... where to put the taps for maximum signal strength It's not that signal strength varies along the cable. It's about minimizing the effect of reflections. So

... where to put the taps for maximum signal strength It's not that signal strength varies along the cable. It's about minimizing the effect of reflections. Some reflection is unavoidable when you tap into the cable. "Transceivers should be installed only at precise 2.5-meter intervals. This distance was chosen to not correspond to the signal's wavelength; this ensures that the reflections from multiple taps are not in phase.": https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/10BASE5 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/10BASE5