Running computer cables from basement to floor above

[Mark Lloyd]

I always heard 5 meters (16'), and you can connect 5 hubs together to get 25 meters (80 feet).

I have a 100-foot cable, but the picture is visibly degraded.

[bent]

I bought a 15' extension monitor cable (the old kind) , and there were problems with the quality of the video. I had to buy a better cable and everything was fine. It had the 1" diameter by 1.5" long cylinders embedded in the cable, one on each end. You can actually get the snap on cylinders separately. Also make sure not directly beside the hydro outside.

[krw]

Buy a quiet machine. If you need a monster machine, buy a laptop to use as a "terminal" (with removable disks) and use VNC to "connect" the the "server" in the basement.

[krw]

Isn't USB limited to 10'? That's not much if you're running between floors and to several devices.

They're cheap. I have a couple of nice seven port hubs, the laptop has three ports, the dock five, and monitor four (and another four port in the drawer). ;-)

There is a maximum length. IMO you'll run into this if you go between floors.

[DerbyDad03]

As other have have said, cable length might be an issue, especially for the monitor. My computer lives in Grandma's antique desk and to minimize damage, I didn't want to drill holes for the cables. I was able to remove a bottom panel but then I needed extensions for my non- usb mouse, non-usb keyboard and monitor. The extension cables for the mouse and keyboard were not a problem and I believe they come in some decent lengths.

The monitor cable was a different story. I bought a "standard" monitor extension cord at Best Buy and my video quality sucked. I did a little internet research and found that I needed to use a shielded coaxial extension cable in order to maintain good quality. Just as an example, this site sells them for $13 - $80, depending on the length you need.

All this said, I think sticking the computer in a remote location may not be the best idea, for all the reasons so many others have mentioned.

[Terry]

I use to use this setting because I had a power strip under the monitor that has switches for each outlet. It works find except then the weather is bad and the power cycles on and off. I don't think using this setting would be a good idea unless you have a UPS.

[mm]

Do you think some day the faux-formica computer desks with the slide out shelf for the keyboard and the holes for the cables will be antiques?

Will people ask their value on the 2097 edition of the Antiques Road Show?

Do think DerbyMom might someday be a grandmother and the grown grandkid will be afraid to damage the curved edges of the swivel shelves?

[Mark Lloyd]

16' per segment and 5 segments (with hubs between them).

Adjacent floors shouldn't be more than 16 feet apart. Maybe if this cable needs to run horizontally too.

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[Mark Lloyd]

Maybe not if you have frequent really short power outages.

[Mark Lloyd]

I suppose someone who really wanted to avoid noise would use a fanless diskless computer (it boots over the network) on a network with a file server in the basement.