Dear source of all knowledge. Does anyone have any experience of fiber ethernet extenders that are good for 100m or so but not particularly expensive – say a few hundred quid max. I know there is a bunch of stuff down in the 50 quid an end range but I’ve no idea if it is any good or just kak. It’s not particularly far for fiber and I could use copper at that distance but having lost a phone exchange to lightening already I’d rather use something non-conductive 🙂

Any recommendations or experience or whats good and whats not?
thanks

You’d need a media converter at each end (Fibre to Electrical), which cost about £50 each inc a fibre SFP. Then you need a fibre. If you use a Single Mode fibre and SFPs, you should be good for 2km or so…

This is a media converter

Yep, I saw those. I just wondered if anyone had any experience of them or not. The price looked great 🙂

would it not b cheaper to run the cat6 via some form of surge protector? (guessing they exist)

would it not b cheaper to run the cat6 via some form of surge protector? (guessing they exist)

I thought of that but the problem is that proper lightning rated ones are expensive and you need to connect them to a good solid earth. That’s where I started from but in the end fibre looks much cheaper, certainly at these prices. It is a good idea though

Not necessarily cheaper to use fibre. Can you terminate it yourself. Is it indoor or outdoor? Suspended or buried? Do you have the means to terminate and an OTDR to test your work. A poor connector will rubbish your data speed.
Lightening arrestors are expensive and consumable should they take a hit. Like you mentioned, there is other the need for a substantial ground also.
Either way there’s no easy solution.
Are you extending the back bone, or just a work station.
EDIT:
Why not a wireless link?

Hi gears suck
Great stuff, thanks. Cable week be external but can be routed on a wall. I took a look at termination kits and they don’t look too bad price wise. Don’t have the test kit but was planning getting extra connectors and trying it a few times. It’s just a workstation network so not too bad

Wireless link is what I have right now but it’s a bit flaky and a bit slow. However the point is well made and I’ll look and see if I get get something a level up to see what the price is like

Thanks

Good luck. If you’re getting a fibre kit. I would recommend one with at least a basic microscope for viewing your connector after termination. At least you be able to see the quality of the polish and that’s generally a good indication of how it will perform.
Alternatively, you could buy more expensive pre terminated connectors with index matching gel. You then simply strip and cleave the fibre cable and it locks into the connector.
Good times.

Buying a fibre kit is a bit excessive for a single cable, and you still wont be able to test it other than shining a light down it.
I would recommend either getting a pre-terminated cable (but be aware you may need to drill some largish holes to get the connectors through) they are protected in a large hose type contraption.

Or I could supply you with the cable which you can install, and when you are done I can send an engineer in to terminate and test it (an warranty it if you like) or we could do the whole job for you.

Contact me via profile if you want to talk off line.

Cheers,
Andy

Just buy pre-terminated fibre cables.

Buying a fibre kit is a bit excessive for a single cable, and you still wont be able to test it other than shining a light down it.

To be honest, this is all we do when installing fibres as we’re no where near the limit of range, so all that matters is that the fibre isn’t completely broken. A MM fibre, good for 2km, with a few scratches on the ferrule is fine for 200m.

Yep, I saw those. I just wondered if anyone had any experience of them or not. The price looked great

Yep, use them at work and have no problems.