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Burying Cat5 Outdoors

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by multiplexed 2 views

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Are there any best practices for burying cat5 cable outdoors? I need to run cat5 from a wireless antenna, through a woods, into my home.

I'm worried about the lightning-rod effect, moisture (rain & snow), temperature, and critters eating through the cable.

Specifically, my question is what grade of cable do you recommend I bury, and how do I bury it?

Some people recommend burying cable inside a PVC conduit. Some people just bury normal, cheap PVC cat5 cable. Other people recommend burying outdoor grade cable, which is a bit expensive.

Is it worth the extra expense of the outdoor grade cable so I don't end up re-running the cable in the future? Is there anything I can do to minimize the lightning-rod effect (other than just relying on surge protectors and grounding)?

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by deadly ernest

Then act accordingly.

Good - cable in metal conduit that is earthed.

Cheap - normal cat5 cable a few inches down.

Reasonable - outdoor grade cable below the frost line.

In each case place some of that orange waring tape a few inches above it as you rebury it. Also be prepared to relay it once the critters get hungry.

Lay cat5e not cat5, cost is the same in most places now - you will like the better performance and probably want it later anyway.

The outdoor grade cable will greatly reduce the risk of damage via moisture.

Laying it below the frost line would help with moisture too. The deeper you go the lower the risk of critters getting at it.

The other option is to lay the cable in conduit, gives protection and allows for easier replacement if it goes faulty - just tie the new to the end of the old before you pull it through.

There are devices that you get which are industrial grade surge protectors that you plug the cable into and then run the final few feet of cable to your switch. Don't remember where you get them from though, I never did the buying.

I take it the terrain rules out the idea of using a wireless or microwave relay or the like.

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