Garden Office Cat6 Options

siross

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Hi all,

I'm starting the build of a garden office at weekend and would like to run cat 6 cable in for a reliable connection. WiFi does reach but I'd prefer a wired connection for reliability really. The run will be around 20m direct from the Virgin router in to the office so it's not very long. It will go through the wall behind a sofa, in to some conduit clipped to wall for a few metres and then buried in the ground for around 4 metres, again in conduit for extra protection.

I've tied myself in knots looking at different options.

1) Unterminated cable - crimp myself. This was my first thought as it would be easier to get through the wall and in to the conduit. I would however have to buy a crimping tool and some reliable connectors as the connectors that come with the cheap tools look rubbish!
2) Unterminated cable - face plate. This seems like the most professional and "nicest" option, just run the cable as described, terminate at both ends via a faceplate and punch tool then just use a patch cable at either end into router/switch.
3) Just buy a 20m external cable such as this and just drill a larger hole at either end and save myself a load of messing and buying tools? I already have everything required for the required hole at either end.

Am I overthinking this? It's only a run of ethernet to a garden office!
 
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If you can do option #2, do that. Oh, run at least 2 cables, even if you don't use them right away. You will later, trust me. (I'm sure someone else will say the same :) )
 
Something went crazy with my PC and it showed a load of duplicate replies which I tried to delete and ended up deleting my original reply!

Thanks for the reply @ajohnson30 , option 2 is certainly doable, I'll just need some face plates and a punch tool which seem fairly cheap. I was thinking of getting this cable. I could then do 2 runs of 20m with some left over. Presumably it's not worth going for Cat6a or even Cat7 at that length of run?

In terms of running 2, that's seems sensible. Is this for bandwidth issues rather than number of connections? Would a larger switch not do the job?
 
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I did lots of these installs last summer for clients. Steel Wired Armoured Cat6, direct buried, terminated into faceplates at either end. Terminate outside with Wiska Boxes fitted with compression glands, then bring the inner through into faceplates. Generally for SWAC6 I tend to run singles.
 
If you are going direct burial with that cable it need to be2 spade depths deep and should be laid in sand to prevent cable damage from stones. You can go shallower and don’t need sand if you use SWAC6.
 
In terms of running 2, that's seems sensible. Is this for bandwidth issues rather than number of connections? Would a larger switch not do the job?
It's not so much the # of connections/switch as unforeseen things happening later that cause you to decide you (need/want/would like to have) another separate connection in that spot. If you're going to run 1 line now, why not run 2?
 
I did lots of these installs last summer for clients. Steel Wired Armoured Cat6, direct buried, terminated into faceplates at either end. Terminate outside with Wiska Boxes fitted with compression glands, then bring the inner through into faceplates. Generally for SWAC6 I tend to run singles.

If you are going direct burial with that cable it need to be2 spade depths deep and should be laid in sand to prevent cable damage from stones. You can go shallower and don’t need sand if you use SWAC6.

Thanks, it will be in conduit so I wasn't planning on armoured to be honest. It will be fairly deep though, I'll be running an armoured 6mm as well so needs to be fairly deep. They will be appropriately separated to ensure no interference.

Didn't think about a Wiska box to be honest I was thinking of going straight in to conduit connector and silicone. Did you use Wiska boxes at either end?

It's not so much the # of connections/switch as unforeseen things happening later that cause you to decide you (need/want/would like to have) another separate connection in that spot. If you're going to run 1 line now, why not run 2?
No reason why not really other than getting a shorter reel. I'll make 2 runs 👍
 
Yes I terminate into Wiska boxes at either end.

When you say terminate, do you mean run through the Wiska box? The termination is in the face plate and straight through the Wiska in to conduit?
 
I bring the the cable into the wiska box, via a compression gland, at this point I remove the external Steel Wire or Rigid PVC/PU outer protection, so that you are left with just a 'normal' jacketed network cable (that is more flexible and easier to bend) then bring the remainder of this cable into the back-box / pattress and terminate to face plate. Sorry if my wording was mis-leading.

When fixing the Wiska box to an external wall, I tend to cover the back of the box with silicone to prevent water ingress. I also drill a 1mm 'weep hole' into the bottom of the Wiska box as moisture can accumulate inside the Wiska box through capillary action from the armoured cable, via heating and cooling and it needs somewhere to escape. The weep hole also reduces the effect of capillary action.
 
I bring the the cable into the wiska box, via a compression gland, at this point I remove the external Steel Wire or Rigid PVC/PU outer protection, so that you are left with just a 'normal' jacketed network cable (that is more flexible and easier to bend) then bring the remainder of this cable into the back-box / pattress and terminate to face plate. Sorry if my wording was mis-leading.

When fixing the Wiska box to an external wall, I tend to cover the back of the box with silicone to prevent water ingress. I also drill a 1mm 'weep hole' into the bottom of the Wiska box as moisture can accumulate inside the Wiska box through capillary action from the armoured cable, via heating and cooling and it needs somewhere to escape. The weep hole also reduces the effect of capillary action.

Thanks for that :)

The cable I've got isn't armoured so will be flexible enough to just come straight out of the wall. To keep a couple of runs looking tidy, I'll probably put it rear entry (snigger) in to a Wiska Box and then in to black flexible conduit.

The other option would be to go in to the back of one of these, not sure what would look neater to be honest.
 
The other option would be to go in to the back of one of these, not sure what would look neater to be honest.
Honestly either will be fine. I tend not to use 'Single Leg' Terminal Junctions as much in garden areas, just because Wiska boxes have better IP rating. I also tend to carry 1/2 doz Wiska boxes with me and they are flexible enough that they can be used for power or Networking. Also if I am terminating into external compression glands they fit into Wiska boxes much easier
 
Yeah you're right. Might as well do it properly. I'll get a couple of wiska boxes and a 10m flexible kit, this will mean a nice single run of flexi con. I've got some old waste pipe that I can run the flexi con in under ground for a bit of extra protection.

Presumably 2 runs of cat 6 will go through 20mm flexi con once unravelled?
 

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