I've got a customer who has an office building next to his business. His previous IT/CG person got him 300' pre-terminated CAT5e indoor patch cable to run between the building. Obviously not the best situation. I informed the customer that the jacket on the cable will break down from UV and weather and he'll have no network connectivity until the wire is replaced. He has business cable internet installed at his office, with a network connection to his business that has point of sale computers and security system.

So I'd like to install a more permanent aerial, outdoor grade, UV/weather resistant CAT5e cable. I say aerial because there is a paved driveway between the two buildings and it would be expensive to dig up to put in conduit. Customer does not want to go the conduit route. Plus winter is almost here and most of the asphalt plants have shut down or are shutting down.

The distance between the two buildings is pretty short, 50 to 70ft. Wire goes down the side of the business and into the basement. On the office side, it goes into a garage, and then into his office. See picture below. Red dots are where the existing wire is run from building to building, green dots are the entrance into the building.

Should I put up a guide wire, and then attach the CAT5e to it, or should I get CAT5e with an embedded steel leader (if such a thing exists) to hang the cable between the two buildings? Also a source for this cable would be great.

I also discussed with the customer about installing fiber optic cable between the two buildings. Obvious advantage is electrical isolation, no ground potential issues, lightning protection, etc. Unfortunately I have limited experience with fiber (I terminated some SC multimode in college several years ago). Unless terminating fiber has gotten cheaper or easier to do, I know someone who has terminated a bit of fiber, so I could hire him to do the termination.

Thanks for the advice.

If you're setting up data centers/telecom closets inb both buildings remember to run a ground too, between the two closets.

Fiber would be better of course but if you run a messenger wire you could always attach a fiber on later. Use the correct hardware (Strand vises, three bolt clamps, etc) and you won't have any trouble.

Don't forget lightning protection.

Sam

I'd go with the fiber if possible. They sell pre-terminated fiber, 6 or 8 strand should do well, I always pull extra when possible. Get it long and leave a nice loop on both sides.

What's your clearance over that alley? Should have at least 18 feet, if not it'll get torn down and would probably be a code violation.

Here is my unofficial, less than professional advice. I'm sure my esteemed colleagues will argue against it, but it will work temporarily until you can do it correctly in the Spring.

If you are only putting up one Cat5,which weighs hardly anything, then I would do it this way:

Get some 1/16th" stainless cable (some of it comes with a vinyl jacket, generally green,

wire

for fence guy wires. get some cable "clips" (these are the horseshoe shaped clamps used to fasten steel cable.)

clip

Put a decent sized screw-hook at each end, and put a loop of the steel messenger, with the U/V resistant cat5 tie-wrapped to it, around the hooks, and tighten the clips.

Bring a ground wire into each building and attach it to the messenger, and to the existing building power ground buss, not a separate ground rod, which would be a code violation.

Use a BET (Building Entrance Terminal...in other words a primary lightning protector) designed for Cat5 service, at each end, also tied to the building's power ground.

Cat5e protector

I have installed many outdoor surveillance cameras that required low voltage and a Cat5e cable, using this method.

This is not, of course, the absolute correct way to do this in a professional sense, but since it's a one-time installation, and it only goes 75 feet, with a light-weight cable, it should serve you until you can bury a conduit. Using a compressed-air powered missile, instead of cutting the pavement, is the preferred way.

I found one vendor who sells outdoor multimode fiber, 6 strand, SC terminated, messenger wire (doesn't say what size), w/ pull loop. I don't need 6 strand, and that's a big hole I'd have to drill to being in the wire.

A tractor trailer could easily fit under the wire without it touching. So I would say it is at least 15' off the ground.

The Verizon standard, inherited from NY Tel Co, is 14 feet at the lowest point.

Why don't you do a wireless bridge!

I vote for pre-terminated fiber also. Not only do you avoid the BET protectors at each end you also avoid the ground wire and any ground loops. You do it once and it's done and it's good for whatever they throw at it in the future.

One thing that I haven't addressed in awhile regarding outdoor data wiring is the effect of temperature on the cable specs and transmission speed. CAT* cable is made to be used and certify within a temperature range, roughly that encountered within a conditioned structure. I can't see how the extremes of temperature as you would expect outdoors in Maine would not have a negative impact on transmission speed. For that reason I just do not like running CAT5 cable exposed outdoors regardless of it being flooded and claimed to be for outdoor use.

Underground is considerably better in this respect if you bury it to a depth where the temperatures extremes are mitigated, but for the amount of money spent fiber is a much better alternative as it has none of these problems.

-Hal

I'd recommend fiber for all the reasons already stated. Also, aren't there more powerful "line-of-site" wireless systems that would work well in this situation? Im pretty sure one of my larger customers has such a system in between a couple of buildings that is even supporting a couple of IP phones. I can give him a call if you would like.

Wireless Bridge.

I have a customer with two buildings connected via a wireless bridge with directional antennas and it works like a charm.

They ar "budget conscious" and went with cheap DLink access points and directional antennas and have been using several PC's anda couple of IP Phones with great success.

Well, the customer is transmitting (encrypted I assume) credit card information, to the payment processor online (via his point-of-sale system that I didn't install). Not sure if using wireless would breach PCI compliance. Regardless, I'm not a fan of using wireless in a business situation where sources of noise can cause intermittent problems (i.e. cordless phones, neighbors install a wireless access point, etc). Fiber appears to be the way to go. Now to find more than one place to price and get a quote to the customer. PM if you have a source.

pm sent.

This application just cries out for a wireless bridge. I have done quite a few of them and have had great results. A couple of low cost access points and a couple of patch panel antennas is all you need. You can go POE for the access points. Total cost would be under 500 dollars for materials.

Problems with interference would be very limited with good directional antennas between the points. The antennas are what make the difference. If you try to do this with Omni Directional antennas you could open yourself up for noise, but a couple of patch antennas should give you enough power to go right through the wall unless that is leaded brick, or aluminum siding. about the only thing that would muck with the system would be falling rain or dense fog, and your distance is short enough that shouldn't be an issue.

If you are concerned about security, just run a vpn over the wireless link.

Some 6 fiber indoor / outdoor MPO cable with fiber cassettes on each end would work well and no termination required.

I sent the customer a quote a month ago and they balked at the preterminated fiber costs. They're going to leave the (stranded indoor patch) wiring as-is and hope for the best.