What's the best way to run internet to my shed? I currently have a Google wifi mesh 3 hub system in the house. The shed is about 30 feet away. I have an exposed trench currently where I'm going to run power to the shed and plan on throwing in an empty 1" conduit to eventually run my sprinkler system cables and should have room in there for something internet related. My Google research shows that running an ethernet cable through there is a bad idea.

Cat 5e or 6 ethernet cord with a poe wireless access point in shed if no power in shed. Use a poe Injector if router/switch doesn't do poe. Its shielded so i dont think you will have much issue with the sprinkler wires. Alternatively, run a power outlet out to there and use powerline ethernet to add an access point.

I'm running power to the shed in a separate 1.5" conduit.

Powerline ethernet will be the easiest. Plenty of kits with a built in access point to the end point plug.

Example kit.
NETGEAR Powerline Adapter + Wireless Access Point Kit, 1000 Mbps Wall-Plug, 1 Gigabit Ethernet Ports (PLW1000-100NAS), 1 Gbps Kit - Wireless https://a.co/d/10ElqAX

You can run a CAT6 cable through a separate conduit and you should be fine. Don't run it in the same conduit as electrical, it will cause a lot of problems in the signal. I'm not sure if shielded cabling will be able to protect it from electrical interference if it's in the same conduit.

There should only be power running through the wires in the sprinkler conduit when they are running, and even then its only the zone your working on. Its only usually 1 12v DC line at a time with power and that will not interfere with ethernet. A shielded ethernet cable should have no issued with that tiny bit of electricity running near it. But if you are really worried about it, use powerline ethernet instead.

I believe the issue with running cat5/6 through the ground is lighting strikes to the ground can fry the electronics on both ends of the network. You can get around this issue running an optical cable through the conduit and convert it to ethernet on both ends of it to bridge the network.

Is it too far to just add another hub to your existing mesh system?

I found that googles wifi routers are horrible. You can get much better signal at a better range switching to Asus.

if its too far to just add another mesh router in the shed and you want to avoid buried cat5/6 cable, you could also go with a wireless bridge to push the network out there, especially if you will already have power.

Two choices IMO.

1. Run a separate conduit and then a shielded Cat6x cable. Get a cable with a "drain" on both sides that can be tied to ground at each end. This sufficiently grounds the system but also eliminates difference in ground potential that can cause EMI.

2. Pont to point wireless radios that create a bridge. They work very well and considering the distance here cheap ones will work just fine. The remote radio can also act as a local access point.

The Pilot said:

---

What's the best way to run internet to my shed? I currently have a Google wifi mesh 3 hub system in the house. The shed is about 30 feet away. I have an exposed trench currently where I'm going to run power to the shed and plan on throwing in an empty 1" conduit to eventually run my sprinkler system cables and should have room in there for something internet related. My Google research shows that running an ethernet cable through there is a bad idea.

---

There is such thing as outside Cat5e/6 made for the weather.

There's nothing in the world better than a hard wire when you can do it. Do it. It's cheap as heck so run 3-4 strands in case you have issues later with a line.

kb2001 said:

---

You can run a CAT6 cable through a separate conduit and you should be fine. Don't run it in the same conduit as electrical, it will cause a lot of problems in the signal. I'm not sure if shielded cabling will be able to protect it from electrical interference if it's in the same conduit.

---

I would do this. I also wouldn't worry about lightning strikes. If it happens, you can deal with it.

Single mode fiber is cheap too, but you're looking at a couple hundred bucks worth of equipment to convert it back to ethernet.

You can get shielded cable and shielded keystone jacks if you're worried about interference from nearby power. Its probably not necessary. If you use shielded cable, you need it connected to a piece of network equipment with a 3 prong power cord.

TMoney2007 said:

---

kb2001 said:

---

You can run a CAT6 cable through a separate conduit and you should be fine. Don't run it in the same conduit as electrical, it will cause a lot of problems in the signal. I'm not sure if shielded cabling will be able to protect it from electrical interference if it's in the same conduit.

---

I would do this. I also wouldn't worry about lightning strikes. If it happens, you can deal with it.

Single mode fiber is cheap too, but you're looking at a couple hundred bucks worth of equipment to convert it back to ethernet.

You can get shielded cable and shielded keystone jacks if you're worried about interference from nearby power. Its probably not necessary. If you use shielded cable, you need it connected to a piece of network equipment with a 3 prong power cord.

---

additionally, you can get a surge protector for your ethernet cable as it comes back into the house if you are worried about the lightning. it has a female rj45 port on each side and just snaps right in line.