Internet to shed... Wifi or hardwired

[sok454]

Good afternoon!

I'm purchasing a house w a shed that will eventually become my cigar lounge. It already has electricity ran to it.

It is about 60-70' from the back of the house. My question is should I look for a wifi extender or should I just run a small trench of Cat6 out to the shed and then set up a wireless route our there? I'm not sure if the distance is a bit too far for a extender or not...and where would I put it?

Thank you!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

wifi extenders ****

if youre gonna do wireless, you want a wireless bridge.

but me personally I would choose hardwired over wireless any day

 

[sok454]

Thank you for the tip!

Yeah I extenders I've had in the past were trash and it looked like I'd need to set up a MESH network which would seem to cost a lot more than running some cable and having another wireless router that I have in storage in the shed.

 

[shade]

Hard wired and call it a day

 

[P0234]

The ethernet over powerline have gotten pretty good from what I've read, might be another option. I have a set coming for a place in my house that has poor wifi.

 

[sok454]

The ethernet over powerline have gotten pretty good from what I've read, might be another option. I have a set coming for a place in my house that has poor wifi.

Interesting I completely forgot about that as an option. I think I had that set up 10 years ago in a house and it was not real set up friendly.

 

[QtheGenius]

what do you plan to do in the shed? just stream music or have a smart TV? If you can run a hard line directly to an access point, that might be best. Otherwise at that range, if you can put an access point in the closest corner of the house, and anything streaming should be able to reach.

 

[Sumboodie]

Wifi shouldn't be an issue.

My plain Jane router shoots internet out to almost the end if my dooryard, about 250ft from the router.

 

[sok454]

what do you plan to do in the shed? just stream music or have a smart TV? If you can run a hard line directly to an access point, that might be best. Otherwise at that range, if you can put an access point in the closest corner of the house, and anything streaming should be able to reach.

Yeah just music and maybe TV. I probably will see how well the router does initially before doing any trenching. I have some other work (insulation, paneling, possible addition of more outlets) before I set up the TV etc. Plus I have a few months before it get's cold. Thank you all!

 

[larry4406]

wifi extenders ****

if youre gonna do wireless, you want a wireless bridge.

but me personally I would choose hardwired over wireless any day

Surprised at the wired vs fiber recommendation.

All the other “how do I get internet to detached structures” threads evolve to using fiber due to concerns of lightning frying wired Ethernet components.

 

[u2slow]

If the shed has metal siding, wifi will be an issue. You'll need a something on the exterior of the building to bring connectivity inside.

I'm a fan of running the cable first and bury it later. I'm a 'want it now' kind of guy... Lol

IMHO, people worry too much about lightning. It destroys things despite our petty measures. Supposing you have proper power to your shed, there is a bonding wire back to the source which is a lower resistance path.

 

[mcj115]

Look into a mesh network. Agreed that range extenders ****, but mesh networks are different technology, yet work "semi-similar" I have a Netgear Nighthawk system purchased at Costco that I am 90% happy with.

 

[sok454]

Look into a mesh network. Agreed that range extenders ****, but mesh networks are different technology, yet work "semi-similar" I have a Netgear Nighthawk system purchased at Costco that I am 90% happy with.

What did it cost?

 

[BrandonV]

If the shed has metal siding, wifi will be an issue. You'll need a something on the exterior of the building to bring connectivity inside.

I'm a fan of running the cable first and bury it later. I'm a 'want it now' kind of guy... Lol

IMHO, people worry too much about lightning. It destroys things despite our petty measures. Supposing you have proper power to your shed, there is a bonding wire back to the source which is a lower resistance path.

I have a chunk of fiber in my office destroyed by lightning. If mother nature wants to destroy something she will.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Surprised at the wired vs fiber recommendation.

All the other “how do I get internet to detached structures” threads evolve to using fiber due to concerns of lightning frying wired Ethernet components.

well i didnt say what type of wired connection. but yeah fiber is best

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If the shed has metal siding, wifi will be an issue. You'll need a something on the exterior of the building to bring connectivity inside.

I'm a fan of running the cable first and bury it later. I'm a 'want it now' kind of guy... Lol

IMHO, people worry too much about lightning. It destroys things despite our petty measures. Supposing you have proper power to your shed, there is a bonding wire back to the source which is a lower resistance path.

lower resistant path than what? that wire is for ground faults NOT lightning. the grounding electrodes required at the detached structure are for lightning

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Look into a mesh network. Agreed that range extenders ****, but mesh networks are different technology, yet work "semi-similar" I have a Netgear Nighthawk system purchased at Costco that I am 90% happy with.

I used to use nighthawks for years. when netgear switched to third party written firmware they went downhill fast. they are garbage now. I have a used one for sale and nobody wants it

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I have a chunk of fiber in my office destroyed by lightning. If mother nature wants to destroy something she will.

armored?

 

[BrandonV]

armored?

