lenkrufka Posted June 7, 2006 CID Share Posted June 7, 2006 I am currently running cat 5 cable a distance of approx. 500 feet from a router to a switch at my office network. Just recently I installed a new computer but I am no longer able to get on the internet. My computer tech says the distance I am running the cat 5 cable is too long and too much is being lost in the signal to be able to get on the internet. Question 1) with this distance (500 feet) from the modem to the office network should I look into a wireless set up and if so what would be a good set up. Question 2) is there any work around to continue using the 500 feet of cat cable connection? Your input is greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinlay Posted June 7, 2006 CID Share Posted June 7, 2006 What type of Cat 5 you running. 100 350 or 500mhz. When i network my computer to my fatherlaws computer which was about 100 or more feet, my hub would only work on one end. so when i replaced it with 350mhz it work bothways and noticed faster transfers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resopalrabotnick Posted June 7, 2006 CID Share Posted June 7, 2006 iirc the spec for cat5 is 333 feet. or thereabouts. for a quick workaround (and if you have power available there, hack the cable in half, crimp on two rj-45's and connect the two segments with a cheap hub.or preferably a cheap switch that should work. the hub/switch will receive signals and retransmit them down the second segment. thereby you are not going over the max length. for a fixed installation i would not recommen wireless unless you are going over open ground or under a road or something so you can't hang a hub/switch onto the line. if that is the case i would get two wireless bridges and build cantennae for them or rig up a pair of yagis or even a dish setup to get decent signal quality. (note that using a directional antenna on a wireless device intended for omnidirectional output probably will put it over the fcc signal strength levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenkrufka Posted June 7, 2006 Author CID Share Posted June 7, 2006 Might a signal amplifier work approx 250 feet down the cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resopalrabotnick Posted June 7, 2006 CID Share Posted June 7, 2006 yeah. but would also need power. and a ten dollar 4 port switch is probably cheaper... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FGOKURULES Posted June 11, 2006 CID Share Posted June 11, 2006 Hey how about an optical transciever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resopalrabotnick Posted June 11, 2006 CID Share Posted June 11, 2006 of course you can just run fiber over the distance. but the cost of that plus the transcievers or optical port equipped switches... the only upside would be the distance not being an issue with fiber... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlewis23 Posted June 11, 2006 CID Share Posted June 11, 2006 lenkrufka at my office there is a computer about 800 feet away from the switch, and we were constantly having problems with loss packets and the internet not working, so all i did was put in a router about half way and it fixed the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FGOKURULES Posted June 12, 2006 CID Share Posted June 12, 2006 Hey an inexpensive transciever that just takes an incoming ethernet connections and converts it to fiber optics and transmits is about $150.00 plus 30-50 for the optical cable and another $150.00 for another transciver to convert the optics back to ethernet and an inexpensive switch or hub.. and bam....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
php Posted June 13, 2006 CID Share Posted June 13, 2006 Or a $10 switch or hub and an extra cable for parts and bam... Maybe I'm just cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenkrufka Posted July 19, 2006 Author CID Share Posted July 19, 2006 I resolved the problem: 1) Followed recommendation to install a switch about 250 feet down line and 2) Discovered that I had a bad NIC card in a new Acer computer>>after replacing the card and installing the switch = $60.00 all is well and my downloadtests have increased. Thanks for all the feedback. Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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