I am trying to get an Gig-E network between two buildings that are approximately 260 ft. away. While some TRENDnet switches failed to be able to connect to each other over Cat 6 at that distance, two Netgear 5-port Gig-E switches do so just fine. However, it still fails after I put in place APC PNET1GB ethernet surge protectors at each end before the line connects to the respective switches. So I find myself wondering if I simply need to find a better surge protector that doesn't degrade the signal as much (if so, what kind would you recommend?) or if I should give up on copper and use fiber between the buildings.

If I opt to go the latter route, I could really use some pointers. It looks like LC connectors are the most common, but I keep running into some others as well. A media converter on each end seems like the simplest solution, but perhaps a Gig-E switch with an SFP port would make more sense? Given a very limited budget, sticking with my existing copper seems best, but if it is bound to be a headache, a 100 meter fiber cable is something I think I can swing cost wise.