Gigibit ethernet extender options

[Chris McFarling]

I have a network consisting of about 80 nodes. All nodes are connected to a 5406 switch. This is a flat network with no additional switches or routers. I'm running gigabit to several of the desktops. There is a need to setup a few (4 or 5) gigabit desktops about 150 meters from the switch.

Being that that distance is longer than the gigabit-over-copper will allow (everything is run over copper currently), I'm wondering what my best options are. By best I mean cheapest while allowing each workstation an unshared gigabit link to the 5406.

Is there such a thing as a copper gigbit ethernet extender that could just be connected inline on the long cable runs? I'm thinking just a 2 port device, 1 in, 1 out. A google search didn't turn up much.

[Mohieddin Kharnoub]

Hi

The Fiber/Ethernet media converters is a good solution and cost effective, but you need a fiber ports on your 5400 switch.

Or you can use another 8-Ports switch like the 1800-8G Switch since you have 5 more Nodes.

Good Luck !!!

[Thomas Joebstl · Accepted solution]

The cheapest way would be getting a few (4 or 5) of the cheapest/smallest GBit switches you can find, adding them somewhere in the middle of the cable run (where you can access them if you need) and using them as simple repeaters/regenerators by only connecting 2 ports on each.
Dont have to be HP, managed or support other fancy features - BUT if you want to run tagged VLANs across those links make sure the switches forward oversized packets (I guess every recent unmanaged device should do that, my realtek based noname switches do).
Maybe hook them up to one larger power supply instead of using the individual small and usually inefficient wallwarts they ship with - or even run some power cabling along with the cat5 wires and supply them from the UPS in the server room, PoE would be the ideal - but a bit more expensive - solution.

Other than that you can go fibre but the miniGBICs are a bit pricey imho and external convertors are not that cheap either. Not to mention that running fibre might require some new tools, tools to work with copper cabling is cheap compared to that and almost everyone can handle copper cabling.
Fibre would be the better, future-proof and more elegant solution though.