atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring customer wants cat5 round outside of house

The client said that it would make it easier to run cat5 outside of the house to each room for internet access. I would like to know what weather specific cable I should use. What form of hold down clips to attach the cable to the house. Lastly, what glomlet/seal to use to make the entry point water tight? I will purchase the supplies from major suppliers such a Graybar or other.

Thanks

I would only use EXTERIOR cat 5e with the appropriate sized clips. But then again I wouldn't install the cable outside unless it was the ONLY option as then you have to consider PROPER protection for each cable....translate to major $$$$.

Proper protection meaning lightning protection?

Just ask for outdoor UV resistant Cat5e and as Dave said make sure you use lightning protection. You sure theres no way to run the cable indoors? What about wireless?

What surge,lightning protection products would you recommend? Im sure it is on the same level protection that is often used to protect cable tv cable stapled to the outside of a older house.

if its just running around the outside of the same structure I wouldn't worry about protection just be sure the jacket it rated for outdoor use
running cables outside is often the only way to go around here with no basements and attics that are inaccessible

here's some that I picked up with a quick Google search
https://www.altex.com/Belden-DataTwist-Cat5e-Outdoor-Rated-Cable-1000-1594A-BEL-1K-P144451.aspx

Might be easier to run it outside, but most of the jobs I have seen like that look *really* bad a few years down the road, if they even looked decent from the start. and one hit with a weedeater and the whole run is trashed. I would try to run it indoors (attic or crawlspace) if possible or go wireless like tito mentioned. Clips would depend on what surface you are attaching to. How it looks will depend on how much of the cable you can hide, and what surfaces you have to transition across.

Jack

around here its not matter of "easy " on a lot of homes its the only practical choice . If you where to ride through this neighborhood you would have a hard time finding a house without at least one external phone or CATV cable as to the weed eater you dont run it that low .. along the eves and down the wall to the entry point


its standard practice by both the telco and CATV for existing homes

I can show you 30 year old runs that are as neat and tight the day they where put in its the ones that dont clip it down enough that soon look like crap

I agree Skip - sometimes there is no choice, and like you say the cable and telcos do it. Do it neat and properly strapped from the outset, and it wont look bad. Probably just me that notices it, I've had customers in seven figure homes with what looks like two dollar installs not really care about the asthetics of exterior cable installs. Around here, the phone looks better than the cable (mostly older homes). I wish I had taken pics of the way the cable was originally installed here at the house, it was pretty bad.

Jack