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Adding another building onto one network.

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13 replies

by cymro

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We have two large building which need to be joined into one large network. The trouble is that the buildings are over 100 metres apart and therefore rules out cat 5.

People have suggested fibre optics but isn't that expensive? Any other options I should consider?

Please help!

13 replies

by johnnywatt

If you can run Fibre without getting into restrictions, this is what you will need to do. So what if it costs a grand, does the company want the two buildings to share the computer systems? If fibre is not possible or you have restrictions (ie, roads, whatever) you may have to drop a point-to-point circuit between the two.

by dwdino

If you have line of sight and the budget, FSO (Free Space Optics) are an excellent choice and fairly cost effective.

It is going to be pricey, regardless; but limit your costs to one time items. While Point to Point would be "quick and easy" it leaves you with and ongoing cost.

by jdclyde

Have you looked into wireless?

If you stay away from the home models, you can get decent security on them.

Also by only allowing the one MAC, someone can't get on, and encrypting keeps them from evesdropping.

by cymro

The directors have decided that wireless cannot be an option due to sensitive information being transmitted.

After investigating I've found co-ax can handle distances up to 500 metres, but will that work if the remainder of the network is cat5?

by admin

It's not that expensive. Get a quote first- you may end up spending more avoiding it. Quotes are usually free.

by admin

We use our local cabling company. Most places that do CAT-5 do fiber too.

Ours is called "Data Cabling" but its a local operation I believe. They do awesome affordable work :>

If you already work with someone you like ask them if they do fiber and if not if they recommend someone. You shouldn't have to go with expensive fiber switches or anything. Media converters at each end, or modules that go in existing CAT-5 gear are affordable. Ours cost about 100$ at each end of the cable to convert to CAT-5.

You will find data cabling providers in the yellow pages or ask other IT shops in your area that you trust :>

Hope that helps :>

by sak_cheegii

You can cross connect 2 switches between 2 buildings using STP cable, if they are closer than 200 meters. And STP cable's shield must be grounded both of ends.
Goodluck!

by cymro

Found this to be the most cost effective way of joining them together.

Am I right in thinking that you can't send voice over coax? Our telephone system is joined to the switch on our lan.

Thanks once more!

by softcorp.us

Hi Paul,

I would expect that you could send some voice over coax at 10 Mbps, just fewer simultaneous conversations than a 100 Mbps or 1000 Mbps circuit.

We (at least "I") often look sideways at "slow" coax ethernet now that 100 Mbps is ubiquitous and 1000 Mbps is readily available. But, 10 Mbps ethernet is screaming fast compared with telephone networks. For example, an analog telephone circuit that handles one telephone call can handle 56 Kbps digital. Broadband cable modem used to be 256 Kbps to 768 Kbps. Now they are offering 3 Mbps service to help keep DSL competitors at bay.

Cheers!

-----Steve Jackson

CEO
Software Corporation (Softcorp)
http://www.softcorp.us

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