should use?

Would probably buy a 100m roll of cable.

Cheers

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

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#1576630 19-Jun-2016 17:31

Yeah, the stuff with gel around it to repel water.

sbiddle

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#1576634 19-Jun-2016 17:37

You either want cable rated for direct burial (expensive) or cheaper gel filled cable which needs to be outdoor rated.

LostBoy

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#1576658 19-Jun-2016 18:10

The options above are the best. I did an 80m and ran it in conduit and sealed both ends but that's because I already had everything.

Gordy7

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#1576687 19-Jun-2016 18:49

Looking at the price of the outdoor gel filled Cat5e cable, I am tempted by the 20m and 30m cables (with connectors) from Aliexpress at about US$9 (including free shipping).

As it is only a temporary cable, I might take the risk.

I can get a mid section joiner above ground under the corner of a building.

I guess the main problem might be the DC on the PoE causing copper corrosion.

My other thought is to use PoE splitters and run a DC pair along side the Cat5e cable.

Cheers

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1576695 19-Jun-2016 19:09

Gordy7:

Looking at the price of the outdoor gel filled Cat5e cable, I am tempted by the 20m and 30m cables (with connectors) from Aliexpress at about US$9 (including free shipping).

As it is only a temporary cable, I might take the risk.

I can get a mid section joiner above ground under the corner of a building.

I guess the main problem might be the DC on the PoE causing copper corrosion.

My other thought is to use PoE splitters and run a DC pair along side the Cat5e cable.

Cheers

Careful, I've bought these before and they were not proper Cat5e cables at all. Conductors were too thin and terribly unreliable.

Gordy7

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#1576700 19-Jun-2016 19:14

ubergeeknz:

Gordy7:

Looking at the price of the outdoor gel filled Cat5e cable, I am tempted by the 20m and 30m cables (with connectors) from Aliexpress at about US$9 (including free shipping).

As it is only a temporary cable, I might take the risk.

I can get a mid section joiner above ground under the corner of a building.

I guess the main problem might be the DC on the PoE causing copper corrosion.

My other thought is to use PoE splitters and run a DC pair along side the Cat5e cable.

Cheers

Careful, I've bought these before and they were not proper Cat5e cables at all. Conductors were too thin and terribly unreliable.

Good point about the quality of the cheap cables from Aliexpress. For the short runs I want I might be better to use my Cat5e patch cable and fit my own connectors.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

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Sideface

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#1576706 19-Jun-2016 19:22

Two problems - cheap and nasty cables, and underground connectors.

Fail.

Sideface

Cbfd

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#1576707 19-Jun-2016 19:24

If its just a temp connection why not run just normal cat5 cable .. I did this for about 18 months a 40m run and had no issues with it

Gordy7

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#1576708 19-Jun-2016 19:25

Sideface:

Two problems - cheap and nasty cables, and underground connectors.

Fail.

Connectors will be above ground and protected from the weather.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1576714 19-Jun-2016 19:40

I think you would be OK with normal cat5e solid core (structured) cable for 12-18 months. The jacket is usually PVC which should survive for that long even if it's underground. You can buy 30 or 50m for not very much money.

http://www.acquire.co.nz/acquire/default.asp?PageID=ProductDetail&pf_id=178857&dept_id=1800087&Channel=retail

chevrolux

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#1576727 19-Jun-2016 20:18

For 6-12 months a standard indoor cable will be just fine. No pint spending the extra for outdoor cable if it isnt permanent.

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RunningMan

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#1576739 19-Jun-2016 20:39

I had a temp indoor rated cat5e cable run over a roof in the sun and rain - lasted about 18 months before the outer jacket perished. Even then, it kept going.