Fibre optic?

[chrbb]

I have had contractors into school for quotes for network sockets and installing a switch for 6 extra pcs. One contractor said that the switch should be connected to the main data cabinet (approx 25m away) by fibre optic, another said he would use an existing cat5e cable because we wouldn't notice any difference in performance.

We are only having 6 extra pcs, we don't use roaming profiles - we use group policy, no video etc, would there be donwgrade in performance?

[CyberNerd]

If the wiring needs to run past a lot of equipment such as generators that produce high amounts of RF, or if its going outside - use fibre otherwise copper is good.

[Ric_]

I agree with CyberNerd but get the contractor to test the existing cable and give you a copy of the results.

[chrbb]

Sorry when you say copper you mean the existing cat5?

There are no generators it's just through the inside of school via the ceiling.

[Ric_]

@chrbb: I believe he does The reason I recommend you test the cable is because you could end up using some 8-year old Cat-3 as your uplink. Surely a 25m copper run wouldn't cost much anyway - don't let anybody put links in the cable though... micky mouse job IMHO, even if it does seem to be common practice.

[ChrisH]

Copper means Cat 5/6 etc. If its as easy as you say then just stick with copper. Hell if its only 25m do it yourself or get you caretaker to run the cable through the ceiling as he will have been on all the neccessary ladder courses etc

[bishopsgarthstockton]

Hi

 

at my place i have fiber optic backbone between the main data cabinet and cabinets around the school

 

i would def do what the 1st contractor suggested; yep its only 6pc but you may need to expand in the future, pluss with multi media getting larger as multi media technology advances you def dont want to have cat5 carrying the data.

 

pluss the fault tollerence is 0 with fiber optic.

 

pluss how old is the school the old lighting can really cause huge problems. not to bad for couple of computers communicationg but any more than that you prob experience problems in the future as you may expand.

 

i agree with cybernerd on the what he says; i guess its 50/50

 

i would think ahead and look at the forcast a head...are you gonna expand further??

[CyberNerd]

sorry, yes I mean't the existing cable. But like Ric said - replace with cat6 it if it needs replacing.

Hell if its only 25m do it yourself or get you caretaker to run the cable through the ceiling as he will have been on all the neccessary ladder courses etc

technically speaking you can't do this with a ladder as you need three points of contact on the ladder at all times. Cabling requires a tower - which is an entirely different course, you will need at least two competent (trained) people and the correct equipment (H+S officer sent us on the course, I thinks she wishes she didn't now)

[Ric_]

@bishopsgarthstockton: If the fibre was being run from a central cab out to the point then I would consider it but if daisychaining out the cost differential involved with running a new fibre to using an existing Cat-5e cable would be massive.

 

The cost per metre of fibre isn't much more than that of copper but it is more labour intensive to do a proper job and will require additional hardware at each end (even using cheap media converters you will be adding a couple of hundred pounds).

[plexer]

About £105 for 25m of preterminated and tested fibre.

 

Ben

[western]

If it's only 25m back to the cabinet and the contractor is talking about running fibre back to it, why have they not suggested running all 6 point back there? It's as easy (or difficult) to pull 6 wires through a ceiling as it is to pull 1!

[ChrisH]

If it's only 25m back to the cabinet and the contractor is talking about running fibre back to it, why have they not suggested running all 6 point back there? It's as easy (or difficult) to pull 6 wires through a ceiling as it is to pull 1!

 

Thats a very good point!

[mrforgetful]

I must admitt for 6 PCs over a distance of 25 Metres a new switch connected via Fibre seems ridiculous.

 

I don't do any cabling or planning by the way.

 

Our main IT rooms are all down one corridor, must be about 35 metres to the end one. They all just have copper (Cat5e or 6) going from the points in the classrooms to the Comms room switches at one end of the corridor.

[plexer]

Thats a very good point and I can't believe we all missed that one. Certainly makes sense just to run them as new points of the existing cabinet rather than a new cabinet, fused spur, switch etc... for 6 points.

 

Unless of course in the future there will be a load more that can't be supported from the existing cabinet but then I suppose you'd just upgrade that instead.

 

We have some copper runs to sockets at the far end of the allowable distance.

 

Ben

[chrbb]

thanks for the help, the data cabinet is full with no space for a bigger one or an additional one, also if the existing cable is to be used no need for disruption to ceiling between suite and data cabinet room, especially in the recently painted reception area with those white ceiling tiles that break as soon as you touch them! So we thought it easier to put it in the suite. It was just a last minute panic on my behalf in case the cat5e wasn't good enough and we hadn't made provision to rectify it.

 

I've spoken with the electrical company that are doing the network cables, they are going to check the existing cable and install a switch that is fibre optic capable just in case, also they have a 'friendly' company that they use to do fibre optic. So if we do need fibre optic we have it done.

[Ric_]

@chrbb: Remember to insist on the results from the cable crtification. All good cablers will Fluke test the cables and should simply be able to print out the results. These can help document your network and, in 5 years time, can point out any weaknesses in your cable infrastructure.