Extending the Ethernet limit of 100m just won't work - no matter what category your wire is. The issue is in the way Ethernet works. Any party on the line that has a message to send first listens to see if anyone else is "talking". If not, it goes ahead and sends - but still listening to the wire to see if anyone else has tried to talk at the same time (a "collision"). If there is a collision, that party waits for a bit, then tries listening, etc, before sending. So... Ethernet timing is based around a 100m max cable length and a particular packet length. Longer cable means more collisions and (worse) undetected collisions.
What to do? If you're using wireless, you could simply use a high gain directional antenna. You probably won't need one at both ends. For under 1000' feet, I'd just use a 'yagi' (http://www.fab-corp.com/home.php?cat=258) or a ' panel antenna' (http://www.fab-corp.com/home.php?cat=270) (I'm partial to the backfire ones). You can "go the other way" and put the directional antenna put by your remote station. Same antennas as above (antenna gain works both ways). Plus a wireless "repeater". The cheapest way to get a repeater is something like [uel=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320026&cm_re=asus_dd-wrt-_-33-320-026-_-Product]this Asus WL-520 router[/url]. Install dd-wrt on it, put it into wireless repeater mode, add directional antenna, point, and done. BTW, at 600' you -might- not even need the directional antenna (but no promises). Cheapest solution if you don't need the antenna (thirty bucks) If you really want your signal on a wire, there needs to be a "switch" somewhere in that line, to turn it into two under-100m segments (timing's separate on each switch segment so this'll work fine. No power? Well, you are pulling cable - and you can run power over CAT5/6. It's called POE for "power over Ethernet" which is a bit of a misnomer as Ethernet can run over things other than CAT5/6. You'd need a POE "power injector" plus a POE switch. Yes, you could run optical cable. Expensive, but 100BaseFX, for instance can run 400m. You'd need 600' of cable, plus, as this would be bulk cable, you'd need to terminate the cable, so either a semi pricey terminating kit and learn how or pay someone. Then you'd need terminating electronics on each end. I'd consider this if I needed distant GB access, but not otherwise (and there's POE for 1000tx over CAT5/6). Then, there's powerline. I haven't had great luck with these, and have never tried to connect two points 600' apart. If you do use them, make sure they're both on the same "side" of your electrical supply. (not an issue if you're on 240V). For the US, power coming into your house is 240V, and it's "split" into two 115V feeds. (IMO, quite clever - safe residential power with the advantage of higher voltage / smaller conductors on the street - but I digress). Best if they're on the same circuit (i.e. if your remote location is powered from your house, and the circuit runs from there, install an electrical outlet somewhere in your house attached to that same circuit - and put the "home" end of the powerline adapter there) Congratulations if you got this far! I'm sure I've missed something. Never fear - someone will chime in :) Oh - and if -I- was doing it, I'd use the second wireless option (repeater at the remote location). But I'd at least think of these other ways to go. And yes, I do deal with this issue on a semi-regular basis. -- bobkoure ------------------------------------------------------------------------ bobkoure's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=14646 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=79140 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