Had a tracer wire and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[u2slow]

lower resistant path than what? that wire is for ground faults NOT lightning. the grounding electrodes required at the detached structure are for lightning

Lower resistance than cat 5/6.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Had a tracer wire and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

probably wasnt bonded.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Lower resistance than cat 5/6.

you dont want lightning traversing your EGC to the next building. make sure your GEC and electrodes are up to snuff

 

[larry4406]

I have an Orbi 750 Mesh network at home that works quite well.

I can get 4 bars at the barn which is about 300' away.

 

[u2slow]

you dont want lightning traversing your EGC to the next building. make sure your GEC and electrodes are up to snuff

The majority of Canadian outbuildings don't have electrodes. Ground once, at the service entrance. That is our Code. The bond wire back to source is considered sufficient.

Lightning doesn't care about the border. It is destructive despite mitigation attempts.

 

[welder4956]

I'm planning to do pretty much the same and bury a cat 6 cable to the garage. Does it need to be grounded at the entry point?

 

[mike93lx]

I do mesh for my house and yard. Works great, and I even have cat 5 throughout.

 

[loganb]

If hard wiring is an option, you wont regret it.

 

[txvwnut]

I bought one of these www.extend-tecc.com to try in my detached garage. Garage is about 75 feet from the house all metal building, I placed it near a window on the wall closest to the house and it works amazingly well for what it cost.

 

[BrandonV]

probably wasnt bonded.

Probably right... we've had folks disconnect the bond thinking it was for gas.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

The majority of Canadian outbuildings don't have electrodes. Ground once, at the service entrance. That is our Code. The bond wire back to source is considered sufficient.

Lightning doesn't care about the border. It is destructive despite mitigation attempts.

The bonding i have done on microwave towers says otherwise

Some of them have taken direct hits and not one thing was fried

Canadian code makes no sense. You want rods on detached structures to provide path to earth for lightning. Instead of giving it the pathway to your main service

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Probably right... we've had folks disconnect the bond thinking it was for gas.

Geez even a metal gas line needs to be bonded

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I'm planning to do pretty much the same and bury a cat 6 cable to the garage. Does it need to be grounded at the entry point?

Use surge arrestors…

 

[The Cobbler]

Canadian code makes no sense. You want rods on detached structures to provide path to earth for lightning. Instead of giving it the pathway to your main service

I was thinking of this the other day actually, wondering why we don't do it... We tend to be more nanny state that our friends south of us tend to be...
I have to wonder if it a very low risk?

 

[u2slow]

The bonding i have done on microwave towers says otherwise

Some of them have taken direct hits and not one thing was fried

Canadian code makes no sense. You want rods on detached structures to provide path to earth for lightning. Instead of giving it the pathway to your main service

This is like the surge protection topic.... how much do you want to pay for?

How tall is your shed relative to surrounding structures? (trees, power poles, transmission towers, high-rises) and with that in mind, the likelihood of attracting a direct lightning strike?

Canadian Electrical Code (Part 1) is the Code in force. It is the minimum. Lightning arrest is no longer in the scope. The folks who engineer microwave towers are free to add whatever lightning protection they wish.

Edit: the focus of CEC has been more about mitigating circulating ground currents, and that is a reason we try to ground a consumer's service only once.

 

[BrandonV]

Geez even a metal gas line needs to be bonded

Oh this is where the gas company leaves a little tracer wire totally disconnected from the plastic supply pipe going to peoples homes and businesses. They usually bury it pretty far above the plastic pipe and just leave it sticking out of the ground for someone to inevitable bond in error or cut or whatever. Pretty common in AZ.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Before doing anything, just walk out there with your laptop and see what kind of reception you get. You never know, it may be just fine. I know I can get a good clear connection in my garage that's just as far away from the house as your situation.

 

[mobiledynamics]

I have an Orbi 750 Mesh network at home that works quite well.

I can get 4 bars at the barn which is about 300' away.

That may have a strong antenna but can your phone talk back to it....at 300 ft well ?

 

[acer66]

Before doing anything, just walk out there with your laptop and see what kind of reception you get. You never know, it may be just fine. I know I can get a good clear connection in my garage that's just as far away from the house as your situation.

I wonder if that is GJ approved approch.

 

[larry4406]

That may have a strong antenna but can your phone talk back to it....at 300 ft well ?

I seem to have very good coverage external to the home and the barn 300’ away. No problem surfing, uploading pics, or downloading manuals out there.

I have one odd not quite partial dead zone at my patio 25-40’ from the router and satellite. Naturally it’s where I like to sit. I think it’s an overlap problem of the router and satellite and the metal roof on the kitchen.

If I can pull an Ethernet cable from my desk top to router then I can move a satellite closer to patio. Or just by another satellite.

 

[mobiledynamics]

Nice. I only ask as while the Orbi may be able to send a strong signal (u see 4 bars), the device needs to send data back ......