Running Cat-5 in metal manufacturing warehouse

[joebloeonthego]

Hello, I work at a metal manufacturing warehouse (in the office up front) and they'd like to connect a 3 pc's on the shop-floor (used to interface with robot-welders) for backups, and a 3 pcs along the walls (running a simple access inventory system).
I got some Cat-5e indoor (riser rated) cable, crimper, and some rj-45 ends, and a tester.
I figured I'd stick an 8-port router in the middle of the warehouse (app. 75m long) and just run the cable out in a star pattern, up to the ceiling (pretty high, 30ft?) across and back down to the pc's.

Is interference going to be a problem? There's a lot of big machinery back there, although it is pretty spaced out (most of it is of the big heavy flywheel spinning to do punch-pressing and stuff). And I will be running all along the ceiling or straight down to pc...

Network speed isn't really an issue as it's just for these three pc's to access the access database on a 'server' (which is only used maybe a handful of times each per day), and once a week backups of some confiuration files for dos programs (<1MB) on the other three. I just want to make sure it's going to work.

thanx!

 

[Bobg1]

If they are in the parking lot they no longer need the pringles can antenna, they are close enough.
BUT, if it is secured properly, who cares. On top of that they would be trespassing.

 

[daronwilson]

This topic is great for the wireless forum. Keep in mind they are in a metal buidling so you are a few steps ahead there, but If you have a 'porperly secured' network, i'd be curious how you are achieving that. Hopefully you arent telling me that WEP will do it, it's crackable in a few hours. But yes, wireless is always an option that should be considered.

Good Luck!

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[bitzz]

In Ontario, Canada where I live, wiring code dictates that the cabling must be protected (usually in a conduit)in a manufacturing enviorment.
I have an installation with many 600v three phase motors every where.
1)wireless won't work, too much noise.
2)Steel conduit (grounded of course, see parallel notes above) will eliminate said noise.
3)Use solid for the run from the wiring cabinet to the shop floor with 110 punch-down jacks. (much more robust, stranded is for flexible patch cables)While you are running wire run at least one extra from the cabinet out.
4) Put your hub/switch as close to the end of the conduit as possible. You may want to re-think the hub in the ceiling.

About the phone that they will want later; ethernet only uses 4 of the 8 wire in the cabling. There is two DNs (phones)

 

[daronwilson]

If you are going to all the effort to shield and protect the ethernet from noise and electricity, why in the heck would you violate the design by throwing 48 volts on the other two pairs or worse yet 100 vac ring voltage?

It's simply not worth it, run ethernet on your ethernet wire, as it was designed for. If you need telephone service, run wire separate for the.

Good Luck

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[technome]

With Cat 5, the wire twist cancels emf very well. I have a client where very high current welding proceeded for 1 week, no more than 6 feet from a bundle of 28 cat 5 cables( in an unshielded wood raceway), much of the welding occurred within 12 inches. The server was also within 6 feet. End result, not one computer in the system had any machine or program lockups, no data errors.

This situation occurred in an office structure built on a large steel barge, located in the New York harbor. The wire were running parallel, for the full length of the structure, to the welding. Every monitor in the building was suffering from the constantant emf pulses from the welding arcs, the screens would actually become unreadable. The owner became worried about the monitors fading in and out. After 4 days of welding, he called me to the site.
If I was asked about the situation before the welding started, I would have advised him to close shop for the week. But after 4 days, I actually had full faith in the wire twist cancelation; I was more concerned with the monitors surviving the week.

 

[abscomm]

For the price of fiber optic cable nowadays, I would run a piece of 6 strand fiber and put a couple of fiber to 100baseT converters on my hubs, that way you will be sure to have no interference.

 

[bierhunter]

I'm still thinking the wireless would be the way to go. With the few number of PCs involved, it shouldn't be that expensive. Even the low priced Linksys units work very well. It would at least be a start, and they could up upgrade later.

We've installed many drops in aircraft hangars and refit areas with huge open spaces and lots of equipment. The suggestions above are very good. The conduit for the last few feet would be a necessity for me. Things get bumped around in industrial areas. You want to keep that cable protected.

What was the killer for us was the labor involved in running cable across the high beams and such. Wireless is cheap enough nowadays that the effort and safety risks of high beam cable running isn't worth it. As long as the proper security precautions are taken, wireless would be a good solution here.

 

[AvayaNovice]

I like technology that works. While wireless does have its uses, it's a novelty.

Did you know... for instance:

That wireless will pass through a tree, but will NOT pass through a tree with wet leaves?

Things like that are why wireless is fine for non-essential purposes, or where it's the only option.

Put in a cable plant, put in a good one -- and have it there for when you need it.

I agree with ABSCOMM, I'd put in some multimode and just uplink. It's simple, it's cheap, and it works great. I'd also install some 2&quot; conduit from point A to point B that way if it ever needs upgrading, it's a snap.

Do the job right, spend the money, and release the tension. I'm too tired of seeing jobs where we have to run wiremold, or some huge trick to get it to work. If you do it right, it looks nice and it works even better.

Nick

 

[bierhunter]

I'd have to disagree on the novelty part, but I understand what you're saying. We have instances where it's definitely not a novelty. We have clients with aircraft mechanics using wireless PC tablets tied directly into the tech manuals and supply system on the network. They can move freely about and have all information at their fingertips. It works wonderfully. Can access all manuals and order parts while working on the aircraft and not have to stop what they're doing. But, I think what we're dealing with here is robotic equipment, so there shouldn't be much mobility requirement.

I will definitely agree, though, that if a cable plant is installed...do it right and do a quality job the first time. Bad cable installations are about 80 to 90% of the problems my guys have to go fix. Unfortunately, they were sometimes the installers...cough...they learned a lesson for sure. I keep beating through their head about cabling, but some people have to learn the hard way.

 

[AvayaNovice]

Good point. When I said novely, I really should have said it's a blessing. When it works, it works great -- but I wouldn't rely on it, that's what I'm saying.

But it's certainly useful... really really useful.