fibre optics

[barlos1]

How much does it cost to run 400m of fibre optic cable capable of carrying broadband internet type signals?? Any help or pointers would be much appreciated as cant find any straight forward pricing for this anywhere!

 

[barlos1]

Sorry, I meant how much does the cable cost??

 

[Taylortwocities]

Let me see.....

Nope.

Here try this click me

 

[Chri5]

Loose tube multimode fibre, is available in 4 / 6 / 8 /16 fibre cores.


Try mayflex cables


http://www.mayflex.com/products/fib...rnalexternal-grade-fibre-cable--om1om2om3os1/

They will, if required make up the ends for you. Your then need f/o to copper RJ45 kit at either end.

This site http://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/acatalog/Loose_Tube_OM1_Cable.html gives 'live' prices online.

4 core is 68p a metre, unterminated- Mayflex will beat that !

Do consider how you intend to run it, buried needs armour or duct, aerial needs catenary- the method of installation will change the product required and thus the price will vary.

 

[Donkmeister]

What is the application you are installing this for? Are you running your home network out to an outhouse, linking two houses, or running something a little more "professional"?

If this is for your own consumption, you may want to consider trying a line-of-sight 802.11 link using roof-mounted, highly-directional antennae connected to bog-standard access points. This would be the cheapest solution, provided you have line-of-sight and are happy with wifi speeds

Fibre equipment isn't THAT expensive nowadays and you could buy everything to do the job for well under £1000. However,

a) do you really want do dig a 400m channel to lay it?
b) do you want to replace the fibre if someone accidentally digs it up along the quarter-of-a-mile it is underground?

So this is one of the few instances where I would go for the wireless link...

Probably.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

broadband internet type signals??

What exactly do you mean by that?

If you really do mean only of the order of a few, or even a few 10's, of Mb/s then you should be able to get that down copper over that distance.

But not using any of the 802.3 protocols, as the latency over that distance will ****** up the collision detection. Don't suppose you want to/can install a switch every 100m (or a bit less, for safety)....

Protocol converters/line drivers at each end?

Fibre isn't the easiest thing to install - it's nowhere near as robust as copper, and then you'll need media converters or fibre NICs and switches, none of which come cheap.

What are you trying to achieve? What will be at each end of this 400m link, and what traffic will be running across it?

 

[barlos1]

If you have a LAN setup is it possible to have one of the computers connected through 400m of fibre optic cable and plugged directly into the router?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you have fibre ports on the computer and the router, yes.

If not you'll need converters at each end.

e.g. http://www.blackbox.co.uk/information/ebooks/UK_Mediaconverters/pdf/UK_Mediaconverters.pdf

Other products and other suppliers are available.

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

Fibre is fairly specialised. Not only will you need media converters, switches with fibre ports or fibre NICs at each end, you will also need to ensure that the connectors and patch leads match throughout. I'll guarantee it'll get expensive for a small one-off job.

As BAS suggested, you can run it over copper but you'll need high speed leased line modems to get data rates in the mb/s range - from memory they come to around £1000 a pair without interface modules - you'd need bridge modules with RJ45 connectors.

Either way, you're looking at a 400m dig with suitable conduit which won't be cheap either. Don't forget to leave a rope in to pull any future cabling.

If you have line of sight between the ends, then a cheapo radio networking solution might be cheaper and easier. You'll get good speeds too over that short a distance.

 

[davelx]

But not using any of the 802.3 protocols, as the latency over that distance will ****** up the collision detection. Don't suppose you want to/can install a switch every 100m (or a bit less, for safety)....

If you are running point-to-point full duplex links using a pair of fibres (the norm) then there cannot be any collisions, so that is not an issue.

However, attenuation and time smearing is. The maximum length for full duplex multi-mode fibre for Fast Ethernet 100BASE-FX is 4Km. (400m is right on the bordlerline for 1/2 duplex on a single fibre)

 

[TheOriginalTonkaToy]

But not using any of the 802.3 protocols, as the latency over that distance will ****** up the collision detection. Don't suppose you want to/can install a switch every 100m (or a bit less, for safety)....

If you are running point-to-point links on duplex fibre then there cannot be any collisions, so that is not an issue.

Now, If you'd quoted BAS properly...

If you really do mean only of the order of a few, or even a few 10's, of Mb/s then you should be able to get that down copper over that distance.

But not using any of the 802.3 protocols, as the latency over that distance will ****** up the collision detection. Don't suppose you want to/can install a switch every 100m (or a bit less, for safety)....

 

[davelx]

Mea culpa Must read the paragraphs in order (and in context)!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you are running point-to-point full duplex links using a pair of fibres (the norm) then there cannot be any collisions, so that is not an issue.

That's true