Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Ok so I'm about to start wireing my Cat-5 cable to go from my house to the barn where my LOR controllers will be placed. This is a distance of about 140 ft. So here is my question. Can you use a coupler to connect two 100ft cable together so it would give me the needed lenth, or is their some other way i should be going about this. I already have to 2 100ft cables.Thanks, Chad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Please PM DownTown for assistance with your issue. He can help you.Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 ChadH wrote: Ok so I'm about to start wireing my Cat-5 cable to go from my house to the barn where my LOR controllers will be placed. This is a distance of about 140 ft. So here is my question. Can you use a coupler to connect two 100ft cable together so it would give me the needed lenth, or is their some other way i should be going about this. I already have to 2 100ft cables.Thanks, ChadI would run one solid cable. Any connections made outside can make trouble shooting a hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 How are you running the cable? If overhead, that means the coupler would be exposed? I'd worry about that connection after being exposed to the elements. And if the connection did develop high resistance or some other thing, it may be difficult to troubleshoot...I invested in a high quality hand plug crimper for Cat5 cable and can make up my own lengths. It cost about $30 or $40 but I've used it many many times...I think there's an advantage to having just the right length of cable. If you run the two 100' pieces, then you have to coil up 60' of extra cable?A coupler would work, though. You'd just have to make sure that you protected it, wouldn't want it to get wet or damp, etc.Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Randy wrote: How are you running the cable? If overhead, that means the coupler would be exposed? I'd worry about that connection after being exposed to the elements. And if the connection did develop high resistance or some other thing, it may be difficult to troubleshoot...I invested in a high quality hand plug crimper for Cat5 cable and can make up my own lengths. It cost about $30 or $40 but I've used it many many times...I think there's an advantage to having just the right length of cable. If you run the two 100' pieces, then you have to coil up 60' of extra cable?A coupler would work, though. You'd just have to make sure that you protected it, wouldn't want it to get wet or damp, etc.RandyI will be running the cable from the upstairs in my house down to ground level and just on the ground until we reach the barn. We were thinking of using an outdoor receptical to put the coupler in. I would use just one cable, but we already have these cables and if we can do this it would be alot cheaper then going out and buying more.Also, Tom when you say a straight through coupler what exactally do you mean?Thanks,Chad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 tsmith35 wrote: A coupler should work fine for Cat5 used in this application. Be sure you don't get a straight through coupler.TomTom - please help me understand your logic in saying "don't get a straight through coupler." A standard TIA 568A or 568B cat 5 cable is a straight through cable. You must maintain straight through connectivity if you are to expect the line to work (unless you're talking about the special case of attaching one ethernet switch directly to another). I don't even know what kind of coupler you'd ask for if you didn't want a straight through, unless maybe a crossover, which will swap your green and orange pairs and in doing so, cause the cable to NOT WORK when hooked to the LOR controllers. Can you let me in on your secret ?Thanks.D.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 please help me understand your logic in saying "don't get a straight through coupler." A standard TIA 568A or 568B cat 5 cable is a straight through cable. You must maintain straight through connectivity if you are to expect the line to work (unless you're talking about the special case of attaching one ethernet switch directly to another). I don't even know what kind of coupler you'd ask for if you didn't want a straight through, unless maybe a crossover, which will swap your green and orange pairs and in doing so, cause the cable to NOT WORK when hooked to the LOR controllers.DownTown, it appears that I need to learn not to reply when I don't have sufficient time to explain everything. A "straight through" coupler such as I am referring to simply connects the wire on one side of a connector straight through to the wire on the other side of the connector. In other words:OR/W -> BROR -> BR/WGR/W -> GRBL -> BL/WBL/W -> BLGR -> GR/WBR/W -> ORBR -> OR/WThis is not what you want. I have two such connectors from some years ago. I don't know what they are used for, but I have not found any use for them. What is known in the industry as straight through is different inasmuch as it is set up:OR/W -> OR/WOR -> ORGR/W -> GR/WBL -> BLBL/W -> BL/WGR -> GRBR/W -> BR/WBR -> BRCan you let me in on your secret ?There's no need to get smart.Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 You want a straight thru! Not sure why you would even use that.Mr. DT, why don't yuo post your REAL name? You part of the DownTowners String Band?:? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 Hate to bust your bubble here but I believe if you read the directions or Wiki that you will find that your first run to your first controller should not exceed 100 feet. After that you should be fine. If I were you I would place one controller about 75 feet away and then run your cable to the barn from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 Robin wrote: Hate to bust your bubble here but I believe if you read the directions or Wiki that you will find that your first run to your first controller should not exceed 100 feet. After that you should be fine. If I were you I would place one controller about 75 feet away and then run your cable to the barn from there.This is from the LOR wiki"LOR will have a USB->RS485 adaptor. This adaptor must be kept close to the PC as is true with allUSB devices. The output (similar to the output of the SC485) will be connected to the controllersusing CAT5 or phone cable as is done today. The distance limit of 100ft to the first controller doesnot apply with USB the distance can any length as long as you remain within the 2000' / 4000' range."So if I am reading it right, you can go up too 4000ft. But does it all have to be one cable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 I wonder why that is...I think I've seen the 485 interface being used in the "thousands" of feet so I'm surprised at the 100ft limitation.wonder what baud rate the LOR transmits at? has to be a max of the serial port like 19.2K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 Wow, I must be losing it as I did not see that your were using the USB adapter in your first post concerning the distance. My Bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 Well, I really dont think the usb adapter should matter. the 485 spec should tell the whole story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 John Pidliskey wrote: You want a straight thru! Not sure why you would even use that.Mr. DT, why don't yuo post your REAL name? You part of the DownTowners String Band?:?John - Please check my signature line - Dave Town is my real name, and no, I am not musically inclined, so the stringband thing is out. D.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 kb9nvh wrote: I wonder why that is...I think I've seen the 485 interface being used in the "thousands" of feet so I'm surprised at the 100ft limitation.With the serial version, the serial (RS232) to RS485 chip inside the 'dongle' needs to get power from somewhere. Since RS232 doesn't provide a reliable power source, LOR sends it back power from the first controller on the network. Since we're dealing with tiny wires (24 gauge or what not), voltage drop is a factor, and Dan found out that after 100 feet, the power supply isn't reliable enough to guarantee flawless performance of the serial dongle. Once you're past the first box, you can go "thousands" as you mention above.With USB, the USB bus provides its own reliable power supply, so this can all be ignored, so any connection can be "thousands" of feet apart.-Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 THe easiest solution is to use Lightorama's WIRELESSEasy Light Linker:http://store.lightorama.com/ealili.htmlIt transmits up to 1000 feat. Done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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