extending a network to a building 50 m away

anoop wrote in part:

The general answer is fiber. It is by far safest against lightening and ground loops.

Running copper may be possible and reasonably safe depending on how the buildings get electrical service (same groundstake?)

-- Robert

I agree that fibre is noticably safer if you are going to "hard wire" connections. But whether it is the most "cost effective" method depends a lot on your costing model, and what probability and value that model assigns to risks of physical equipment or risks of security breaches. I'm sure you are familiar with the saying, "There is always money to repair, but there is never money to do it right in the first place".

For a 50 meter connection, with "cost effectiveness" being given as an important consideration, then the OP may wish to consider a wireless link. If there are windows on the facing sides of the building, possibly just putting the wireless units in the windows and pointing them vaguely towards each other might give a good

-enough- connectivity, without going to the trouble of directional antennae or outside mounts. Depends -- does the weather tend more towards sunny and clear, or more towards thick fog or blinding snowstorms?

No argument there. With a bit of creative dickering it doesn't have to be that expensive either. And once installed, 100Mbit or 1Gbit is easily attainable.

I agree: Since there are already wireless APs installed, one more that can repeat or bridge to copper may be sufficient. A directional indoor antenna stuck in the window might not be that much trouble, though. Fifty metres with a crowded spectrum may make for poor performance without. And there's the low-budget tinkering with pringles cans and somewhat more recently, woks.

If money is tight and a local electronics enthousiast available, and if the likely weather allows for it, let me chip in with the following links:

I think the fiber option would be cost-prohibitive.

I'll have to check on that.

Thanks, Anoop

It's in California, so summers are sunny and clear, winters tend to bring rain and fog.

Can you point me to specific wireless products for doing this?

The buildings are of very basic construction (like homes) so there should be very little interference from the buildings themselves.

Anoop

The phone company should be able to supply a 4004 set (two sets of twisted pair wires, certified) between the sites for a reasonable rate and then you can use two Ethernet half bridges which are really cheap these days.

This place is out in the boonies so I doubt the phone company will be much help. It's all acres of private property.

Anoop

If the building are 50 meters apart then you local phone company (you do have phones there don't you) can handle that. I don't know what your area looks like, obviously, but there's got to be local phone wiring in the area. The phone company can nail up lines for you. That's all what 4004 circuit really are. They don't even have to go back to the CO, just to the closest remote closet.

Go to CompUSA and bring up wireless / antennas and look through the choices. These are not industrial strength but you'll get an idea of the choices. The cheapest way is if you can easily mount something the size of a Pringles can at each site pointing out an open window. This allows you to use indoor equipment. You might even be able to point through walls if the materials are EMF transparent enough.

David Ross