Cat 5 question

van5150 · Post by **van5150** » Mon Jan 28, 2002 8:55 am

i am setting up a home network and i need to run about 20 feet of cat 5 outside along my cable down to my basement.is it ok to do this ? putting it between the wall is not an option.

van5150 · Post by **van5150** » Mon Jan 28, 2002 8:46 pm

must really be a stupid question!

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Mon Jan 28, 2002 9:26 pm

Absolutely Not! If you must run it outside at least put it in pvc conduit. I dont know of an inexpensive cat 5 cable rated for weather and more importantly uv rays.

Rainbow

rpeAMP · Post by **rpeAMP** » Mon Jan 28, 2002 9:41 pm

That sounds fine...I wouldn't even cover it with anything. I run cables all the time for clients and have never had a problem leaving them un-covered.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Mon Jan 28, 2002 9:48 pm

Glad I'm not a client

qball15j · Post by **qball15j** » Mon Jan 28, 2002 9:54 pm

It all depends on the network cable itself.

But just to be safe I would cover it in some form of tubbing or something.

Alby · Post by **Alby** » Mon Jan 28, 2002 10:09 pm

just as a matter of point would lightning ever strrike this cable? i pretty sure some sort of protective sleave would be good idea

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Tue Jan 29, 2002 12:20 am

PVC would be the way to go.

Hopefully your not a hunch-back computer geek, I would hate to see you dig the trench for that pipe

You can suck a lenght of twine through the pipe by tying it to a plastic bag, stuffing it in one end, then use a vacum to suck it through to the other end. From there just use the string to pull the cable through..

Have fun with the glue

Stef

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Tue Jan 29, 2002 6:30 pm

Absolutely NO need to use conduit for cat5 cable!
Heck, look outsoide your house, the phone line is identical to cat5 except it has 4 wires instead of 8. The plactic insulation on regular old cheapo cat5 cable is stronger than the copper wire.
You can run cat5 underwater as long as the connectors are above it.

Just use caution when using clips to hold the wire to the walls. If you crimp them too hard it can pinck a wire and you do not want to troubleshoot network connectivity and have that be the cause!

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Tue Jan 29, 2002 7:00 pm

Originally posted by TonyT
Absolutely NO need to use conduit for cat5 cable!
Heck, look outsoide your house, the phone line is identical to cat5 except it has 4 wires instead of 8. The plactic insulation on regular old cheapo cat5 cable is stronger than the copper wire.
You can run cat5 underwater as long as the connectors are above it.

Wrong Tony, all types of cables meant for outdoor use are coated to resist the elements.

I can guarrantee that the jacket on a CAT 5 cable would be discolored within a month of being outdoors. The UV rays would eat away at it in no time!!!

Stef

lkw1 · Post by **lkw1** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 12:10 am

I have to answer this one. First, I don't know Jack about networking, that is why I am reading post. But, I have 7 U.S. Patents in plastic(s). So, let me help you here.
Plastic(s) of all types, degrade quickly in the sun unless they a UV inhibitor. There are several types. WE WON'T go THERE. Boaring. Then there is Carbon (which is the best imho) found in the color additive (Carbon Black). The more color, the better the UV, to a point. Pick up a black trash bag and hold it to the light, you will be surprised. btw, they are called extrusion lines.

So to answer you question from a REAL expert. If the sun hits it, protect it or replace it later, your choice. Personally, I would use 3/4" garden hose. It's flexible and will last for years because of the wall thickness. It takes along time for something that thick to degrade. btw, every wonder why the vinyl dashboard of your car was so thick? Now you know.

Merc · Post by **Merc** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 9:09 pm

Originally posted by lkw1
I have to answer this one. First, I don't know Jack about networking, that is why I am reading post. But, I have 7 U.S. Patents in plastic(s). So, let me help you here.
Plastic(s) of all types, degrade quickly in the sun unless they a UV inhibitor. There are several types. WE WON'T go THERE. Boaring. Then there is Carbon (which is the best imho) found in the color additive (Carbon Black). The more color, the better the UV, to a point. Pick up a black trash bag and hold it to the light, you will be surprised. btw, they are called extrusion lines.

So to answer you question from a REAL expert. If the sun hits it, protect it or replace it later, your choice. Personally, I would use 3/4" garden hose. It's flexible and will last for years because of the wall thickness. It takes along time for something that thick to degrade. btw, every wonder why the vinyl dashboard of your car was so thick? Now you know.

Wow the garden hose Idea is very very good. May I ask why you HAVE to run it outside.

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Wed Jan 30, 2002 11:57 pm

yeah, I realize that UV rays will break down the chemical composition of the plastic on the outside of the cat5 cable, but it will take more than your lifetime until it degrades to the point of the actual wires inside the cable being damaged.

Unless one lives in the tropics (more direct sunlight) or on the coasts (salt air) there's no need for conduit. Here in the DC Metro area there are hundreds of thousands of homes with vinyl coated phone lines (outside) that have been used for the last 50 years!

I do not wish to argue plastics, it's not my field of expertise nor my profession. But I do have the ability to observe and learn by experience, and I have seen what I say and installed many a plain old cable outside with no trouble as a result.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Thu Jan 31, 2002 8:08 am

Noone is arguing if it'll work or not. Just stating the best way to go is in conduit. Its neater and safer by a long shot. Not to mention it will pass all local and national codes (NEC). You can do whatever you want its your house. But this is the best way to go by far.

Rainbow