So finally it looks like we have an ISP who will run fiber. But they may not be able to run all the way to the house (it looks like the conduit may be crushed at the street pole end, and thats my responsibility). But they might be able to get it to an outdoor electric service panel where I currently have Cat6 run from the house to feed an AP and two cameras. Pulling lines back through isn't going to happen (I haven't go that in me, and they won't do it) but if I just move my router there I could work with it. Of course, it's outside (I can put whatever I want on that board of course, and there is a small roof over it so it's already a bit protected from falling branches etc). So the question is: what kind of box am I looking for? I see a few ISP-type outdoor boxes, but I'd really prefer something I can put OpnSense on. Do I just look at a ruggedized unit like this Onlogic ($475) and stick it in a protective box with some fans (and downward facing ducts)?
Outdoor Router option? Or just outdoor PC? (personal home use)
- Thread starter Demani
- Start date
A media converter.
Just turn the fiber into a Cat6 gigabit link since you already have the cable running there?
Or use one of the cat6 cables as a pull string to pull in a new cat6 to replace it along with a single mode duplex patch fiber. A $0.50 coupler and a fiber patch cable should do the job.
Though looking at the box you linked, there is no SFP+ port on it so are you not getting a fiber handoff from them? Are they installing their own ONT/switch device to convert from fiber to Cat6 (RJ45) to hand off the service to you?
Just turn the fiber into a Cat6 gigabit link since you already have the cable running there?
Or use one of the cat6 cables as a pull string to pull in a new cat6 to replace it along with a single mode duplex patch fiber. A $0.50 coupler and a fiber patch cable should do the job.
Though looking at the box you linked, there is no SFP+ port on it so are you not getting a fiber handoff from them? Are they installing their own ONT/switch device to convert from fiber to Cat6 (RJ45) to hand off the service to you?
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I think the OP is saying they already have an access point and a couple of cameras working off that cat6, so it's not available to be used to feed the signal in regardless of what the ISP is doing there.
Given that, I would say the best bet is to pull another cat6 and/or fiber through there. If you aren't up for it yourself, I'd hire a contractor to do it.
If you really, really don't want to do that for whatever reason, I wouldn't stick any device (even a hardened one) on a board exposed to the elements like that. Get an enclosure to place it in. I assume this board has power you can plug into?
Ubiquiti has a neat solution in its UISP Router that you can combine with an enclosure specifically made for it, the UISP Box. The one annoying thing is that it only outputs passive 27V PoE, so hopefully you aren't depending active (the usual kind) PoE to power your access point/cameras. And I'm assuming that the ISP is handing off an ethernet connection via an ONT or the like.
Given that, I would say the best bet is to pull another cat6 and/or fiber through there. If you aren't up for it yourself, I'd hire a contractor to do it.
If you really, really don't want to do that for whatever reason, I wouldn't stick any device (even a hardened one) on a board exposed to the elements like that. Get an enclosure to place it in. I assume this board has power you can plug into?
Ubiquiti has a neat solution in its UISP Router that you can combine with an enclosure specifically made for it, the UISP Box. The one annoying thing is that it only outputs passive 27V PoE, so hopefully you aren't depending active (the usual kind) PoE to power your access point/cameras. And I'm assuming that the ISP is handing off an ethernet connection via an ONT or the like.
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https://mikrotik.com/product/rb5009_out, perhaps. Rated from -40°C to 70°C. Can provide PoE out on multiple ports if you power it with the right voltage (more details). And it has an SFP+ port so potentially you can connect the fibre directly.
MT do offer such a unit, IP68 etc. Probably easier and cheaper to mount a suitable Meanwell or something inside and run the cable out to the DC input of the router, if you were going to go that way. But it depends if OP has time and energy to arrange or do such works. For the cost involved it might make sense to just use the "right tool for the job". Assuming of course that they want to take on a Mikrotik router.......I know not everyone is a fan.
If the hardware being outside is a must, I do think having something built for the job (ie will resist heat, humidity, keep insects out, etc etc) makes sense, as such things will really **** up anything not made to stand up to them.
If the hardware being outside is a must, I do think having something built for the job (ie will resist heat, humidity, keep insects out, etc etc) makes sense, as such things will really **** up anything not made to stand up to them.
Another option is a small managed switch on that Cat6. Make a "WAN" VLAN and a "LAN" VLAN, then they both can share that cable. Switches are cheaper and lot simpler, so they are easier to harden and not have to worry about running a router that needs drive storage, etc.
For example, FiberStore one is rated for -40 to 75 Deg C, has 2 x SFP ports for Fiber, and has PoE so you can also drive cameras and WAPs through it. Part# IES3110-8TFP-R . I can't post links yet (new account).
For example, FiberStore one is rated for -40 to 75 Deg C, has 2 x SFP ports for Fiber, and has PoE so you can also drive cameras and WAPs through it. Part# IES3110-8TFP-R . I can't post links yet (new account).
It'll work from a networking point of view, I'd be nervous about putting anything outside that isn't expressly designed for it. You're going to get insects in the ports, humidity is going to mess with everything. I know it says "industrial", but that's not the same as "outdoors".
Yes,. of course. I never meant for the switch to be exposed to the elements, but an enclosure mounted outside is still a vary harsh environment compared to indoor conditioned space and devices within an enclosure will get subjected to wide temperature and humidity extremes. You want to keep the amount of "compute" as low as possible in an enclosure to keep heat generation as low as possible as well as to use devices as simple as possible that are less susceptible to heat/cold in the first place. If your stuff is robust enough you can seal it up pretty well in a rain-proof enclosure, put gaskets or silicone on wire entry/exit points, and you don't have to worry about it for too much.
So somehow the fiber line guys figured it out. As in- they snaked it through the conduit with the RG11 from Spectrum all the way to the house. I was amazed they tried it because it's 500' uphill. I wasn't there, so I don't know what they did, butt they did it just fine. So now its in the house, and I'm good to go.
All that being said: yes, I would have put anything in a white outdoor box, added fans (including a solar fan) and made sure everything was tight and had fine screens (all of my electrical boards also have roofs just because I'd hate to have a falling branch take something off the board).
And that Mikrotik is just the kind of thing I was looking for, but I've had some issues with some other convertors from them too so I'm not a huge fan but if that was my option, for $300 it's a pretty good deal.
All that being said: yes, I would have put anything in a white outdoor box, added fans (including a solar fan) and made sure everything was tight and had fine screens (all of my electrical boards also have roofs just because I'd hate to have a falling branch take something off the board).
And that Mikrotik is just the kind of thing I was looking for, but I've had some issues with some other convertors from them too so I'm not a huge fan but if that was my option, for $300 it's a pretty good deal.