PCA Forums

whats the longest run i can go ?
and is there a underground type of rj45 cable ?

im thinking of running it out to my work shed . its have to be a single 150 ft run . is this a possible idea
also on the same note.
im thinking of running cable tv out there and i have to do the same as with the rj 45 .

any one done this or know if it can be run that long with out loss of signal off my router ?

Is wireless an option? You're going to spend about the same on burying a cable. If you have direct line of site (window in each building facing each other) a modern Wireless G system will easily bridge that far. I do it all the time for clients. Put the access point in the window, and it should be above any metal screen (screen will act as a shield). Use a USB NIC at the shed and velcro it right to the window.

As far as cable, 150 feet is fine. You can usually go 1000 ft without using a switch to relay the signal. We used to make runs that far at race tracks I worked at.

They do make outdoor rated cable. You can buy it at Home Depot or Lowes for around $50 for 500 feet. However be aware that "outdoor" does not mean it should be exposed to the weather. Sunlight will eventually rot it out. If the wire will be exposed between where it exits the house and enters the ground, put it in a piece of plastic conduit to protect it from the elements.

Otherwise direct burial is fine.

The REALLY big problem you have to worry about is lightning. That long cable will act as an antenna. Trust me, I see this all the time. You WILL occasionally take a surge through that cable through induction from a nearby lightning strike.

The remedy for this is two-fold. Bury the cable DEEP - at least 2 feet deep. Me, personally, I would also put it in metal conduit. Not strictly necessary but it will shield the wires. If you don't live in a lighning prone area you can pass on the metal conduit. I live in the lightning capitol of the U.S. so I'd use conduit.

Irregardless of how deep you bury it or whether or not you use conduit, you DO want to put an RJ45 surge protector on each end. I use these in all situations where a client has buried cables. Without them we fry switches and NICs here all the time. You may occasionally fry a surge protector during a bad strike, but it usually protects the network.

I use APC P-Nets: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817106207

You want one on each end of the cable, and connect the ground wire to a good ground.

i have PVC run underground now I'm thinking of running it in. but it has 3 lengths of #6 electrical wire run in it .its under ground rated wire . will this be a problem for the rj-45 or rj-6 cable .in terms of power problems ? like affecting signal . it is running the power out to the shed ! its all on a 40 amp 220 circuit breaker ! .
the PVC pipe is 1.25 so thats not a problem room wise to add the cables if they don't have a problem being this close to the home current. 110/220 volt wires there already .
will this be a problem .

It's not code, and I personally wouldn't run data cable in the same pipe with AC power - bound to cause problems with signal interference. I'd run it in a seperate pipe. Not going to hurt it to run alongside the other pipe, but you don't want those cables wrapped around each other in the same pipe - that will cause induction.

looks like i be redigging my ditch,and adding more pipe in there

yea running cables between buildings (especialy large steel ones) is a bad ideal. the difference in charge during a lighting storm will use the network cables to balance out the charge between the 2 (or more) building and will destroy stuff with out having to take a direct hit.