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View Full Version : Limits on length of ethernet cable


katonah4
Dec 26, 2006, 06:53 PM
I have an Airport Extreme wireless modem unit that is connected via ethernet cable to a hub that is then connected to a cable modem and to a PC, both of which are located downstairs in my family room. I also have a MacBook Pro laptop that I usually use upstairs on the other end of the house but often the signal is very weak or nonexistant. I got a Hawking high-gain 2.4 Ghz Omni-Directional 7 db antenna (designed for Mac) to extend the range, but it does not improve things.

I was thinking about running an ethernet cable from downstairs where the cable modem is, to my office upstairs, where I would then place the Airport unit to deliver wireless signal to my Mac laptop and my son's iMac that he keeps in the same room. I'm guessing that I would need at least 50 foot or more of ethernet cable to do this.

So my question is whether this is a viable solutions or is there a limit on the length of the ethernet cable? If someone has a better solution without having to spend a lot more money, please suggest.it

Thanks

Tom

cajalat
Dec 26, 2006, 07:07 PM
Generally speaking 100 Meters is the limit (327 feet) for Cat5 cable or better for 100 Mbps connections.

knowledgedany
Oct 8, 2010, 07:47 AM
How much ethernet segment lenth

knowledgedany
Oct 8, 2010, 07:50 AM
*** tell me fastethernet segment lenth limit

knowledgedany
Oct 8, 2010, 07:56 AM
When ethernet segment exced 100m which type of problems occur

ITstudent2006
Oct 13, 2010, 06:18 AM
Well when you exceed the limit you run into a little thing called attenuation. Which means that the more data travels across the cable (ie: the longer the cable) the strength gets lower and lower the closer you get to the limit. That's why there are limits to things like this. You can't expect the signal to go forever.

Think of it this way, the data simply runs out of juice once it hits 327' 1".

Rick

P.S. I actually run a 50ft Cat5 from my modem (family room) to my router (my room) and it works just as if it was next to each other. I don't suspect you'll run into issues with a 50ft.

ITstudent2006
Oct 13, 2010, 06:25 AM
Not sure why you aked for the segment length limit again twice when you were answered in the first response.

Rick