Question 65m CAT 6 cable run

Breaking Dad

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Just about to start a garden office build and just before we put down the base I just wanted to check that a 65m CAT 6 cable run should be OK? Looking on the net it would seem that up to 100m should be fine but just thought I'd check with the experts before I stick a spade in the ground.;)
 
Yes, distance is fine. Think about installation though. Duct grade cable if in a duct, or external cable if above ground, armoured if direct buried. Run two cables to have a spare. UTP, solid core and terminate into modules, not plugs. Keep separate from power by at least 100mm.

If you want to wing it then run normal or external grade in ducting with a draw rope so you can replace it in a few years, possibly.

oh, cat5e will give you the same performance as cat6 over that distance If it helps.
 
Would there be any point in putting fibre in if we're only on copper to the exchange. Current BB speed around 30Mbps.

Just for an internet connection, no, but there are lots of reasons to have higher speeds internally, but also a few non-speed related reasons to go with fibre. What if you decide at some point to have a file server in the house and you want to access files in your garden office? Having a high speed link between the two buildings would be beneficial there. Adding CCTV in the garden office, again, another plus for higher speeds.

Bare in mind fibre doesn't mean 10-40GB if you don't want it to. 1GB is perfectly reasonable with fibre and is likely what you'll be getting with CAT6/5e anyway.

Fibre is resilient to lightning strikes and interference from other electrical cables. You should also consider ground loops as that's not an issue with fibre.

The cost of fibre isn't too bad, compared to CAT6. There's a little extra cost in media converters depending on the network equipment you have.
 
Just for an internet connection, no, but there are lots of reasons to have higher speeds internally, but also a few non-speed related reasons to go with fibre. What if you decide at some point to have a file server in the house and you want to access files in your garden office? Having a high speed link between the two buildings would be beneficial there. Adding CCTV in the garden office, again, another plus for higher speeds.

Bare in mind fibre doesn't mean 10-40GB if you don't want it to. 1GB is perfectly reasonable with fibre and is likely what you'll be getting with CAT6/5e anyway.

Fibre is resilient to lightning strikes and interference from other electrical cables. You should also consider ground loops as that's not an issue with fibre.

The cost of fibre isn't too bad, compared to CAT6. There's a little extra cost in media converters depending on the network equipment you have.
Thanks for the explanation. I would be connecting this back to a conventional switch and patch panel which is a work in progress. I assume the media converters you are referring to would be to adapt the fibre cable to fit this kind of set up? I'm sure you appreciate I'm no expert when it comes to networking, just picking bits up as I go along, which is why this forum is so helpful. More than likely this would only ever be used for internet connection and Skype calls, and maybe a CCTV camera at some point.
 
Thanks for the explanation. I would be connecting this back to a conventional switch and patch panel which is a work in progress. I assume the media converters you are referring to would be to adapt the fibre cable to fit this kind of set up? I'm sure you appreciate I'm not expert when it comes to networking, just picking bits up as I go along, which is why this forum is so helpful. More than likely this would only ever be used for internet connection and Skype calls, and maybe a CCTV camera at some point.
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What switch do you have currently? What did you have planned for the office end? A single faceplate with an RJ-45 connector or another switch?
 
Blimey you're quick!:D The original plan just a single RJ45 faceplate at the office end, which I think is what Kristian above meant by 'module', no switch required at the office end.
 
The switch is a TP Link 16 port Gigabit Switch
 
Blimey you're quick!:D The original plan just a single RJ45 faceplate at the office end, which I think is what Kristian above meant by 'module', no switch required at the office end.

So in the garden office end, you could use one of these which converts the incoming fibre to an Ethernet port you can plug your computer into. TP-Link MC220L 1000Base-T to 1000BASE-SX/LX/LH Single/Multimode Fibre Media Converter, via 1GbE SFP Port (10km)

You could also use one at the house end if your switch there doesn't have an SFP port like this one TP-Link TL-SL1218MP 16-Port Unmanaged Fast Ethernet PoE+ Switch w/ 2 x 1GbE RJ45/SFP Combo Ports (192W)
 
Blimey you're quick!:D The original plan just a single RJ45 faceplate at the office end, which I think is what Kristian above meant by 'module', no switch required at the office end.

Yep, RJ45 faceplate/module as it has the IDC connector to terminate to, and not terminate on plugs :) You can always add a switch later for more ports/devices/AP etc.

