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manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
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There are two issues, one trivially easy, one a big "maybe":

Don't Use a Patch Cable

Don't use a patch cable. Period. The reason is that patch cable ends break. Oh, I'll just crimp on another connector. Where the good crimper go (only use it once every 5 years...)? Oops, got two wires swappedWhere did the good crimper go (only use it once every 5 years...)? Oops, got two wires swapped, I'll have to try again..., I'll have to try again... etc.

Far, far better to wire a jack on each end. Super easy. Punch tool is cheap, easy & reliable. Jacks are easy to mount securely to a wall, stud, etc. Then you use a short manufactured patch cable (I get them for ~ $1 each, retail price varies...) on each end to go to the router or other device.

It will cost you a few dollars (very few) extra at the beginning, but is the only professional way to do this.

Distance

The official limit is 328 feet between active devices - i.e., the long run plus the patch cable on each end. That is not based on "if you have really good cable, you could do better" (which was the case with RS-232 serial connections). This is based on the way the Ethernet signal works. Fiber is an option, but at a significantly higher cost.

If your run is really closer to 250 feet then I'd say "go for it". If it is 300 feet plus, then this becomes much more iffy. There are also line drivers and other things you can use to extend the distance, but if you get to that point but can actually run a cable (as opposed to a situation of relying on lower-quality (e.g., CAT 3) cable with no easy way to replace it) then fiber really is worth considering.

There are two issues, one trivially easy, one a big "maybe":

Don't Use a Patch Cable

Don't use a patch cable. Period. The reason is that patch cable ends break. Oh, I'll just crimp on another connector. Where the good crimper go (only use it once every 5 years...)? Oops, got two wires swapped, I'll have to try again... etc.

Far, far better to wire a jack on each end. Super easy. Punch tool is cheap, easy & reliable. Jacks are easy to mount securely to a wall, stud, etc. Then you use a short patch cable on each end to go to the router or other device.

It will cost you a few dollars (very few) extra at the beginning, but is the only professional way to do this.

Distance

The official limit is 328 feet between active devices - i.e., the long run plus the patch cable on each end. That is not based on "if you have really good cable, you could do better" (which was the case with RS-232 serial connections). This is based on the way the Ethernet signal works. Fiber is an option, but at a significantly higher cost.

If your run is really closer to 250 feet then I'd say "go for it". If it is 300 feet plus, then this becomes much more iffy. There are also line drivers and other things you can use to extend the distance, but if you get to that point but can actually run a cable (as opposed to a situation of relying on lower-quality (e.g., CAT 3) cable with no easy way to replace it) then fiber really is worth considering.

There are two issues, one trivially easy, one a big "maybe":

Don't Use a Patch Cable

Don't use a patch cable. Period. The reason is that patch cable ends break. Oh, I'll just crimp on another connector. Where did the good crimper go (only use it once every 5 years...)? Oops, got two wires swapped, I'll have to try again..., etc.

Far, far better to wire a jack on each end. Super easy. Punch tool is cheap, easy & reliable. Jacks are easy to mount securely to a wall, stud, etc. Then you use a short manufactured patch cable (I get them for ~ $1 each, retail price varies...) on each end to go to the router or other device.

It will cost you a few dollars (very few) extra at the beginning, but is the only professional way to do this.

Distance

The official limit is 328 feet between active devices - i.e., the long run plus the patch cable on each end. That is not based on "if you have really good cable, you could do better" (which was the case with RS-232 serial connections). This is based on the way the Ethernet signal works. Fiber is an option, but at a significantly higher cost.

If your run is really closer to 250 feet then I'd say "go for it". If it is 300 feet plus, then this becomes much more iffy. There are also line drivers and other things you can use to extend the distance, but if you get to that point but can actually run a cable (as opposed to a situation of relying on lower-quality (e.g., CAT 3) cable with no easy way to replace it) then fiber really is worth considering.

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manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
  • 130.6k
  • 13
  • 139
  • 363

There are two issues, one trivially easy, one a big "maybe":

Don't Use a Patch Cable

Don't use a patch cable. Period. The reason is that patch cable ends break. Oh, I'll just crimp on another connector. Where the good crimper go (only use it once every 5 years...)? Oops, got two wires swapped, I'll have to try again... etc.

Far, far better to wire a jack on each end. Super easy. Punch tool is cheap, easy & reliable. Jacks are easy to mount securely to a wall, stud, etc. Then you use a short patch cable on each end to go to the router or other device.

It will cost you a few dollars (very few) extra at the beginning, but is the only professional way to do this.

Distance

The official limit is 328 feet between active devices - i.e., the long run plus the patch cable on each end. That is not based on "if you have really good cable, you could do better" (which was the case with RS-232 serial connections). This is based on the way the Ethernet signal works. Fiber is an option, but at a significantly higher cost.

If your run is really closer to 250 feet then I'd say "go for it". If it is 300 feet plus, then this becomes much more iffy. There are also line drivers and other things you can use to extend the distance, but if you get to that point but can actually run a cable (as opposed to a situation of relying on lower-quality (e.g., CAT 3) cable with no easy way to replace it) then fiber really is worth considering.