🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <SF4egDA2MhF3EwfX@howgarth.demon.co.uk>, Jamie Walker
<jamie@howgarth.demon.co.uk> writes
>>
>How much does a 300m length of fibre cost (roughly)? 

No idea.  It's been a few years since I performed a fibre installation,
and prices will have fallen since then.  

>What type of
>transceivers need to be put at the end of the link? 

Any you like.  Fibre to AUI, fibre to RJ45, etc.

>Can you just plug in
>a network card 

you could, yes, with the correct transceivers at each end of the fibre.

>or do you need a hub?

that would be a more typical application.  With the expense of fibre, it
makes sense to add a load of workstations onto the end of a fibre run to
reduce the cost per port.

> And, erm, is the fibre cable fairly
>robust 

Not particularly (remember it's glass) and you will need to be fairly
careful handling it.  Kinking it is a definite no-no.

>(trying to work out how easy it would be to rig up a connection
>to a mate's house across/round a field and over two roads ;)

Doable, but what about planning permission etc?  And you will need to
buy reinforced cable designed to be buried or run through conduit.

You will be highly unlikely to be able to terminate the cable yourself
due to the special tools needed, but many cable installation companies
are happy to test and terminate an already-installed cable (which is
what I used to do - get the cable laid, then get in a firm to terminate
and test it.)

>Or maybe I should just wait for Digital Powerline.... 

Don't hold your breath.

-- 
Mike Tomlinson
See the sci.electronics.repair FAQ mirror at  
http://www.jasper.demon.co.uk/repairfaq/