Running CAT5

[TheGreatSatan]

Is there a maximum distance I can run CAT5 without losing the signal?

[Crazy Buddhist]

About 90 metres (~300 feet) if you want 100MB/s .. this is cat 5 .. 5e can maybe go a little further .. more than that you need repeater boxes. You can daisychain up to five cables and four repeaters to go up to about 450 metres then you are htting signal problems with the speed of the data across that distance.

You can go nearly 500M in one run if you don't mind 10 base-T.

Also if you are running it in ducting with other cables it will affect throughput as might other environmental factors.

Otherwise I'd look at the power over ethernet again or Wireless N - ~ 70MB/s @ 300 feet outside.

CB

[OvRiDe]

Otherwise I'd look at the power over ethernet again or Wireless N - ~ 70MB/s @ 300 feet outside.
CB

Just a little clarification.

Power over Ethernet or POE is where you supply power to a device using the ethernet cable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet

This is used alot for items such as VoIP phones and Wireless Access Points so you don't have to run a separate power line to the device.

What CB is talking about is referred to as Power Line Communication and several other names as well. It uses your existing power lines in the walls to deliver the ethernet signal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_line_communication

When this stuff first came out it was an acceptable connection in a pinch, but it has come ALONG way and is pretty darn good now. One thing I have heard is that if you are on 2 different circuits in your home, (ie breakers) it can cause connection problems, and I am not sure if its gotten any better.

Another pretty cool option now is the new HomePNA equipment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HomePNA

The ATT Uverse system we have uses it to distribute the IPTV signal to the Set top boxes. It can use existing standard telephone cable and/or coax to deliver the signal. The newest standard can deliver speeds of 320M/sec :eek:

[TheGreatSatan]

That's cool. I'll be doing 100 feet tops

[Bopher]

100ft should be nothing to standard CAT5. I ran unshielded all over my dads house along the floor molding and I think the connection from the router to his office was 150ft and he never complained about speed.

[Crazy Buddhist]

TGS You'll be fine up to 309 feet :)

@ OvRiDE: The BT/Comcast branded products I use connect at 200 MB/s (more than my modem or card can handle) and add around 2 ms ping to the router. They are a really solid and reliable connection.

Being on two breakers on the same box is not a problem usually. I know of people who have set networks up accross different houses using this stuff!

What you do need to do is make sure you get yours encrypted and linked properly on installation so anything leaking into wires is garbage.

CB

[progbuddy]

CAT5 should go the ways you want. If not, then just buy a switch for somewhere in between. 15-20 bucks for a pretty good one.

[TheGreatSatan]

It'll come out of my router through the floor, along the basement ceiling to my daughters' PC. One wire.

[Drum Thumper]

Just curious, why not run CAT6?

[Crazy Buddhist]

Just curious, why not run CAT6?

Total overkill. The distance being covered Cat 5e will work at greater speeds than 1GB/s.

CB


Although 1000BASE-T (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigabit_Ethernet#1000BASE-T) was designed for use with Cat 5 cable, the tighter specifications associated with Cat 5e cable and connectors make it an excellent choice for use with 1000BASE-T. Despite the stricter performance specifications, Cat 5e cable does not enable longer cable distances for Ethernet networks: cables are still limited to a maximum of 100 m (328 ft) in length (normal practice is to limit fixed ("horizontal") cables to 90 m to allow for up to 5 m of patch cable at each end, this comes to a total of the previous mentioned 100m maximum). Cat 5e cable performance characteristics and test methods are defined in TIA/EIA-568-B.2-2001.