Personally, I wouldn't use fibre unless you're planning on needing to run 10Gb or more,have the outbuilding's power on a different phase to the house, or have to run network clipped to power cable. It'll be more costly in terms of cable and equipment needed. Always fun to play though. If you install ducting then you can always pull something else through if you need it. If you're not using ducting then run at least two cables.

/few ways to do this...
 
Yep, RJ45 faceplate/module as it has the IDC connector to terminate to, and not terminate on plugs :) You can always add a switch later for more ports/devices/AP etc.

Personally, I wouldn't use fibre unless you're planning on needing to run 10Gb or more,have the outbuilding's power on a different phase to the house, or have to run network clipped to power cable. It'll be more costly in terms of cable and equipment needed. Always fun to play though. If you install ducting then you can always pull something else through if you need it. If you're not using ducting then run at least two cables.

/few ways to do this...
Thanks all. I was planning to run a SWA cable from the house to the office in a small trench about a spades width, with 40mm ducting for the ethernet cable on one side of the trench, and the SWA on the other to ensure at least 100mm separation. I've got some plastic pegs to keep it all in position prior to back filling.
 
Sounds like a plan. Don't forget the rope in the ducting! Getting the cable down 65m will be, er, fun so try and get the draw rope (and/or cable) in as you go along if the ducting is in shorter lengths and connected together.
 
I don't think Cfibre is that much more expensive than copper. Personally I would still go with fibre after weighing up the options.
 
I don't think Cfibre is that much more expensive than copper. Personally I would still go with fibre after weighing up the options.
Thanks for your input Puntoboy, you obviously no your stuff when it comes to this kit. I haven't ruled out the fibre, I just didn't' want to have to swap out the switch in the house. Could you just explain what an 'unmanaged' switch is compared with TP switch I currently have. Is it just the addition of the 2 x 1GbE RJ45/SFP Combo Ports?
 
Like I said, a few ways to do this. People have their likes, dislikes and preferences :)
Thanks Kristian, there was me thinking this would be fairly straight forward and it would seem that the options are many and varied. To be honest I want to make this bit as simple as possible as I'v still got to build the bloody thing. I rather rashly promised my wife a shepherds hut garden office, so now the talkings over and I've got to deliver:facepalm:
 
Thanks for your input Puntoboy, you obviously no your stuff when it comes to this kit. I haven't ruled out the fibre, I just didn't' want to have to swap out the switch in the house. Could you just explain what an 'unmanaged' switch is compared with TP switch I currently have. Is it just the addition of the 2 x 1GbE RJ45/SFP Combo Ports?

I know enough to get my by, certainly no networking expert but I regularly come across it as part of my job.

Without knowing the exact model of the switch you currently have I cannot say what the difference is. Unmanaged just means there is no way to configure the switch so it's plug and play. Managed switches have the ability to configure things like VLANs and more advanced networking features.

As mentioned, you don't need to upgrade your switch if it doesn't have SFP ports, you'll just need two of the media converters instead of just one for the garden office.

Cable - Fibre cable

Two media converters - TP-Link MC220L 1000Base-T to 1000BASE-SX/LX/LH Single/Multimode Fibre Media Converter, via 1GbE SFP Port (10km)

Two SFP modules - SFP Modules

Then you 'll just need a standard patch lead from the media converters to the switch and the device you want connecting in the office.

So yeah, Ethernet cable will be cheaper, but not by a huge amount. EssCable CAT6 F/UTP External/Outdoor PE Ethernet Cable Reel, Black, 305m (Boxed)
 
/sorry, missed Puntoboy's response above.

Un-managed means it's a dumb switch and just forwards frames to/from ports as and when needed. As opposed to managed the switch has intelligence and can support things like mulitple VLANs, statistics, remote access, SNMP, port aggregation, maybe routing capabilities etc. I can't say I've seen an unmanaged switch that supports SFPs, but then I look after kit that's all managed.
 
I know enough to get my by, certainly no networking expert but I regularly come across it as part of my job.

Without knowing the exact model of the switch you currently have I cannot say what the difference is. Unmanaged just means there is no way to configure the switch so it's plug and play. Managed switches have the ability to configure things like VLANs and more advanced networking features.

As mentioned, you don't need to upgrade your switch if it doesn't have SFP ports, you'll just need two of the media converters instead of just one for the garden office.

