Ethernet max distance

[swillet41]

Hi,

I would like to find out how network admin's deal with Ethernet cabling cat5/6 max distance at 100 meters. 

If the run is longer than 100m to a device (switch or router), how do you get the cable there??

Thanks

Scott

[shaps · Accepted solution]

you would either use a fibre cable or have another switch in between

[Mark Malone · Accepted solution]

good patch panels can act as repeaters as well to regenerate layer 1 signals breaking the 100m issue

[swillet41]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.  Is it more common to land to a patch panel, or just buy a repeater?

Scott

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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Posting

My experience has been, if long distance is involved, fiber is more likely to be used.

PS:

BTW, there's additional distance limitations to using true repeaters.  Switches, though, (when cascaded) don't have the same distance limitations.

[swillet41]

Joseph,

Can you elaborate on the limitations?  If we daisy-chain switches, doesn't the 100m max still apply?

Thanks,

Scott

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Disclaimer

The Author of this posting offers the information contained within this posting without consideration and with the reader's understanding that there's no implied or expressed suitability or fitness for any purpose. Information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as rendering professional advice of any kind. Usage of this posting's information is solely at reader's own risk.

Liability Disclaimer

In no event shall Author be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of use, data or profit) arising out of the use or inability to use the posting's information even if Author has been advised of the possibility of such damage.

Posting

The 100m limitation still applies between any two switches, but not to the serial overall.

With true repeaters, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-4-3_rule, for 10 Mbps, and for FE, see find Class II repeaters in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_hub.

[shaps]

there will be no problems with distance when linking switches together,  although as said before probably easier to use fibre,   spanning tree can easily get out of hand with multiple switches

[samuelnwadike]

Sorry but I respectfully doubt this theory Sir. 

[swillet41]

Thanks for responding shaps1983.

Scott

[danielfredrick]

The 100M limitation is dated information. Back when we used hub and only had half-duplex. Because of half-duplex, you had to transmit and receive on the same wire. The 100M distance was a restriction because that was the amount of time took for the packet to be physically transmitted and arrive on the remote side of the cable to avoid collisions before the remote side to transmit.

If you use full-duplex, which we should be by now (even when this was posted in 2015)... you can easily get 500 feet from Cat5/6. We do this every day with brand spankin' new Cisco APs (which run over POE). 

Also, a patch panel is not a repeater unless there is something in the patch panel electronically retransmitting the packet (repeater)

Sorry for the late arrival but I was looking for something to quote for this same topic and found this incorrect answer.