Question new property with longer runs, DIY fiber?

[skyking]

We will probably have a gate ~ 170 meters from the house. there is an intervening bluff of trees that will mess with Line Of Sight (LOS) wireless.
I can put a POE repeater in a junction box and stay with copper, but I would like to explore running MultiMode Fiber (MMF) down there.
In any case I will need to send some low voltage along for the gate, camera(s) etc.
I'll make ~90 M runs to a J-box for wire pulling goodness.
I have never terminated fiber and wondered about getting into it. Does anybody terminate MMF here and have an inexpensive termination suggestion?

 

[akugami]

Terminating fiber doesn't seem like it is worth it for a homeowner or DIY project.

I myself am in the same boat, and haven't done the actual runs yet, but will soon.

You can get a cheap termination kit, and roll the dice, or a better kit, which costs an arm and a leg. Or just run the fiber, and hire someone to terminate them for you.

Ultimately, the conclusion I came to was you may be better off buying some pre-terminated fiber lines, and running them to a few strategic locations. This acts as the backbone of your network. OM4 fiber can support more than 10Gbe, and even 25Gbe if the fiber line is under 100 meters. I believe newer optics allow OM4 to do 40Gbe at 100 meters over a single pair of fiber cables, but don't quote me on that.

Run CAT6A to all locations since copper is easy to terminate and will support 10Gbe.

For example, I am going to run a pre-terminated OM4 fiber to the attic. This will connect to a PoE switch, and from there I will be running CAT6A to all cameras. I will also be running a fiber line to the 2nd floor, and from there run CAT6A to all of the bedrooms.

I really can't see a use case in the next 10-15 years that would require more than 10Gbe in each room. You can run multiple 4k@60hz video streams in each room and come nowhere close to saturating a single 10Gbe connection.

As for making a pull outdoors, run conduit. I'm not sure what devices you are putting, but I don't believe anything would require high data bandwidth besides a video camera. I think CAT6A would be more than enough to handle most power and data requirements of a camera at the gate. But if you need to, run both a fiber line and CAT6A in a conduit, and leave a pull wire for any future needs.

 

[skyking]

It's all in the OP. The underground is in conduit and at 170 meters I doubt it will work at all with a straight run of copper. I don't need big bandwidth to the gate.
I looked around and found 1 500 foot run of MM OM3 at Ebay for $160. I'd really rather have 600'.

The house will have some smurf to the unfinished basement equipment room, so I can pull in whatever. I have a boatload of cat6 around from network jobs. I will drag that in for now, but I won't even terminate it until I use it.

 

[mxnerd]

500 foot run of MM OM3 at Ebay for $160. I'd really rather have 600'.

This? US$200 (+ $37.65 Shipping & Import Fees Deposit to Canada)

Amazon.com

==
No termination required.

 

[skyking]

Thanks Nerd. I looked at cheap POE repeaters too, That would be the other option.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVR3C92...pY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1

I'll have a mid-run pull box at about 90 meters that could house a repeater out of the weather.
Whoever I get as an ISP will have their own run in the same trench, above my primary power.

 

[akugami]

Yep. Video shows the guy running pre-terminated fiber cables.

Just a few additional notes.

I recommend skipping OM3 and use OM4 fiber. The price difference seems negligible considering this is something you expect to be installed and untouched for probably 15-20 years at least. If you want to be a little more future proof in terms of maximum potential bandwidth, maybe even look into installing SM (single mode) fiber instead. Prices for SM fiber networking equipment has come down drastically.

The video linked by mxnerd shows the homeowner using switches with SFP ports, but you'd want to use SFP+ ports at this point. No reason to use SFP anymore. And make sure the connectors on your fiber cable matches the connectors on your SFP+ module. There's a few different connector types.

And lastly, choosing the switches and maybe a router to run your network. Buying used deprecated networking equipment from a vendor like Cisco, Brocade, and Juniper is a viable cost saving option. The only downside is the used equipment may likely be 10 years old. They also usually require a higher initial learning curve. Alternatively, a brand like MikroTik is a relatively economical solution that straddles the line between being consumer friendly, while also giving you extra capabilities which you won't find in consumer level devices.

 

[skyking]

I have a microtik here and it just runs. Good stuff. It will come to the new house.
The fiber is just to get to my camera and equipment at the gate, nothing more. I could run that area with 10BaseT , so any fiber will do nicely. The ISP will have a conduit to deliver what I can get, which I fear will start with DSL (GASP!) and might be cable.
I have many years of networking experience, but never did step up to terminating fiber. That pre-terminated 200 Meter in Mxnerd's post will take care of what I need.
The home network will be copper and wifi in the house, but I will run blue smurf so changing out tech will be possible.
I will bury smurf to several areas, but not cut in a low voltage plates unless I am putting in equipment there. I will have an as-built map and pictures of the installs in each room and I will put a cat6 placeholder in each run. I can either consult the as-builts or put some tone in the wire and find it with my toner behind the sheet rock.
I drag the smurf up to TV hanging height and location for each room, but won't cut the hole unless a TV is actually going there.
Even when a TV is wifi, behind it is a great place to hide an AP for that area.

 

[akugami]

@skyking
Wasn't sure about your experience. I myself barely know anything, and most of what I know was researching running fiber in my own new house. Basically I know enough to be dangerous.

Seems like you got all of what you need to get started.

I would note that in my research, there are micro-armored pre-terminated fiber cables. A lot pricier, at $300 for 200m of armored OM4, vs $200 in mxnerd's link.

I bought a 75m cable of this exact type to run from my basement to the garage. The basement is where the Verizon FIOS modem is located. I'll be throwing a server in the garage, and my home office sits above the garage, so nice and neat location for a drop. The plus side is, I felt OK running the wire as-is, and not run it inside a conduit. Especially since it was all indoors.

 

[skyking]

Things are progressing slowly on the new home.
I have a change in mind now for the fiber run that is fun stuff.
House---->25 meters to flush box.
Box houses several things. The fiber conduit and a copper conduit to house. Keep them separated so I can pull in replacements without pulling out and in the whole bundle to avoid burning.
ISP conduit to house and to CATV box off site.
It also has a sleeve into the house for domestic water.
It will have 120V power coming from a nearby breaker panel.
from gate ------> 170 meters to box
1" HDPE water pipe
1" HDPE spare with fiber in it
120V power to gate conduit
1.25" Spare ISP pipe
1" spare conduit

Those last three will get a J-box halfway for pulling.
The HDPE are home runs. If the water service ever fails, I have a spare and will have to move the fiber over to the failed line.
This is my dark fiber, not the ISP