[XCSSA] Anyone interested in a WiSpy Demo This Month?

[xcssa@xcssa.org]

On May 8, 2007, at 1:44 PM, xcssa-admin@xcssa.org wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 03, 2007 at 05:23:33PM -0500, xcssa-admin@xcssa.org wrote:
>> Honestly, though, current plan is to give up on 802.11g, and put in
>> hardwired connections for that and maybe Sonos also.
>
> A couple of things:
>
> 1) You're probably better off, fewer interference problems, less  
> signal
> leakage, and the new wifi standard has much more bandwidth - enough  
> for
> HDTV...

Are you saying I'd be better off with hardwired ethernet, or that I'd  
be better off with the new wireless standard?  And what is the new  
wireless standard?

Even with hardwired ethernet, I'm going to retain a wireless protocol  
for laptop use.


>
>> One online source said
>> you should never run Cat 5 outside, but I wonder if that applies to
>> running from one room to another when you could make an easy run  
>> on the
>> outside wall just like the cable company does.  I heard that new  
>> homes
>> start with network in all rooms, everyone needs that now.
>
> 2) IIRC, that is correct, cat 5 is not supposed to be weatherproof,  
> and
> you are supposed to "plenum cabling" in areas like attics to be
> compliant with fire code... I don't remember the exact details, but if
> you have any questions about building codes and standards, about any
> sort of material science kind of issues, I have a relative who is a
> construction specifier and can answer them definitively, just send
> them to me and I'll forward them along.  This goes for anyone...

You can also get UV-resistant CAT5, burial grade, and others  
obviously designed for outdoor use of some kind.

The warning about running outside probably mainly had to do with  
inter-building runs, and the concern was about lightning strikes and  
other electrical safety issues.  However, the way it was stated was  
simply that ethernet shouldn't be run outside, period.  If I come  
across the link again I'll post it here.  BTW I think serious  
interbuilding runs should use burial grade run through pipes run  
exclusively for this purpose, and obviously not on something like  
strung on telephone poles which would be asking for lightning.

The exterior of my house is already covered with RG-6 for cable TV  
and Satellite TV connections, and I figure ethernet could be run the  
same way.  Though RG-6 is a "shielded" connection and typically CAT-5  
isn't shielded (but if that's the issue, IIRC you can even get  
shielded CAT-5).

I may end up doing this myself, but I'm going to start by seeing if I  
can get some sort of professional installation.

Thanks!

Charles