Hi, I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection must be mated. I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). The challenge is coming up with a suitable connection without requiring new castings. There are some tight physical space limitations that effectively rule out anything "revolutionary". The traditional RJ45 8P8C doesn't seem like it would fare well in the environment and would also be tedious to machine *into* the case. Abandoning it for a more physically convenient connector leaves me uncertain as to how "untwisting" all those connections *at* the connector would compromise the signal path.
RJ45/8P8C alternatives
Started by ●November 30, 2014
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
In article <m5fhlv$d26$1@speranza.aioe.org>, this@is.not.me.com says...> > Hi, > > I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection > must be mated. > > I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer > 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). > > Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). > > The challenge is coming up with a suitable connection without requiring > new castings. There are some tight physical space limitations that > effectively rule out anything "revolutionary". > > The traditional RJ45 8P8C doesn't seem like it would fare well in > the environment and would also be tedious to machine *into* the > case. Abandoning it for a more physically convenient connector > leaves me uncertain as to how "untwisting" all those connections > *at* the connector would compromise the signal path.We've used M12 6 and 8 pin water tight connectors for that. They work just fine from what we've found and much cheaper than getting the ones already out here. Jamie
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
Maynard A. Philbrook Jr. wrote:> In article <m5fhlv$d26$1@speranza.aioe.org>, this@is.not.me.com says... >> >> Hi, >> >> I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection >> must be mated. >> >> I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer >> 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). >> >> Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). >> >> The challenge is coming up with a suitable connection without requiring >> new castings. There are some tight physical space limitations that >> effectively rule out anything "revolutionary". >> >> The traditional RJ45 8P8C doesn't seem like it would fare well in >> the environment and would also be tedious to machine *into* the >> case. Abandoning it for a more physically convenient connector >> leaves me uncertain as to how "untwisting" all those connections >> *at* the connector would compromise the signal path. > > We've used M12 6 and 8 pin water tight connectors for that. They work > just fine from what we've found and much cheaper than getting the ones > already out here. > > Jamie >I'd add M12 4 pin to the list, in the off chance that that is somehow an improvement. There are only 4 pins connected for 100BaseT. I find plugging the 4 pin version in a bit easier. -- Les Cargill
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
On Sun, 30 Nov 2014 09:46:51 -0700, Don Y wrote:> Hi, > > I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet > connection must be mated. > > I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY > prefer 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). > > Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). > > The challenge is coming up with a suitable connection without requiring > new castings. There are some tight physical space limitations that > effectively rule out anything "revolutionary". > > The traditional RJ45 8P8C doesn't seem like it would fare well in the > environment and would also be tedious to machine *into* the case. > Abandoning it for a more physically convenient connector leaves me > uncertain as to how "untwisting" all those connections *at* the > connector would compromise the signal path.Modern PHYs are so much better than pulling the signal out of the crap. As a point of reference, we have a product that has to switch between a front RJ45 and a back plane connector. There is a RJ45 on a backplane that feeds to a .156 Sullins edge connector. A board plugs into that and has about 10" of diff pair to a TI ethernet mux chip to a SMC LAN8720 phy and 100Mb is no problem. So we go cable->RJ45->edge connector->lan mux->phy Can you do some type of a pigtail coming out of the box to a weather tight connector? Maybe: RJ45-5EWTP-CS-CBL-8I and RJ45-5EWTP-CB http://www.vpi.us/waterproof-rj45.html -- Chisolm Republic of Texas
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
On Sun, 30 Nov 2014 11:27:44 -0600, the renowned Joe Chisolm <jchisolm6@earthlink.net> wrote:>On Sun, 30 Nov 2014 09:46:51 -0700, Don Y wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet >> connection must be mated. >> >> I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY >> prefer 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). >> >> Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). >> >> The challenge is coming up with a suitable connection without requiring >> new castings. There are some tight physical space limitations that >> effectively rule out anything "revolutionary". >> >> The traditional RJ45 8P8C doesn't seem like it would fare well in the >> environment and would also be tedious to machine *into* the case. >> Abandoning it for a more physically convenient connector leaves me >> uncertain as to how "untwisting" all those connections *at* the >> connector would compromise the signal path. > >Modern PHYs are so much better than pulling the signal out of the crap. >As a point of reference, we have a product that has to switch between a >front RJ45 and a back plane connector. There is a RJ45 on a backplane >that feeds to a .156 Sullins edge connector. A board plugs into that >and has about 10" of diff pair to a TI ethernet mux chip to a SMC >LAN8720 phy and 100Mb is no problem. So we go >cable->RJ45->edge connector->lan mux->phy > >Can you do some type of a pigtail coming out of the box to a weather >tight connector? Maybe: >RJ45-5EWTP-CS-CBL-8I and RJ45-5EWTP-CB > >http://www.vpi.us/waterproof-rj45.htmlThose price are not nearly as extortionate as some.. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany -- "it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
On Sunday, November 30, 2014 8:47:03 AM UTC-8, Don Y wrote:> Hi, > > I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection > must be mated. > > I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer > 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). > > Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor").There are systems with weather-resistant caps (and threaded shrouds) that will take rain. You won't like the prices. At 10baseT speed, you might consider falling back to 10base200 (i.e. thinwire) and use a BNC connector! There can be a media converter in some sheltered location at the other end of the link, I hope. Weather-sealing a WiFi connection might be easiest.