Cable - Fibre cable

Two media converters - TP-Link MC220L 1000Base-T to 1000BASE-SX/LX/LH Single/Multimode Fibre Media Converter, via 1GbE SFP Port (10km)

Two SFP modules - SFP Modules

Then you 'll just need a standard patch lead from the media converters to the switch and the device you want connecting in the office.

So yeah, Ethernet cable will be cheaper, but not by a huge amount. EssCable CAT6 F/UTP External/Outdoor PE Ethernet Cable Reel, Black, 305m (Boxed)
Cheers for the links. I did attach a picture of the switch, not sure if it attached. Its a TP Link TL-SG1016D
 
Cheers for the links. I did attach a picture of the switch, not sure if it attached. Its a TP Link TL-SG1016D

Ah sorry, must have missed that. So yeah, no SFP ports. So you can either replace it with one that does or just use a media converter at that end as well. Personally, I would just use the media converter unless you can think of a reason to upgrade the switch at the same time ;)
 
sorry to hijack your post, but might be relevant.

i already have run 2 x cat 6 external cables, inside plastic ducting, run in trench next to swa to garden building. wall outlet at each end.

wall outlet in house office has 5m cable to router.

the external run is about 65m, but also the cable goes up wall inside house and across floor.

i borrowed a lan/cat cable tester which shows the length on the cable between 88-92m with all pairs showing ok.

i even get the little icon of 3 computers showing it picks up network.

i cannot however connect to internet via my laptop.

i know the house office router end works, because i have another wall plate from an internal room that works.

so i am assuming it might be the 92m run causing the problem.

funny thing is i am trying to get sky q mini box hard wired for garden building, yet currently i have sky hd with magic eye that works in garden building and run must be even longer from loft distribution on co ax

any advice
 
original poster, you have prob finished your project, but if you havent, you could always lay cable out on top of ground first to see if set up works, before burying in ground
 
1. What make/model tester did you use..?
2. What make/model router do you have..?
3. What make/model laptop are you testing with (in particular, we are interesed in it's NIC)..?
4. Did you test both cables,..?
5. Have you got anything else you can test (different laptop, etc.)..?

If the tester you used was a really smart one that can actually detect whether ethernet is present on the wires (the "computer icons" maybe) then it potentially demonstrates that the cable is functioning. Even some of the cheaper testers can do a basic ethernet "presence" test, though that doesn't necessarily mean it will "work" for any given device. (On UTP, even when it's not transmitting data, ethernet is constantly pulsing the line - some testers can pick this up and report it.)

92m is well withing the capabilities of ethernet, Some of us have installed UTP run in excess of the 100m "limit" and they work just fine, so don't "assume" you have a cable length problem based solely on the length - what you need is some evidence.

The "100m" thing is a certification standard - it's not as if gets to 100m then goes all "Black Knight - none shall pass" and refuses to go any further. What this says is that if you use materials and installation practices that conform with this and that standard, then you can be pretty confident that a cable lobe up to 100m should work at "speed" X.

It sounds like you've already done this, but just to be sure; take the laptop you are using for testing, connect it direct to the router port you are using for the shed uplink and see if it works. That will "prove" that the laptop is capable of talking to your router on the relevant port. If possibe, then test the intenal 5m cable run and see if the results are the same. Then we can start inferring issues with the "bandit" cable lobe.

If would also be worth confirming whether "cannot connect to the Internet" literally means just that, or whether you have a more general connectivity problem - it may simply be an IP addressing issue. So when testing with your laptop, have a look at the NIC properties for ethernet and see if it's showing status of "connected" or not and what speed/duplex mode you have (Windows usually tells you, though exactly what to click to find the information depends on the version of Windows you are running - MS keep making it increasingly difficult to get to.) If it's looking connected, then open a CMD window and run an IPCONFIG /ALL and see what IP addressing you've got, then "ping" something both internally as on the Internet and see if there's any difference. Most SOHO routers answer ping, so that;s good enough to prove internal connection. The BBC WWW site usually answers ping which would demonstrate Internet connectedness.
 
original poster, you have prob finished your project, but if you havent, you could always lay cable out on top of ground first to see if set up works, before burying in ground
Ha! if only, the time scale for the home office was dictated by the builder and they are due to start tomorrow. So office build will start, all been well towards the end of September. As usual builders always turn up when the dry weather ends:facepalm: I take your point though I will run the cable above ground and test it works, prior to burying in the trunking.:thumbsup:
 

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