Cat5 Max Length

[Lilit]

i know that cat5 max length is roughly 300 feet. I want to know if i throw a hub on the line can i extend that max length? and if so is there a point where the singal degrades due to the amount of hops from hub to hub?
I have about 1000 feet to cover and i dont want to buy hardware if i dont have.

[Kheldar]

Re: Cat5 Max Length

cat5 max length is 100 m yes you could daisy chain hubs/switches

but fibre or WiFI is the way to go

[KaMaKaZi_KiNg]

Re: Cat5 Max Length

Wi-Fi draft-N would be they way to go. Very good through put, altho I haven't actually tested it myself it can be faster then a 100mb/s cabled network. And will definatly cover the distance you want to cover. If you do end up going to the wireless draft n, I'd recommend Linksys, if nothing else stay away from Belkin.

[Kheldar]

Re: Cat5 Max Length

i'd disagree - the belkin pre-n is supurb - we are picking it up over 5 km away (ok in the perfect weather conditions - we have picked it up twice) but regularly over a 1 KM, our engineering staff are able to log jobs via the the wifi PDA's they have.

[KaMaKaZi_KiNg]

Re: Cat5 Max Length

Belkin's Pre-N uses a proprietary chip set to run, which is based off the Linksys's 108 chip set. Along with that from the reports that I have heard Belkins Pre-N is not compatible with other vendors using draft-N equipment as Pre-N and Draft-N are 2 different models. Belkin's Pre-N is based off the wireless N draft but they have made changes to suit their equipment meaning their equipment cannot communicate with other vendors at the draft/pre -N speed.

Their distance may be good, I won't disagree with you there but for interoperability I would go with the linksys Draft-N series.

Either:
WRVS4400N: If your just after a router option.

http://www-au.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=AU%2FLayout&cid=1163895816449&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=1644988888B06

--or--

WAG325N: if your wanting to replace your modem as well.

http://www-au.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=AU%2FLayout&cid=1169671141909&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&lid=4190988888B01

[Yawgm0th]

Re: Cat5 Max Length

If you have to cover a distance of about 1000 feet point-to-point, fiber would be a much better solution than WiFi. Sure, you could daisy change switches, but that would be a tremendous waste of power and space.

[KaMaKaZi_KiNg]

Re: Cat5 Max Length

Fiber is expensive tho and you have to get someone that is qualified to install it and fix it if someone digs to low and breaks the cable. Wi-Fi - N would be a cheaper solution in the long run as its easy self installation and can be maintained and upgraded very quickly and easily.

[Kheldar]

Re: Cat5 Max Length

Fiber is expensive tho and you have to get someone that is qualified to install it and fix it if someone digs to low and breaks the cable. Wi-Fi - N would be a cheaper solution in the long run as its easy self installation and can be maintained and upgraded very quickly and easily.

I doubt it - in general wifi links require more maintaince than fibre and if somebody cuts the cable - they pay for it.

to get wifi working properly you'll really need to use additional antenna's

instructions to make you own are

http://freenet-antennas.com/v-web/portal/73/

or they do sell them pre built as well.



the downpipe waveguide is very easy to do & works exceptionally well