Cable/WIFI to detached garage

[danielcooper9]

I am building a detached garage in which I plan to have a tv needing cable service from the house and wifi. Is there any reason to run a coax cable as well as a CAT5 line both to the garage. We use Verizon and they have wifi extenders that connect to coax for extending from the main router. I need to decide quickly whether I need to have the electrician put in conduit and a pull string to run both or just run an underground rated coax.

Thanks
Dan

 

[garagelogician]

I would run one or more conduits, just because you never know what you might need out there.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I would run one or more conduits, just because you never know what you might need out there.

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I ran 2 2" conduits to my garage, probably should have ran 3. Used one for a 100 amp service from a dual lug box on the house. This way I did not have to upgrade the house panel to a 200 amp panel. In the second conduit I placed fibre, cat 6, coax and a communication cable for phones. All were rated for direct burial. I know this might have been excessive but who knows what the future may bring.

 

[casmurbax]

I know this might have been excessive but who knows what the future may bring.

^x2

You could never go wrong with having an extra conduit, well only if it is to small. I don't think you will find any threads on here where someone said, "dam, I am sorry I put an extra conduit".

 

[grantw]

...
I know this might have been excessive but who knows what the future may bring.

^x3

Extra conduit would be the great way to go. Personally as a network engineer, I would run the cat5e/6 along with the rg-6 or whatever spec coax you want. I'd rather have the cable unused than not there at all.

 

[kwschumm]

^x3

Extra conduit would be the great way to go. Personally as a network engineer, I would run the cat5e/6 along with the rg-6 or whatever spec coax you want. I'd rather have the cable unused than not there at all.

And make sure you get underground rated cable. Yes, it will be in conduit but conduit always ends up getting water in it - by condensation if nothing else.

 

[grantw]

And make sure you get underground rated cable. Yes, it will be in conduit but conduit always ends up getting water in it - by condensation if nothing else.

it's low-voltage cable, it's fine.

 

[kwschumm]

it's low-voltage cable, it's fine.

Low voltage cables don't corrode? Sure, ummm, OK.

I'll agree that non flooded cables, not stretched or kinked or nicked, installed with the proper bend radius and properly terminated in correct jacks, will certainly work for awhile.

 

[grantw]

my sarcasm was missed

let's try it again....

It's low voltage, no code required! /s

 

[johnnyradiant]

I've been replacing a few runs of coax and cat5 at different sites that have had, to the naked eye, good insulation. They were full of water and degrading the signal beyond function. Maybe if they were high-voltage they'd be fine??

 

[wyliesdiesels]

DEFINITELY put in extra conduit.

Never know what you may tun out therr.

Verify with Verizon that the extenders hookup via coax.

I have NEVER seen a wifi extender that has a coax connection. Typically They connect to the wireless access point via either wireless or hardwired via an ethernet cable.

The only thing i can think of is ethernet over coax adapters... but those are separate from a range extender.

Personally, i wouldnt use anything provided by my ISP and instead install flooded ethernet cable between the buildings and hang 1 or more UniFi AC pro access points with a Unifi controller dongle plugged into a switch in the house.

Make sure you use a surge arrestor on the ethernet cable.

If your area is prone to lightning, fiber between the budings would be better for preventing destroyed equipment on either end.

 

[jumpdrive]

I'll second everything he just said.
There's a ground differential between buildings.
Running copper between buildings, even underground, acts like cannon fuse for voltages you really don't want.

I would run Cat6. If you end up putting an NVR or switch out there in addition to other uses you may appreciate it. In time you will ditch the coax and run everything off of Cat cable.

Don't forget to leave a pull string.
You will need it.

 

[trashmanssd]

I have 3 under ground conduits going to my garage and my only gripe is they are all same size and a tad small. My electrician was able to get 100 amp service out there but had to use all copper wire to meet code size wire for the pipe and its a 125 foot run so copper was noticeably more expensive and a PIA to pull through that long of a pipe, some extra room would been nice. but I have 2 pipes left one for cat 5 and maybe cable other for future considerations.

 

[Falcon67]

my sarcasm was missed

let's try it again....

It's low voltage, no code required! /s

I pulled cheap Cat 5, if it goes "bad" then it becomes a pull string for the next run of cheap Cat 5. My work has 50 pair copper running in conduit underground all over the place, been there for years - no issues in the last 20 years that I recall.

Contrast that with "Tuff Cable" that we've used outside of buildings to connect wifi antennas - lasts 2~3 years maybe.

 

[kwschumm]

my sarcasm was missed

let's try it again....

It's low voltage, no code required! /s

D'oh! Sorry I missed it

 

[kwschumm]

Yep, using fiber between buildings is a good way to save equipment. You could also run copper and use optical isolators on each end. Not real cheap but an option.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I pulled cheap Cat 5, if it goes "bad" then it becomes a pull string for the next run of cheap Cat 5. My work has 50 pair copper running in conduit underground all over the place, been there for years - no issues in the last 20 years that I recall.

Contrast that with "Tuff Cable" that we've used outside of buildings to connect wifi antennas - lasts 2~3 years maybe.

What brand of "tuff cable" are you using?

Ive had great luck with Ubnts latest generation of tough cable...

 

[nh_yota]

Run three conduits - one for electric, one for cable/phone/network and one for a spare or a pex water line. Conduit is much cheaper than the labor cost to dig it up again.

