Really long coax cable or really long Cat 5 cable?

[EmptyWallet]

Really long coax cable or really long Cat 5 cable? I have a cable outlet in one room of my apartment, and none in my bedroom where I want to put the computer. So, I can either run a really long coax cable to the cable modem in my room, and then a short jump from the modem to the computer using Cat5e, or put the cable modem in the living room, and then run a short jump of coax to it, and then a long cat5e cable to the computer in the other room. I guess it comes down to which will loose the least about of signal on a long cable run. Which should i do?

 

[ambientZ]

ethernet is my vote, its easy to get them in relatively long lengths. and the spec calls for ~150 ft or something.

Of course cable would probably be fine too. Those run all over peoples houses.

 

[BlindedByScience]

I'd agree. Keep the Co-Ax short, run CAT5 the distance.

Most folks that run extension co-ax don't have the availability of decent co-ax, nor the proper way to terminate and crimp the ends. CAT5 is cheap, spec'd out to 100 Meters, and should work just fine.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[Token User]

802.11g

Go wireless.

 

[k1pp3r]

if under 100m. run cat5, easier to work with, co-ax can be a pain in the butt to run

 

[TrueBuckeye]

802.11g

Go wireless.

While wireless is handy, I never suggest it where wired is possible. Always go for wired first...where it isn't possible or realistic, then look at wireless.

 

[QwertyJuan]

While wireless is handy, I never suggest it where wired is possible. Always go for wired first...where it isn't possible or realistic, then look at wireless.

2nd vote to that...

QJ

 

[Token User]

While wireless is handy, I never suggest it where wired is possible. Always go for wired first...where it isn't possible or realistic, then look at wireless.

I am generally the same, but in this case, it sounds like there is going to be one long cable running across the florr from point a to point b. If you can hide the cable (all mine run under the house, and have face plates in the wall) then hard wired is MUCH better (10/100/1000Mb vs 11/22/54/110Mb) - but in this case it sounded like a situation where the cable could cause an issue (rental property? parents? room mates?).

 

[valve1138]

I'd run an ethernet cable. Coax will lose signal, and is far less resilient to other things as well that can tweak the signal. Plus, the cable modem has been working great where it is I assume, so just extend the ethernet cable and be done with it.

 

[Vanskater]

co ax can go further distances then ethernet


and co ax is far better shielded then cat5


but the easyest things to do is cat5 unless u want to be different then use co ax

 

[k1pp3r]

co ax can go further distances then ethernet


and co ax is far better shielded then cat5


but the easyest things to do is cat5 unless u want to be different then use co ax

correct!!!!!

RG-6 quad sheild is good stuff, although it doesn't like corners.

i forget the limit on co-ax, is it like 500 ft, or 500m

 

[BlindedByScience]

co ax can go further distances then ethernet


and co ax is far better shielded then cat5

This is true...IF you can get good quality co-ax. IF you can get good quality terminations. The crap co-ax you can buy at Radio Shack doesn't cut it. Ask any cable installer that's done his job for more than a few days and he'll tell you the horror stories about leakage and reflections on the line due to crap co-ax. Foil shielded co-ax works great until you bend it a few times. Then, the foil cracks and you have a void in the shield.

Then, there's the issue of terminations. You can not crimp them on with channel lock pliers and have a good connection. The, there are minimum bend radius issues with co-ax. And...and....and....

I stand by my earlier statement - it's far, far easier to get a solid link by extending the CAT5 than it is to extend the co-ax for most folks.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[Vanskater]

which is why i said its far easyer to go with ethernet
i was just pointing out that there is nothing wrong with using co ax

 

[jimnms]

Why not call you cablel co. and get them to install another cable outlet. I had to move my computer to another room when we did some home modifications, and they ran a new line for me, and it didn't cost anything. The cable they ran is much higher quality than anthing I could find in a store.