CAT6A Shielded (FTP) Running Along 120VAC for 75'

TonyR said:
And if you think underground conductors even in conduit are trouble-free forever you are mistaken. One has to weigh several factors on any project such as the OP's: schedule, expense, maintenance, reliability, past experience.
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Hardly anything is ever zero-maintenance and lifetime trouble free, but should work, until it doesn't. At which point, you promptly fix it. Hopefully it doesn't fail in the middle on an incident. Chances are, it won't.

Unfortunately, criminals are using RF jammers: Burglars suspected of using signal jammer to fool San Jose man's Nest security camera. These will likely block cellular and wifi and probably everything else.

But if the OP has 2 conduits that he already ran, I'm just recommending that he pull the fiber (way cheaper and easier than pulling CAT) in either conduit (or both). And don't forget the conduit lube.
 
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+1 to fiber, as in my post #20: "If I had the budget and time I'd seriously consider fiber."

If the OP decides to go with fiber, it too must be rated for flooded burial, even if in conduit.
 
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TonyR said:
+1 to fiber, as in my post #20: "If I had the budget and time I'd seriously consider fiber."

If the OP decides to go with fiber, it too must be rated for flooded burial, even if in conduit.
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Excellent point TonyR. I haven't seen any flooded burial cable, just direct burial.

I've pulled fiber patch cord thru underground conduit years ago, but we don't get any winter freezing here.

My idea of a 100ft $14 patch cord pull should really be a $292 direct burial cable. And the fiber to ethernet adapters are $40 for the set.
 
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CamFan said:
Excellent point TonyR. I haven't seen any flooded burial cable, just direct burial.
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I believe that would be adequate; as you know, the idea for the jacket would be like HDPE for high abrasion resistance and water/moisture intrusion prevention.
 
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TonyR said:
If the OP decides to go with fiber, it too must be rated for flooded burial, even if in conduit.
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FWIW, I've buried regular old PVC OM3 and OS2 Patch cables in water filled conduit plenty, with zero issues over many years

I never bother buying any fancy fiber, I just throw it in liquid tight conduit (Which WILL end up filled with water of course) and send it
 
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IReallyLikePizza2 said:
FWIW, I've buried regular old PVC OM3 and OS2 Patch cables in water filled conduit plenty, with zero issues over many years

I never bother buying any fancy fiber, I just throw it in liquid tight conduit (Which WILL end up filled with water of course) and send it
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Then you might want to take that luck and a bundle of cash to Las Vegas, my man! :cool:
 
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Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. This forum is great!

I like the fiber idea, as I've tried to get as many things off wireless as possible. The pull within the smaller 3/4" conduit with the 120VAC wires should be easy, there is plenty of room left in there. A few questions. I see quite a few options and have some questions.

1. Single mode or multimode. Sounds like single mode is good for longer distances, but that's not a factor for me. Any preference for short lengths like what I'm running?
2. Media converters. Some come with SFP connections like this one: For that one, it seems like I'd have to buy the modules. Then there are ones that take SC connectors like this one: Those look like they have the optical/electrical conversion built in. Any reason not to use these?
3. Connectors. I don't think the duplex cable connectors will fit through my conduit. I'm pretty sure I could pull two simplex connectors through, one at a time, or staggered. Any reason I couldn't do this? Will two simplex connectors still plug into the media converters that are made for duplex? Should I plan on just cutting the connector off duplex cable and then re-terminating the ends after the pull?
 
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I pull standard LC-LC OM3/OS2 patch cables through 1/2 Conduit with no issues, so as long as you go LC you'll be good

If you want an ever better time, use short boot fiber - Customized Length LC UPC to LC UPC Short Boot Duplex OM4 Multimode PVC (OFNR) 2.0mm Fiber Optic Patch Cable - FS

I would go with the $20 TP Link ones with the SFP cage, and then just get transceivers. Works out the same cost, and you have more flexibility. If you were to go with Multimode fiber, you'd want this - Cisco GLC-SX-MM 1000BASE-SX SFP Transceiver Module - FS

Make sure you leave the dust caps on the end of the fiber when you pull through
 
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Most of the LC to LC duplex connectors will separate so you can feed then one at a time through tight places.

I just fed 2 Duplex LC, 1 RG58, 1ea RG 6, and a pull string through a 1/2" including 2 sweep L's and an LB.
Yea, short run to the old garage with Internet, intranet for cameras, a ham radio and TV.
Pull string, only because it always goes, and leave 5' coiled up on each end.
 