 

[grantw]

To get down to it... UTP CAT5/6/7/whatever, there really isn't a direct electrical connection between ethernet devices. The first component in an ethernet adapter / switch the cable touches is a 1:1 transformer. This is also what allows power over ethernet to work. You can bias the physical wire however you want, but the 1:1 transformer will only pass the differential between TX+/- and RX+/- through to the comm chip.

I wouldn't worry about ground differential between building if your not using shielded cable. Due to lack of planning, I have a ethernet line paralleling a 120V line in about 50 feet of conduit out to my shed to run a raspberry pi and a instance of pi-aware (for flightaware and ADSB tracking). Never had a problem with that ethernet line or voltage issues killing that little Rpi.

I would go with fiber if I could, but long cables already terminated are not *that* cheap as compared to a spool of underground/outdoor rated cat6. The raw fiber cables (6 / 12 strand) spools are cheap enough, and the termination seems rather easy (with the right tools), but fiber termination kits are still prohibitively expensive for the home gamer.

 

[Falcon67]

What brand of "tuff cable" are you using?

Ive had great luck with Ubnts latest generation of tough cable...

Don't know - I'm not the Layer 1 guy. I just know that when a remote has gone offline, it's usually the cable. Haven't lost a Ubiquity node yet (knocks on wood desk top)

 

[wyliesdiesels]

To get down to it... UTP CAT5/6/7/whatever, there really isn't a direct electrical connection between ethernet devices. The first component in an ethernet adapter / switch the cable touches is a 1:1 transformer. This is also what allows power over ethernet to work. You can bias the physical wire however you want, but the 1:1 transformer will only pass the differential between TX+/- and RX+/- through to the comm chip.

I wouldn't worry about ground differential between building if your not using shielded cable. Due to lack of planning, I have a ethernet line paralleling a 120V line in about 50 feet of conduit out to my shed to run a raspberry pi and a instance of pi-aware (for flightaware and ADSB tracking). Never had a problem with that ethernet line or voltage issues killing that little Rpi.

I would go with fiber if I could, but long cables already terminated are not *that* cheap as compared to a spool of underground/outdoor rated cat6. The raw fiber cables (6 / 12 strand) spools are cheap enough, and the termination seems rather easy (with the right tools), but fiber termination kits are still prohibitively expensive for the home gamer.

The unicam ends i use are about $10-$12 each. But the terminator kit is about $1400. Definitely prohibitively expensive for one time use.

 

[tlmartin84]

I went with a ubiquiti nanostation as advised by members here instead of running a direct line.

I have had ZERO issues over the last 18 months. It was EASY to install and setup, My kids stream Netflix while I am working with no issues, and I pull up "how to's" on the net and youtube with no issues.

I'll also be using it with sling.........

I think WIFI is the future and hardlines are on the way out. but that's just my .02 cents.

 

[kwschumm]

I think WIFI is the future and hardlines are on the way out. but that's just my .02 cents.

Certainly true for retrofit, but for new construction copper is a lot cheaper and there's less to go wrong.

 

[zardoz337]

Don't bother with cat5 at all, you only need coax with moca adapter. MUCH stronger signal than cat5 which loses signal integrity over distance. I use moca and get extremely faster throughput with it.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Don't bother with cat5 at all, you only need coax with moca adapter. MUCH stronger signal than cat5 which loses signal integrity over distance. I use moca and get extremely faster throughput with it.

Unless he really procrastinates, you're probably too late. Last post was from 6 years ago.

 

[FredWanaker]

6 year old thread. First time poster trying to open an account to spam or hack probably.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

6 year old thread. First time poster trying to open an account to spam or hack probably.

yeah thats what i thought too

 

[Doublen]

I struggle getting good Wi-Fi coverage into my detached garage due to it being a metal roof/siding building. Had I been there when it was built it would have at least had an extra conduit put in for network.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I struggle getting good Wi-Fi coverage into my detached garage due to it being a metal roof/siding building. Had I been there when it was built it would have at least had an extra conduit put in for network.

Set up a point to point radio bridge. No conduit or underground work necessary

 

[Max]

I struggle getting good Wi-Fi coverage into my detached garage due to it being a metal roof/siding building. Had I been there when it was built it would have at least had an extra conduit put in for network.

Try something like this:

Building-to-Building Bridge - Ubiquiti Store

60 GHz wireless point-to-point bridge with a 5 GHz backup radio.

store.ui.com

 

[Doublen]

Try something like this:

Building-to-Building Bridge - Ubiquiti Store

60 GHz wireless point-to-point bridge with a 5 GHz backup radio.

store.ui.com

For the time being it is fine. We're "patiently" waiting for fiber at our house before I get too far into improving things. I'll eventually have a wired connection to all my out-buildings.

 

[Max]

For the time being it is fine. We're "patiently" waiting for fiber at our house before I get too far into improving things. I'll eventually have a wired connection to all my out-buildings.

If you’re going to dig for conduit I’d think about fiber rather than wire. You don’t have a location, but if you’re in an area that gets a lot of lightning the isolation is nice. I’ve already replaced a toasted cable modem due to lightning where I live - and the input cable had an arrester on it.

About a year ago I redid my home internet. I replaced the standard router/WiFi box with multiple access points and my home WiFi is great now - high speed and no dead areas. I used Ubiquiti throughout.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Try something like this:

Building-to-Building Bridge - Ubiquiti Store

60 GHz wireless point-to-point bridge with a 5 GHz backup radio.

store.ui.com

Those require a unifi controller so i wouldnt use those unless you plan on setting up a unifi infrastructure. there are other ubiquiti bridge radios that dont run on unifi