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The cable in this image:

enter image description here

is 75ft and is for my ISP. I'd like to replace it with one that is 2,000ft and run it buried outside to give internet connectivity to another building on my property. I've figured out that it is a SC/APC connector, but I have some other questions on which I'd really appreciate some insight:

  1. Do I want single or multi-mode?
  2. Does anyone know of another place to buy a 2,000ft SC connector fiber cable other than a custom built one at Custom Cable?

Thank you!

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First off, you need two of those at each end, one for each direction. Second, it looks more like SC/PC to me, not SC/APC.

If you want to just plug in your replacement cable, then you don't have a choice, because the equipment optics determines multi-mode or single mode, in other words it's not just the cable's physical connector that has to fit where you plug it in, but the fiber's mode also has to correspond to the mode of the optical equipment that you're plugging it in to.

Multi-mode is cheaper (never wondered if it's the fiber or the optics, probably both). For multi-mode the best you'll do over 2000 ft is 100 Mbps.

Be careful, because if this cable plugs in to some equipment that your ISP installed in your building, it is probably NOT active optical equipment, but just a patch into another cable that runs to the ISP's optical equipment in a network room somewhere in your neighborhood. Extending the cable may not be supported by your ISP.

Instead of extending the ISP fiber, you may want to investigate the possibility of leaving your ISP installation as it is, and running cables between your buildings that plug in to your internal network.

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  • Thank you for the info. That makes complete sense regarding the cable versus equipment mode.
    – TCSoft
    May 25, 2016 at 17:13
  • And @RonMaupin just got a +1 from me because I didn't even consider the possibility that you might not have pre-built cable runs between your buildings. Do consider leaving the ISP part as is and putting an active equipment (firewall, router) between that and the inter-building connection. In case of an ISP problem you certainly do not want to be explaining that "Oh, I extended your cable half a kilometer".
    – Law29
    May 25, 2016 at 17:46
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This is something you really want to hire a cable vendor to do. Outside Plant (OSP) cabling is a specialty, and there are things you must do for safety (legal requirements), and things you must do to make sure the cable will not fail.

For instance, outside cable is not allowed to extend more than 50' inside a building, you must bury it at least 24", or below the frost line, whichever is greater. Direct buried cable needs to be armored, loose-tube, and probably gel-filled. There is also grounding, bonding, and lightning protection that must be carefully done because the armor will be metallic.

This is not something for amateurs, and the cable vendor will run bulk cable and terminate it to a cable patch panel with the appropriate type of connector.

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  • I've heard about that 50' max inside run, but thanks for the reminder. I'd love to have a pro do it, it's hard to find these folks. Thanks for the input.
    – TCSoft
    May 25, 2016 at 17:40
  • Check with BICSI.
    – Ron Maupin ♦
    May 25, 2016 at 17:42
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Yes, I totally agree with Law29. It seems that you are only changing the length of the cable, so actually you do not need to determine whether you need multi-mode or single-mode fiber cable. The mode of the fiber has to correspond to the mode of the optical equipment that you're plugging it in to. In other words, you still have to use the same mode cable as you used before.

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