Cable extension

W

WiT8litZ

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
951
Reaction score
0
Location
P-town
Hey!

I'va had iBurst for 2months now. We connect on the Erasmuskloof tower which is only 2km away. You would think that this would be ideal, but wait, there's more. Our location is slightly topographically challenged, that is, we're just on the downside of a not so big hill on the way to the tower. With a huge mission and WBS' external antenna we have 3-5 lights on the UTD modem, but the max signal on utTraceStar is only -96db (being only 2km away you'd expect better). When installing the thing we asked iBurst if I could extend the external antenna's cable so I could place the thing higher on my roof, not just against the wall where we have signal. First they said I can't do this because blah blah blah, and yesterday I called the helpdesk to ask why the first month was so amazingly fast and why it sucks now. I asked if I could extend the cable and now the story's different, they say I can extend it.

So (long story for a short question), have any of you extended this cable between the UTD and the antenna? Does it lose signal quality? Did it help?
 
The length of the cable to the antenna will have a dramatic impact on signal quality. So it is debatable whether the extra height of the antenna will compensate for the extra length of the cable.

A much better solution is to place your UTD in the roof close to your ariel and run a long ethernet cable from your rooter/server/computer to the modem.

I have a 30 meter cable from my server to the modem. The modem is in a sweet spot, so I don't have to use an antenna.
 
Gatecrasher said:
A much better solution is to place your UTD in the roof close to your ariel and run a long ethernet cable from your rooter/server/computer to the modem.

.
Click to expand...
Yes, a much better answer. Good luck.
 
Longer LAN cable is the answer

Gatecrasher said:
The length of the cable to the antenna will have a dramatic impact on signal quality. So it is debatable whether the extra height of the antenna will compensate for the extra length of the cable.

A much better solution is to place your UTD in the roof close to your ariel and run a long ethernet cable from your rooter/server/computer to the modem.

I have a 30 meter cable from my server to the modem. The modem is in a sweet spot, so I don't have to use an antenna.
Click to expand...


Yip, this is what I found out after puchasing an extension cable for the antenna. So the extension cable is gathering dust. AFAIK the rule-of-thumb is that your signal strength will HALVE for every 2 Metres of antenna cable length between the Modem and the directional Antenna.

Now I have my Modem cable-tied to a roof-truss and the Antenna fixed to the chimney with a LAN cable running down from there to my switch. The tricky part is where to put the transformer... the power cable is an OK length from modem plug to the transformer but short from the transformer to the wall plug. So I have the transformer in a high cupboard shelf with a power cable extension cord running into the cupboard (not very neat)

I'm still worried about the effects of the heat and dust in the roof on the modem and cables, anyone have comments on this?
 
Last edited:
doublefrangelico said:
I'm still worried about the effects of the heat and dust in the roof on the modem and cables, anyone have comments on this?
Click to expand...

I suppose you could wrap the thing in a plastic bag or something for the dust. Dunno if it will work tho! :confused:
 
I put my modem in an old plastic ice cream container, with a hole in it for the antenna and cables to run out of, sealed with silicone. I attached a wooden block to the back of the container lid and screwed it a the wall. (in a roof, you could screw it onto a wooden beam) Then I just closed and sealed the container... and wallah!

If you use a white container, you can even see the LEDs quite clearly if you ever want to check your power/signal.
 
WiT8litZ said:
I suppose you could wrap the thing in a plastic bag or something for the dust. Dunno if it will work tho! :confused:
Click to expand...

I will not do that. It might over heat.

My solution (and it has been working 100% for over a year.):

I have my modem behind my curtains. The power supply is tried up to the bracket of the rail. Then my antenna cable runs throw the wall and is fixed to my roof. My antenna is one of the first once and the cable is only 1m long. I don't know how long the current antenna cables are.

Nobody sees my modem (wife is happy) and I have 5 led signal (I am happy)
 
Gatecrasher said:
The length of the cable to the antenna will have a dramatic impact on signal quality. So it is debatable whether the extra height of the antenna will compensate for the extra length of the cable.

A much better solution is to place your UTD in the roof close to your ariel and run a long ethernet cable from your rooter/server/computer to the modem.

I have a 30 meter cable from my server to the modem. The modem is in a sweet spot, so I don't have to use an antenna.
Click to expand...


Power over ethernet? :confused:
 
I have the standard aerial and the amount of cable it comes with is wuite a bit more than I actually need. Is there any way I could shorten it?

Could I buy a new shorter cable to go from the aerial to the connector which changes the cable to a normal wireless booster type cable. Sorry if that confuses anyone, but there is a much thicker cable whihc runs from the aerial and it changes to a thin type cable, the normal type for a wireless AP antenna, quite clost to the UTD. But I have too much of the thicker type cable which is directly attached to the aerial, does this makea difference too?
 
Hi all

The higher you go with the antenna the better. Try to use as little RF extention as possible to limit the -db loss.

I prefer to use ethernet to get the device closer to the peak of the roof and then the standard antenna cable through the peak onto the roof. Please also install some lightning protection to make sure you do not fry your device or PC.

Cheers

Shaun Green
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X