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CAT 5 Burial - Bury CAT 5

[Q] Can I bury CAT 5 cable? [A] Standard PVC Jacketed CAT 5 Cable is not specifically designed to be buried in the ground, although it is done quite often with or without the use of any kind of protective conduit. There are now varieties of CAT 5 Cable that are being manufactured to be buried in the ground without having to be protected by conduit. This type of cable also generally has UV protection for the benefit of those who run the cable on top of the ground for temporary purposes. It should be noted that this type of direct-burial CAT 5 Cable is considerably more expensive than standard cable. However, if you choose to bury standard CAT 5 Cable, the cable should be enclosed in some type of water-tight conduit, and the conduit should be buried, rather than direct burial of the cable itself. If this is done, the cable is less likely to be exposed to environmental extremes that might adversely affect its performance. If the cable is buried by itself, you should take the minimum protective measure of using PVC or metal conduit coming away from each structure by at least a few feet. This will reduce the chance of cutting the cable unintentionally while digging near the cable. It will also provide a good visual marker for where the cable is buried. That being said, many customers have chosen to direct bury CAT 5E Cable, and have done so with no ill effect. Some of our customers have reported runs of CAT 5 and CAT 5E Cable still operating perfectly in the ground after 7-10 years of service. So please use your own judgement in this matter. Again, we cannot warrant cable used in this manner. RELATED FAQ QUESTION: Can I use CAT 5 cable outdoors? Keywords: cat 5 burial, direct burial cat 5, bury cat 5