One less obvious thing to consider is what sort of cable construction you want. Most Ethernet cable consists of stranded, shielded wires inside a flexible plastic casing, which is easy to wind up and move around. However, solid-core cable is less susceptible to interference and offers slightly better performance. It’s less flexible, but if you’re running cable inside a wall it’s a good choice. Ordinary and direct burial Cat 6 cables can attract lightning strikes to some extent, and burying the cable alone may not mitigate that risk. To fortify your outdoor ethernet network against lightning strikes and protect indoor equipment, it is advisable to install surge protectors as an integral part of your setup. This precautionary measure will help safeguard your network and valuable devices during adverse weather conditions. Step 1: Choosing A Cable Using ordinary ethernet cables outdoors can lead to rapid deterioration due to exposure to the elements. For optimal performance and longevity, consider placing the cables in a conduit, such as PVC or other waterproof plastic pipe. This conduit should then be buried underground at a depth of around 6 to 8 inches and positioned at least a safe distance away from power lines or other potential sources of electrical interference. Most garden buildings feature timber walls where a small hole can be made to feed the ethernet cable into the interior. Be sure to seal around the cable to prevent water from getting in during the winter months. Even if the water somehow gets inside an ethernet cable, there is a low risk of it becoming a hazard, although there is a very high chance that it will be damaged and you will more than likely see some signal degradation, if it works at all.

The cable is typically used in offices, homes, schools, and other similar environments. For instance, if you need to connect your PCs to the LAN network, you will run an indoor cable through the ducts to the server room. What is an outdoor Ethernet Cable? Out of these two choices, I would always recommend going for the exterior-grade cable whenever you plan on running an ethernet cable outside, regardless of how far the cable needs to be run.With a 2000 MHz frequency and high-level shielding and weatherproofing, this cable is prepared for everything. If you require the fastest business speeds, or if you’re a home internet user who regularly plays online games, the Dacrown Cat8 cable is here to take your browsing to a whole new level. Best outdoor ethernet cable: Shineke Outdoor Cat7

Are you at risk for a lightning strike? Technically speaking, we all are. Just ask the poor golfer who chose to golf at the wrong time…. yikes! Once you have your cable, the next thing to do is to drill a hole in your exterior wall. The cable will run through this hole and connect your router to the location where you want an outdoor internet connection. Drilling a hole in your property comes with several hazards, which is why it is recommended that you trust an expert team with the installation. Installing an outdoor ethernet cable is the best way to get a reliable internet connection outside your home or business. An effective outdoor internet connection can make relaxing in the sun more enjoyable. It can also make your business more effective by allowing staff to take their work outside into the fresh air. OSP enclosures are also an especially useful way to install and protect devices like Wi-Fi extenders and routers from the elements and intrusion. If you are determined to use conduit, IMC metal conduit will be more durable, but costly. IMC metal conduit is used for plumbing and has threads that can be thoroughly sealed. It is wise to pull twine/string through the conduit with the cable and leave it in place to make cable replacements easier.StarTech doesn’t make the cheapest cables, but they are rigorously tested and have a reputation for reliability. This Cat6 cable comes in blue, white or grey in lengths that cover everything from short patch cables to longer 15m runs. It uses 100% stranded copper conductors with 50-micron gold-plated connectors, and the cables are tested with the industry-standard Fluke tests to ensure they deliver reliable, professional-grade performance. Cable shielding serves dual purposes. One you likely know about, which is to help prevent EMI/RFI from disrupting your signal in environments that are rife with it. The other purpose is grounding, which is not only key to allowing EMI/RFI to drain off but also allow static electricity to drain off too (ESD). Any Ethernet cable outdoors that is subject to air movement outside, especially when it is suspended in the air, is going to generate ESD - period. A properly grounded cable shield will help prevent damage to your network devices. No, lightning will not be warded off. Lightning will light you and your cable up, and there is no way around that other than also inserting lightning surge protections into the cable run. For high lightning risk installations and environments, that is the only way to go. Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) and Zoned Cabling care other important considerations. PoE can make installations simpler and faster for devices that require a direct power source in addition to a network connection. Some additional equipment is needed for installation, with most being available at a low cost. The end of the ethernet cable must be terminated and we recommend using wall boxes at each end of the connection. A wall box allows for a separate ethernet cable to be connected and keeps the installation tidy. The installation of an ethernet cable is the same for most outbuildings, although their use may be slightly different. Summerhouses and log cabins can be used for streaming music or movies when converting the building into a space for entertainment. Garden rooms are often turned into a garden office and fast internet connectivity is essential for video calls. Even a shed being used as a workshop can benefit from ethernet to keep mobile devices connected.

All ethernet cables will list their American Wire Gauge rating, which is a common measurement for the diameter of the cable. This can be used to compare the quality differences between similar products. If an indoor-rated cable is left outside and gets wet because of the rain, it may well be fine and remain usable, although considering how affordable ethernet cables are, it is probably worth just replacing it. When running cable outside, particularly if you experience cold weather throughout the year, you will want to make sure that you are using exterior-grade cable given how it is double insulated. An outdoor ethernet cable can connect the outbuilding directly to the router inside a house. The connection will terminate inside the garden building and can be connected to an access point to provide a separate wireless network. For some added protection from the elements, you should also install a weatherproof outdoor box on the outside of your premises. This will protect your ethernet cable and will further prevent the elements from entering your home or business. If you already have a waterproof box on the outside of your home, you can use your existing hub for convenience. Step 3: Bury The CableA common question we get is “Is it better to use conduit underground”? Since direct burial Ethernet cable is rated for direct burial you may indeed bury it without conduit. In fact, based upon my experience, direct burial is actually superior to putting it into a conduit as conduit will allow water in over time (especially PVC). If you live in an area that has a frost line only 3” down, then simply bury the cable without conduit at least 10” down to avoid mechanical damage from shovels and the like. For areas that have frost lines measured in feet, freeze/thaw cycles can play havoc with PVC conduit. Consider that a conduit full of water will have nowhere to go when it freezes and potentially ruin your underground run. The best bet in this scenario is to directly bury Ethernet cable 18 to 24 inches down bedded on top of a couple inches of pea gravel to help with water drainage. Further, it is a good idea to leave some “lazy” curves in the run to allow for ground movement. Given the potential pitfalls of shielded cable, it is a good idea to carefully consider your environment. trueCABLE carries a number of CMX rated Ethernet cable types, and further information around selection is found in Selecting the Correct Outdoor Ethernet Cable . Dealing with Direct-Burial Scenarios Cold weather won’t affect the performance of exterior-grade ethernet cable as this is simply what they are designed to withstand, but UV exposure is a different story.