Member Avatar for nacedo

I am getting opposite answers on this matter so I am asking on this forum.

I was curious on how would I proceed if I wanted to install several 100ft runs of Cat5E aerial rated STP outdoor with messenger cable.

This kind of cable,

What is recommended in this situation, terminating both ends of the cable with a shielded keystone jack ?

Do I also need to put a shielded patch panel in the center building if all the the runs are originating from it ? Think of it like its a star topology, the modem and router is in the center building and I need to connect 5 other buildings to the center one.

The installation technician says that my cable don't have to be surge protected since its shielded. The drops should be installed in each building with shielded keystone jacks.

Opinions are one some forums that I should use cat5e ligthning protectors outside each buildings.

  • 2 Contributors
  • 4 Replies
  • 190 Views
  • 3 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by rubberman

Dani AI

Generated

Quick summary for with context from the thread: a 100 ft aerial Cat5e run is well inside the 100 m (328 ft) channel limit defined for twisted‑pair Ethernet, so length is not the issue—correct handling of the shield, grounding and surge protection is. Shielded cable only stops conducted/induced EMI when the shield is properly terminated and bonded; it is not a substitute for lightning/surge protection on aerial runs between buildings, which are treated as exposed circuits by the NEC and telecom guidance. (cisco.com)

What the drain wire does: it’s the bare conductor that rides the foil/braid to make termination easier and reduce DC resistance. Use it as part of a low‑impedance termination, but don’t treat the drain alone as “the ground.” Best practice is a 360°/low‑inductance shield termination at the connector/patch panel and a short bond to the building telecom grounding bus so the shield actually works at high frequencies. Pigtails or long drain leads undermine the shield. (cablinginstall.com)

Surge protection recommendations (practical): fit a listed, PoE‑capable, gigabit‑rated surge protector at each building entry (primary/secondary protection), and use a secondary protector close to critical equipment if practical. Install protectors with the shortest, straight grounding conductor practical and bond that ground to the building/TGB. A cascaded LPZ (both‑end or entry + equipment) approach gives the best protection; when building ground potentials can’t be equalized, use fiber instead of copper. (trilpeak.com)

Quick checklist to apply on this install: use outdoor/messenger rated gel‑filled STP, terminate shields to a shielded patch panel and bond the panel to the building TGB per TIA‑607 practices, only use shielded jacks if the remote equipment/chassis provides a bonded shield interface, put PoE‑rated SPDs at building entries (and near devices if possible), and consider fiber for long or multiple building links to avoid ground‑loop/lightning risk. When in doubt about grounding or SPD placement, engage a licensed electrician or certified cabling installer. (studylib.net)

Recommended Answers

All 4 Replies

Member Avatar for rubberman

With Cat5, no link (between active terminations) can be more than 100 ft. (33 meters), at least reliably... :-) FWIW, shielded cable ONLY protects your signal from transient surges (static, local EMF, etc.), but NOT from large active EM strikes, such as lightning. For outdoor cable runs, you REALLY do need active surge protection at all terminations (switches) that may be susceptible.

FWIW, I am a director of an IEEE consultant's network.

Anyway, the saying is, "Better safe than sorry".

Edited by rubberman
Member Avatar for nacedo

The cable have a drain wire in it, what is the use of this wire ?

Member Avatar for rubberman

Not sure. A ground wire perhaps?

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.