Running Ethernet to shop

[Whiskeymike]

I'm looking to run Cat6 cable from my house to the 30x40 shop and looking for advice on method and materials.

Should I run it in the air or bury it?

There is already a phone line running from the house to the shop between the rooflines. Unfortunately, it's not Cat5 or better. I'm thinking of replacing that line, or running this in conjunction with the existing line. If I do this, what is the right method to attach the wire between the buildings that will hold the stress at each end? Is there particular hardware for this that should be used? Is there cable that is made for suspension?(That has an inner cable for strength or something?)

I would expect that burial is preferred as you don't have to worry about a truck catching the line, UV or rain damage, etc.. but it definitely seems quite a bit more involved as I would need to rent a trencher, lay the pvc conduit, etc..

 

[sean Buick 76]

I would just buy a long Ethernet cable and zip tie it to the existing cable.

 

[EOC_Jason]

How far apart are the two buildings?

Be it aerial or buried, I would use jelly-filled cable to make sure you won't have moisture problems. The jelly filled you can direct bury.

As the previous person said, I would just zip-tie it to the existing cable. If you are going to bury the cable you might as well run conduit and move the phone line underground too.

 

[sweetcretin]

I would just buy a long Ethernet cable and zip tie it to the existing cable.

This is going to be your easiest method. Buy CAT6 with UV stabilized jacket. It costs more (like 3x as much), but it won't fall apart in a year. CAT6 running at 100 MHz will give you more than 100 meters if needed.

I would stongly consider a wireless bridge before messing with a trencher. Even the cheap bridges can do a quarter of a mile with directional antennas and line of sight.

 

[TBone69]

How far away is it/ Maybe go wirelesss and get a wireless repeater to extend the distance withing the shop.

 

[jonzer12]

forget wireless, go EOP (Ethernet over power). So long as you are on the same phase of power it FAR outperforms any wireless technology and in most cases costs less than the conduit and glue to bury cable.

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

forget wireless, go EOP (Ethernet over power). So long as you are on the same phase of power it FAR outperforms any wireless technology and in most cases costs less than the conduit and glue to bury cable.

+1 for that.

You will spend about $50 and will not have to worry about running wires or installing wireless repeaters.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...27481&ef_id=UZpNVgAAAax1BSuL:20131125214508:s

 

[Cryptic1911]

Or just buy some direct burial cat5e/cat6 and go that way

 

[CNGsaves]

That aerial telephone wire you have now is lightning strike waiting to happen. I would not risk my computer equipment to lightning.

Long-term the best solution is buried conduit and run 3 cables underground:
. . . . . Qty 2 of CAT 5e/6 and Qty 1 RG6 . . . . .
One of the ethernet cables can be used for phone, and other for internet. RG6 is your CATV.

Conduit can be anything from 1" black sprinkler water pipe, 1" yellow plastic polyethelene natural gas pipe, or authentic 10 ft sticks of 1" Sch 40 electric conduit - - - - - - just get whatever you can cheapest for your low voltage wires. Bury the conduit at least 12" but 18" would be better. Leave a pull string in there so you're ready for future fiber upgrade !!

 

[Rodhotz]

That aerial telephone wire you have now is lightning strike waiting to happen. I would not risk my computer equipment to lightning.

Long-term the best solution is buried conduit and run 3 cables underground:
. . . . . Qty 2 of CAT 5e/6 and Qty 1 RG6 . . . . .
One of the ethernet cables can be used for phone, and other for internet. RG6 is your CATV.

Conduit can be anything from 1" black sprinkler water pipe, 1" yellow plastic polyethelene natural gas pipe, or authentic 10 ft sticks of 1" Sch 40 electric conduit - - - - - - just get whatever you can cheapest for your low voltage wires. Bury the conduit at least 12" but 18" would be better. Leave a pull string in there so you're ready for future fiber upgrade !!

Best advise so far! The wire ties will rot off in less than a year and now it will be hanging around! Did just what CNG said a year ago and have never looked back, and i also have one cat 5 i am using for my cameras in the shops.

 

[brucer]

$20 dollar repeater off ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wireless-Wi...osters_Extenders_Antennas&hash=item2ec20bce3e

 

[theoldwizard1]

I concur with CNG, except that I would pay the extra for CAT6. It uses heavier gauge wire (22 vs 24 IIRC) so it is less like to fail when being pulled.

 

[Slednut]

I would just buy a long Ethernet cable and zip tie it to the existing cable.

This is what I would do but don't use zip ties, if they make a zip sound they're not worth your time. Use black Thomas and Betts Ty-Raps or 88 tape.

 

[mike_81]

PowerLine ethernet is the way to go for a not super fast but stable connection. Most anything will work just fine using that.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I came out of the garage with an LB, a couple of 90°s and into the garage with an LB. A few hours of work and it's done. I did forget the string when I ran mine and even had bought a new roll to use. I'm sure I could run without much trouble.

 

[mcdrsr]

I concur with CNG, except that I would pay the extra for CAT6. It uses heavier gauge wire (22 vs 24 IIRC) so it is less like to fail when being pulled.

conduit it best and run a couple of CAT6 and coax or more.

