Long Range Printer - Cat5. PoE, Wireless?

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BFarm

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Nov 14, 2005
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I am attempting to set up a small thermal receipt printer about 500ft away from a laptop. I've tossed around a few ideas:

1.) Laptop -> Wireless Router -> Wireless Print Server -> Printer

2.) Laptop -> Switch -> 300ft Cat5 Cable -> Repeater -> 200ft Cat5 Cable -> Print Server -> Printer

3.) Laptop -> Switch -> PoE Injector -> 300ft Cat5 Cable -> PoE Repeater -> 200ft Cat5 -> PoE Power Adapter -> Print Server -> Printer

Option 1 is simple, less equipment, but I'm not sure how reliable the connection would be (I have scars from wireless installs). Plus I would need to provide a power source at the end (loong extension cord).

Option 2 would be simple, but I would have to provide power at the repeater as well as at the printer and I'm not sure if, even with the repeater, I would have consistent data transfer.

Option 3 is the coolest in my opinion, but I have never worked with PoE and consequently am a bit nervous about building a system around it. I thought something like this http://www.pcconnection.com/ProductDetail?Sku=5487461 could possibly power the print server and printer at the cable end - eliminating the need for a long extension cord.

What would you networking gurus recommend? Note that this install has to be setup and then taken down in 1 day for events. Durability is a concern. Cables would lay on top of asphalt and it's possible that they would be stepped on by un-aware walkers.

Also, fyi, the application is at an autocross. We have a timing trailer and would like to station a thermal printer at the finish line to run off timing slips for each person as they finish. The finish is typically no more than 500ft away.

Thanks for any advice,
BFarm
 
Repeaters suck IMO. But for JUST a thermal printer it should be OK. if you had any actual network data going over the line at 500ft I would recommend a fiber run. (indoors, not outside)

Wireless with two directional antennas should work fine. use a car battery and an ac inverter for power.
 
you do know a switch will work fine instead of a repeater.. just use two 250' ethernet cables and put the switch in the middle, or use two switches if there is reason to keep one close to the laptop.
 
Lazn_Work said:
you do know a switch will work fine instead of a repeater.. just use two 250' ethernet cables and put the switch in the middle, or use two switches if there is reason to keep one close to the laptop.
Click to expand...

How does he get power to the switches?

*And I prefer patch panel antennas over the satellite dish looking ones. Just personal preference.
 
So for the directional antennaes, I would just use a regular wi-fi router and use an adapter to replace the stock antenna? Likewise, for the other end, I would just need to figure out a way to replace the stock antenna on the wireless print server?

Maybe I'll dig around to see if there's a battery powered switch that could be put in midway on a long Cat5 run.

Do you maybe have a link to the type of antenna you were referring to Eickst?
 
BFarm said:
So for the directional antennaes, I would just use a regular wi-fi router and use an adapter to replace the stock antenna? Likewise, for the other end, I would just need to figure out a way to replace the stock antenna on the wireless print server?

Maybe I'll dig around to see if there's a battery powered switch that could be put in midway on a long Cat5 run.

Do you maybe have a link to the type of antenna you were referring to Eickst?
Click to expand...

The antennas on the router should come off. They unscrew just like any other antenna connector. I don't know about the wireless print server, though. You'd have to look at it.

The antenna that was linked earlier would work fine, I just like the *look* of the patch antennas because they are easier to hide on the side of a building or big box.

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/re14p.php
 
Sounds like you're working outdoors with minimal obstruction between you and the AP. With a decent directional antenna on the AP/Router (like the one referenced by Eickst), you may not even need to change the antenna on the print server... Test and see.

If a hill gets between your trailer and the finish line I guess that might be a problem. It may be a track by track thing...........
 
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