RJ45 Lan up to 200 feet? [modified]

[Rocky Moore]

I will be running a lan to an out-building (better than an out-house), and it looks like it will be about 200 feet of a wire path. Should that distance be able to be handled by a typical router such as Belkin wireless (already have a Wireless G with lan ports but does not provide enough bandwidth signal in the out-building) or the likes? Most I have had to deal with RJ45 is about 30' to 50'. Update: Thanks everyone for the help, it is appreciated!

Rocky <>< Recent Blog Post: Paper, Plastic or neither?

modified on Thursday, September 18, 2008 8:50 AM

[Bert delaVega]

I ran 150' without problems, but only 90 of that went outdoors. I think Cat 5 max is ~250 - 300 feet. Not sure about the router though. You can always try it out before installing it.

[Mladen Jankovic]

Cat 5e cables have theoretically 100 meters (320 feet) limit, but you can be sure if you test it using this "toy"[^].

[Genetic Algorithm Library]

[ied]

Maximum length for Cat-5E cabling is 100 meters (~350ft). -- Ian

[Member 96]

As others have said 100 meters so you should have no problem provided you do all the proper installation techniques (i.e. don't run parallel with AC electric cables anywhere, don't crimp it or bend it tightly and ensure that it's properly terminated so that the connectors are not holding only by the wires but by the jacket etc etc). I've personally run cat5 up to pretty close to that limit with no issues.

---

"It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it." -Sam Levenson

[code frog 0]

200 is well below the maximum so you are fine.

[gdaley]

The official maximum length for a Cat 5 cable (with RJ45 connectors) is 100 metres, so you should be fine. However, as you are running the cable to an out-building, you might be concerned about the effects of electric storms, which can result in major changes to the potential difference and cause damage to your equipment. To be on the safe side, a fibre optic connection might be better. Cheers, Graham.

--- There are 10 types of people in this world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[S Brozius]

If you are bothered about electrical storms, you could also use foiled twisted pair-cable (same as standard cat5e, but with tinfoil around the twisted pairs). This does require different wall-outlets, however, but is more resistant/less susceptible to interference from outside the cable. If you are putting the cable underground, be sure to use a good, shock-proof pipe, through which to lead the cable; you don't want to have to do it all over if you accidentally hit the cable with a spade while working in the garden, or reworking the tiles, or something. About the wireless router: be sure there are no bushes, trees and other shrubbery in the line of sight; the leafs of these interfere with the signal, e.g. the water in the leafs blocks the signal. So if it works now (with possibly some/a lot fewer leafs on the shrubs than in springtime?), it might not work when spring comes back around... I found out the hard way....

[Russell Jones]

If you've got line of sight to the out building a cantenna may be able to pick up the signal better than a plain aerial. The disadvantage is that it makes the wireless very directional so the other devices in the house will get reduced signal. Russell

[Roger Wright]

Go for it. As others have mentioned, the theoretical limit is 100m or about 330'. Hell, I've run RS232 cable that far, and it's rated for 50'. Pay close attention to the terminations - good, tight crimps with no more than 3/8" untwisted wire - and the routing - avoid ac power lines, fluorescent lights, dimmer switches and motor speed controls, and keep bend radii as large as practical. If you can afford fiber, use it. For outdoor runs it will save you a lot of grief if you're at all subject to lightning strikes. Have fun! BTW - I'm running a RS232 connection now - still untested - 150' through an electrical substation, thence 10 miles over a 900MHz radio link and into a PC. This could get exciting, especially with the severe thunderstorms we get all summer. :-D

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

[Rocky Moore]

Wow, that is a bit spendy ;)

Rocky <>< Recent Blog Post: Paper, Plastic or neither?

[Rocky Moore]

Actually, I plan to house it slightly undergound in PVC. Should keep me safe except for moles :)

Rocky <>< Recent Blog Post: Paper, Plastic or neither?

[Rocky Moore]

Sounds good to me! Will have to get this in over the next month to make sure I get there before our ground freezes :)

Rocky <>< Recent Blog Post: Paper, Plastic or neither?

[Dan Neely]

so buy a dedicated accesspoint for the directional link. It's still cheaper than digging and burying a wire.

Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall

[Dan Neely]

IF you do go the buried route, consider running a few extra lengths of cable that you don't use. It's much easier to install replacements/extra capacity during the initial excavation instead of having to dig again.

Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots. -- Robert Royall

[ghle]

Regarding kinking the cable or severe bends, there is an easy answer to how severe is severe. Cables have a natural bending radius. When you create a loop of wire, it is the radius that the cable easily remains without pulling or twisting. If you never reduce the radius less than that you remain within specs for the cable. Note that I said "never". To reduce the radius less than that minimum may cause irreparable damage even if straightened out again later. The shorter the cable, the less effect of a tight radius. As others have said, 200 feet will be no problem. For future reference, if you have to run greater than 100 meters, just stick a network switch in the line at less than 100 meters. Each segment is less than 100 meters and everything will be good. Cheers.

Gary

[dmpthekiller]

I agree...!

[chris ruff]

My dear Dan Arrrrgh..every time I see your signature it increases the potential that I may use that ridiculously harmed word in conversation around others :omg:

Do we weigh less at high tide?

[Malcolm Waring]

I have been using cheap fiber converters for this situation for years. If you have a surge issue of any kind, any difference in ground potential will go right through your equipment. The converters are about $100 new but you can get them for less than $10 each if you watch ebay. Converter Same with the fiber. 100m indoor patch cords with the connectors are $50 or more but if you watch you can get them cheap. I have the equipment to do my own terminations but it actually costs more, especially if you factor in my time. 100 meter patch cord You can use this orange indoor stuff if you carefully pull it through the conduit. I bought about a 50 rolls a few years ago for less than $10 each and we use is exposed on this wooden bridge that gets taken down every winter (and sometimes unexpectedly from flooding). Golf bridge in top photo We string it across just outside the railing with a few tie-wraps. Sometimes we can get two installations out of it but it's just as easy to throw it away. The only time it failed (besides flooding) was from a weedwacker. There are boxes on each end where the rest of the run is direct burial indoor/outdoor (also from ebay). It's used for a point of sale PC for the golfers to eat and drink. We have a second run for a spare that is a on a separate physical network that supplies WiFi out there "just because we can."

[Snowman58]

Watch out for ground water in the conduit. I worked in a company that had underground conduit & the network went to cr*p everytime it rained!