Does the length of a coax cable determine the deterioration of data speeds?
 

Due to some video applications that we need to stream - we are in need of the fastest and most reliable data connection. We are going to be using cable because that is the only within reach technology that we can use. We currently have two coaxes coming in to the building but the problem is that our building is far away from the pole. Thus we run the coax from the pole to the nearest roof and then we run it along the roof and eventually into the building. We are intending to add to more but our production room in on the far side of the building farthest from the current entry point. Will I get any deterioration if we just run the two new coaxes from the pole to the building and then run along the roof and into the production room. Will that be the best or will it be better to bring it in where it is coming and then run cat (it is 350 Ft) to the cable modem? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Distance will always affect loss, and usually not for the better. Though the amount of loss could be so low that it doesn't matter.

The type of cable will also have a major impact on the loss, the cheapest cable you can find will usually have much greater losses then a good hardline cable.

If you google the type and manfg of cable you have, somebody probably has a loss per distance chart online for it.

Coax cable would be the better option. Signal degradation occurs at around 500-600ft on the coax vs 200-300ft on the CAT5. ^

Thanks guys. Will google.

RE reading it I want to confirm one thing. From the pole to the building, is that your cable or the cable company's cable?

If it's the cable company, they should guarantee you a certain signal at the building, not just at the pole.

Have you considered fiber? It's got less loss in many cases, and a way longer range.

It is the cable company's coax.

Unfortunately, fiber is unavailable in our area. :td:

If this is basic Internet access service, there is no quality of service guarantee.

your biggest lose will be in the connectors,

use top quality ones, gold plated center pins is the normal on the good ones,

good quality cable and quality fittings are your best friends !

The guys that really know their stuff on cables are the ham radio guys,
you might want to talk to them

Rally

I meant fiber from where the cable terms at the building or whatever to where you need it.

I can't picture the cable company letting you run your own cable from the pole, that would never happen here, they take care of it to the building, and guarantee a signal to that point of some strength.

Make sure that your coax cable is solid copper and not copper coated steel. If you use copper coated steel you will experience significant signal degradation.

A good copper-coated-steel core cable will be just as good as a solid-copper core cable; that's just physics.

I would advise you to involve the cable company here, but the typical cable tv trunk lines I would run outside are RG11 cable sweep tested as high as possible (2 GHz would be the minimum I would accept)--make sure the jacket is UV resistant. Yes this stuff is a bear to work with, but the loss is minimal compared to equivalent length RG6 or RG59. Otherwise, your alternative is to get cable into the closest entry into the closest building, put your cable modem there, then run multimode fiber to the other building between ethernet switches, then finally CAT5 to your production room.

What kind of bandwidth are we dealing with here?