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
whit3rd wrote:> On Sunday, November 30, 2014 8:47:03 AM UTC-8, Don Y wrote: >> Hi, >> >> I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection >> must be mated. >> >> I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer >> 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). >> >> Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). > > There are systems with weather-resistant caps (and threaded shrouds) that > will take rain. You won't like the prices. > > At 10baseT speed, you might consider falling back to 10base200 (i.e. thinwire) > and use a BNC connector! There can be a media converter in some sheltered > location at the other end of the link, I hope. > > Weather-sealing a WiFi connection might be easiest. >No, really, M12 is a pretty good outdoor solution: http://www.mouser.com/catalog/645/usd/1513.pdf They work fine for 100BaseTX. -- Les Cargill
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
On 11/30/2014 2:55 PM, whit3rd wrote:> On Sunday, November 30, 2014 8:47:03 AM UTC-8, Don Y wrote: >> Hi, >> >> I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection >> must be mated. >> >> I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer >> 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). >> >> Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). > > There are systems with weather-resistant caps (and threaded shrouds) that > will take rain. You won't like the prices. > > At 10baseT speed, you might consider falling back to 10base200 (i.e. thinwire) > and use a BNC connector! There can be a media converter in some sheltered > location at the other end of the link, I hope. > > Weather-sealing a WiFi connection might be easiest.I know where you can get plastic enclosures that will do the job. I have one on the outside of my house and another on the inside. They have RJ-11 jacks in them though rather than RJ45. I expect it wouldn't be too hard to make up a cable that will adapt the two connector styles. -- Rick
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
In article <m5fhlv$d26$1@speranza.aioe.org>, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:> Hi, > > I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection > must be mated. > > I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer > 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). > > Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). > > The challenge is coming up with a suitable connection without requiring > new castings. There are some tight physical space limitations that > effectively rule out anything "revolutionary". > > The traditional RJ45 8P8C doesn't seem like it would fare well in > the environment and would also be tedious to machine *into* the > case. Abandoning it for a more physically convenient connector > leaves me uncertain as to how "untwisting" all those connections > *at* the connector would compromise the signal path.Look for industrial ethernet solutions from such as Black Box. One way to search is to require DIN rails, even if you don't need them. Joe Gwinn
Reply by ●November 30, 20142014-11-30
Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:> Hi, > > I have an irregular-shaped (metal) enclosure to which an ethernet connection > must be mated. > > I can afford to run at 10BaseT speeds -- though would REALLY REALLY prefer > 100BaseTX (-T2 is not a practical option). > > Connection must be weather-resistant (sheltered location; not "indoor"). > > The challenge is coming up with a suitable connection without requiring > new castings. There are some tight physical space limitations that > effectively rule out anything "revolutionary". > > The traditional RJ45 8P8C doesn't seem like it would fare well in > the environment and would also be tedious to machine *into* the > case. Abandoning it for a more physically convenient connector > leaves me uncertain as to how "untwisting" all those connections > *at* the connector would compromise the signal path.Optical maybe?
