Network cable testing equipment?

[Jim S]

Have about a 220 ft run buried between buildings - cat6 in conduit, direct burial rated.  Surge devices on both ends rated for Gb speeds.  Has been operating ok for about a year but lately having some trouble.  Ping between ends shows about 10% time out, 90% show reasonable response time.  Testing out the surge protectors and equipment on both ends but thinking it may be time to buy a sub $100 cable tester - looks like for that I can get one that can locate breaks (TDR) and a bit more than simple continuity testers.  Anyone have recommendations?  If I could just borrow one that would be great as it will get very limited use.

Other options is to use a wifi link.  It's a little far through some trees but with careful placement on both ends might get a usable link.  I don't need Gb, 20Mb would be more than enough I think.

Another is optical fiber.  That would certainly do the job but seeing if I can fix the wired connection fairly easily first.

TIA  for any suggestions.

[Robert Ward]

I had to help a family member with an issue like this years ago.  The fiber connection ended up being the thing that fixed it, and I've learned in the years since that a ground voltage mismatch between buildings can be a major issue for ethernet.  Do the buildings share a common electrical system? If not I'd say there's a pretty good chance that's your issue.  There are also ethernet opto-isolators, that you could put on either end and still use the cable, but I think those are limited to lower speeds.

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[Jim S]

Common feed for electric - One building is fed from the other.  ethernet uses transformers that are rated at least 1500V - not enough for protection from lightening but more than enough for voltage differences between buildings.  I agree that fiber completely eliminates that issue but I don't see how that's the issue in this case.

[Chris Weiss]

if you're getting a Gb link then you don't have any breaks, it would drop to 100Mbit if there were.  Might still have some high resistance, just not enough to drop the link speed.  try without the isolators?  they are the most likely fail point. 

Assuming this link is between switches, I've had similar issues at similar distances, but that was 15 years ago on cat5E, inside a building with plenty of EM noise sources.  The link tested fine with a fluke MicroScanner pro, and was fine for a single system, but once multiple systems traffic was on it the dropped packets started.  A premade Fiber was ordered and run.

for >200ft backhaul, go fiber or airfiber.  I use a unifi airfiber pair at just over 300ft between buildings, with some smaller trees crowning in the line of sight, works great, and near gigE speeds with very little latency.

I really like the MicroScanner Pro, but even a used one will set you back a couple hundred.  it gets used frequently just for peace of mind, every self-made cables gets tested, and sometimes even brand new cables get tested :) 

[Jim S]

Will have to check how to drop speed to 100Mb or if it is already.  Running ddwrt on the routers on both ends.  Any suggestions on sources for fiber and end point hardware?

[Jim S]

I know I could cut a few wires to disable Gb speed but would rather do it in settings if possible.

[Chris Weiss]

slower speed isn't really going to do any better, it would just be an indication of wire breakage.

Gb rated fiber and media converters are pretty much commodity at this point. with the exception of the big expensive name brands, they are probably all made at the same place anyway.  TPlink has affordable ones.  pay attention to the connector type...

[Jim S]

Ok.  I see your point about speed now - I was misunderstanding your point

On the connector type is there a preferred or most common one?  Or that I just need to make sure the fiber connector matches the converters?  I have 1" conduit (I think...Need to check that) so if preterminated it needs to go through that.  About all I know about fiber at this point is how to spell it.  :)  Guess I need to read up on it.  Should I just get it from Amazon?  Since I need a long length I am thinking I need to deal with somewhere else that can supply a custom length.

[Chris Weiss]

LC is the "new" common, and smaller, probably better for running through conduit if you're getting a premade cable.  it might fit in 1". SC is older and larger, still might fit in 1", but not sure.  you can get LC to SC adapters, they work fine as it's just shining lights.  TPLink has an SC converter, and a SFP converter that you get a transceiver for LC, so it's a matter of what the total cost is with all the adapters.

FWIW, my first fiber was SC for 100Mbit backhaul and a converter, that's now used for GigE with the LC adapters on an SFP in a switch.  no issues.  

[Jim S]

Anyone have experience with fs.com?  75m of 4 strand OM2 with armor for outdoor/direct burial is $241. 
https://www.fs.com/products/70221.html
They also have the converters to RJ45.
Not looking for the absolute lowest price but good quality for a good price so hopefully I don't have to mess with it again for a very long time.  4 strand is about $80 more than 2 strand and having some spares seems like a good idea although not sure what the chance of actually needing them is.  Any other suggestions on specific sources?  There's always amazon but seems like a lot more unknowns there.

How worried should I be about breakage?  I could put the converter near where the cable comes into the house or run it about 30' more to the other network equipment but it would be through existing holes in joists and into a crowded area with other equipment and wiring.  Seems a bit safer to run Cat cable for the last segment.