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And remember your lube!
 
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That's what she said!
 
wifi jamming cam system?
wow.
time for tinfoil hat Wyze/Reolink wifi cams.
 
Kevin Doe said:
Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. This forum is great!

I like the fiber idea, as I've tried to get as many things off wireless as possible. The pull within the smaller 3/4" conduit with the 120VAC wires should be easy, there is plenty of room left in there. A few questions. I see quite a few options and have some questions.

1. Single mode or multimode. Sounds like single mode is good for longer distances, but that's not a factor for me. Any preference for short lengths like what I'm running?
2. Media converters. Some come with SFP connections like this one: For that one, it seems like I'd have to buy the modules. Then there are ones that take SC connectors like this one: Those look like they have the optical/electrical conversion built in. Any reason not to use these?
3. Connectors. I don't think the duplex cable connectors will fit through my conduit. I'm pretty sure I could pull two simplex connectors through, one at a time, or staggered. Any reason I couldn't do this? Will two simplex connectors still plug into the media converters that are made for duplex? Should I plan on just cutting the connector off duplex cable and then re-terminating the ends after the pull?
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Singlemode is considered to be more expensive, smaller diameter and more fragile, but lets you go lots of kilometers. Multimode should be fine for your run.

Pull 2 strands if you can, but if you can only go with a single fiber, you can use SFPs with bidirectional wavelengths. Using BiDi, you have to make sure you have different Rx & Tx wavelengths on each end. Example - TX 1310nm/ RX 1550nm at one end, the other end TX 1550nm / RX 1310nm.

Those SFPs look fine. If you snap apart the duplex LC, you should be fine with individual mating into the SFP. You have a 50/50 chance getting the swap (Rx to Tx, etc).

Water is not usually a concern for fiber, unless it freezes. Like I said, I ran patch cable in underground conduit years ago, never had an issue.
 
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Kevin Doe said:
I have a shed that is located approximately 75 feet away from my house, and would like to run an ethernet line out there for a camera. I have CAT6A FTP (overall foil shield). I have two buried conduits that I ran out there. One is 3/4" for a 20A 120VAC supply. It currently has 3 10ga wires in it (hot, neutral, ground). The other is a 1.5" that has a 3/4" PEX line it it, for water supply to the shed. Both conduits are run in the same trench, right next to each other.

I'd like to run the ethernet line in the 3/4" conduit with the 120VAC line, but worried about electrical interference. I know the shielding helps, but is this a good idea? Should I use a different type of cable? Or should I not run it alongside the power lines for that distance (~75ft).

This is the CAT6A line I have:
View attachment 129003

you can use a PowerLine like TP Link AV600 depends of how many cameras you gonna install cost about 80 bucks, with this device you will be able to get internet from the router thru your existing 120ac power lines so you don’t have to run any more cabling and is not wireless, for more info i leave a link here…

TP-Link AV600 Powerline Ethernet Adapter - Plug&Play, Power Saving, Nano Powerline Adapter, Expand Home Network with Stable Connections (TL-PA4010 KIT)
Click to expand...
 
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Wish me luck. Maybe I'll need it running through what is likely a water filled conduit. If it doesn't work, I'll then spend the extra money for a burial cable. I decided to go single mode as it seemed capable of faster data transfer rates, and really wasn't any more expensive (at least of what I was looking at on Amazon). Thanks for all of the guidance.
 
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FYI,
You will need the fiber in the end of the LC connector to be 100% clean. No lint, no stains, no hairs, etc, before connecting to the SFP.
Alcohol and dry air will clean most stuff off of them, otherwise use some lint free cloth.
 
Old Timer said:
FYI,
You will need the fiber in the end of the LC connector to be 100% clean. No lint, no stains, no hairs, etc, before connecting to the SFP.
Alcohol and dry air will clean most stuff off of them, otherwise use some lint free cloth.
Click to expand...

You really don’t need it to be 100% clean, I almost never clean fiber and I keep all my patch cables in a big tub and they are all missing dust caps. Only issue I ever had was when there was literally mud caked into the connector
 
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Multi mode you don't have to worry about. Single mode I have had problems with.
Single mode is usually used for longer distance, and that might be part of it, but I have had 2
times I had to go back and clean the ends and SFP to get rid of dropped packets. Both were
going around 300 yards.
 
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