Had to pick between fiber or coax for a tricky rural run in Ohio today

Ngl, I was out in Butler County on a new build and the customer wanted internet in a detached garage about 200 feet from the house. I had to choose between burying a fiber line or running a coaxial cable overhead through some tree branches. I picked fiber because the ground was already soft from rain and I figured it would handle future speeds better. Honestly, digging that trench took me like 3 hours with a shovel since I didnt have a trencher on hand. The fiber went in smooth and I terminated it at both ends, but I got dirt in my boots and my back is killing me now. Has anyone else dealt with long runs to outbuildings and regretted going one route over the other?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.sarah21d ago

Man I feel this in my bones. I did a similar run out in rural PA last fall to a workshop about 150 feet from the house, and I went with fiber too. The ground was like wet clay and I spent a solid four hours with a pickaxe and shovel because rocks kept showing up every foot I dug. My back was shot for two days after. But honestly, it was worth it because that customer ended up upgrading to a multi-gig plan a month later and the fiber handled it no problem. Coax would have been a nightmare with all those tree branches overhead and future speed limits. Your back will heal, but that fiber run will be solid for years, take it from someone who's done both.

jade_johnson20d ago

Digging through wet clay with a pickaxe sounds like a workout I'd pay to avoid, definitely reminds me of the time I tried to plant a mailbox post in pure gravel.

finley_price2420d ago

Bent over a shovel for three hours, I'd be walking like a question mark for a week.