I did that and use it for Ethernet, cameras, and phone lines.

 

[ishiboo]

I came out of the garage with an LB, a couple of 90°s and into the garage with an LB. A few hours of work and it's done. I did forget the string when I ran mine and even had bought a new roll to use. I'm sure I could run without much trouble.

Sidewalk pitches towards the house?

 

[nicksnothereman]

I'm looking to run Cat6 cable from my house to the 30x40 shop and looking for advice on method and materials.

Should I run it in the air or bury it?

There is already a phone line running from the house to the shop between the rooflines. Unfortunately, it's not Cat5 or better. I'm thinking of replacing that line, or running this in conjunction with the existing line. If I do this, what is the right method to attach the wire between the buildings that will hold the stress at each end? Is there particular hardware for this that should be used? Is there cable that is made for suspension?(That has an inner cable for strength or something?)

I would expect that burial is preferred as you don't have to worry about a truck catching the line, UV or rain damage, etc.. but it definitely seems quite a bit more involved as I would need to rent a trencher, lay the pvc conduit, etc..

I would just use a wifi card (i.e. usb wifi deal) and a router. Actually, that's exactly what i use. You might or might not need a wireless extender.

But since you didn't ask for that...you could just run a long cable through the wall, run it through a shallow buried pvc pipe, into an outlet in the shop. That would be the way I would do it based on your setup. I mean...less than a foot underground. Should be okay with a sheathed cable. You gotta wall snake?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Sidewalk pitches towards the house?

No, what makes you say that ?

 

[Mike Miller]

I came out of the garage with an LB, a couple of 90°s and into the garage with an LB. A few hours of work and it's done. I did forget the string when I ran mine and even had bought a new roll to use. I'm sure I could run without much trouble.

A shop vac and a small plastic bag will zip that string through your conduit at light speed. Just connect the string to the bag, stuffit in one end and hook the vac to the other end.

 

[Farmerjonathan]

Mike, you took the words right off of my keyboard! It is amazing how easy this works and how far you can pull a string. Think we used knee sock pantyhose.

 

[Jawn]

A shop vac and a small plastic bag will zip that string through your conduit at light speed. Just connect the string to the bag, stuffit in one end and hook the vac to the other end.

Yes. I did that at work once and blew my co-worker's mind (used a wad of gaffer's tape instead of a plastic bag, but same concept).

 

[mike_81]

I did the same thing using kleenex.

 

[Angelfire]

Just be careful you don't pull the string all the way through....not much fun digging the entire string out of your shop vac! DAMHIKT.......

 

[Blk88GT]

Bury some conduit. You can never have enough!

 

[Plump]

Buried my Cat 6, a water line, and a coax this summer and couldn't be happier. You'll never get the speeds that a dedicated ethernet line provides by any other method.

$50 for the trencher, $50 in conduit, $60 in cable and PEX, $40 in LB's and such, and I was done. Used 1" conduit for any future needs so there is plenty of room to pull.

 

[ezzzzzzz]

Don't forget to attach another pull string to the bundle of cables so it's there if you want additional runs. The baggy/shop vac works great first time out in an empty conduit but not so much once cabling is installed.

 

[Brad G]

A piece of ribbon will also work well with a shop vac if there are some cables in there... Always the best plan to pull a new string when adding a new cable... (Typically you'll only forget this once! LoL)

 

[tomd]

related: is it best to run cat5 or cat6 to an outbuilding 300 ft from house? I'm looking for internet in shop.

 

[CNGsaves]

related: Is it best to run cat5e or cat6 to an outbuilding 300 ft from house? I'm looking for internet in shop.

Absolutely . . . . WIRED is only way to go. However, ethernet distance limitation is 330 ft . . . . . so MEASURE twice !!

If actual measurement is 400 ft, then fiber is your best option.

 

[tomd]

thanks CNG. Do you suggest cat 5 or cat 6?

 

[CNGsaves]

thanks CNG. Do you suggest cat 5 or cat 6?

Once you're certain that you'll stay under 330 ft total, then I'd recommend going with best copper you can now . . . . thus CAT 6. Will be little more money than CAT 5e, but in your case this is one-time big expense so might as well do it right !

Your only decision now is whether you use direct burial cable (ie just put cable in dirt), or put in conduit. I'd suggest continuous roll of 1" conduit like plastic sprinkler pipe buried at 18" so this will be one-time install (done right) and future proof as well. Again, you'll shop vac through the initial pull string (ie "mouse" method) to get cable going, but also attach pull string to that CAT 6 pull so that pull string is sitting there ready, if you later need an additional ethernet wire for another purpose . . . . or fiber in 20 years !!

 

[tomd]

thanks.
I'll measure the distance tonight. I'll go in conduit as suggested.

Probably use something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWPYG4O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[jeffmoss26]

No. That is copper coated aluminum, stay away at all costs!
Buy a KNOWN brand like General Cable, Superior Essex, even Comtran that HD sells is fine.

 

[tomd]

thanks

 

[Jawn]

HD near me sells Southwire CAT6... I bought 500' of it but haven't run any yet... hopefully it's decent stuff.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwir...r-Blue-500-ft-56918945/202316438#.UpUWwyd5KRM