Joined Oct 2004
Geek Chick
Forum Thread
How hard is running ethernet cable through your house?
March 30, 2011 at
04:27 PM
My router is in the basement. My desktop computer is in a 1st floor office. I've really love to run an ethernet cable there. How hard is that? Who would I hire to do this if I didn't want to do it myself? How much more work is it to run one to my living room also (also first floor, across the house from the office, though).
About the OP
56 Comments
Your comment cannot be blank.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Not sure who you'd hire to do this but if you asked around I bet someone you know would be willing to give it a try.
Good luck!
The going rate in my area (wash dc) is $75-$100 per run (50-100ft), terminated and tested.
Most of the time, it just involved strategically drilling a hole in one corner of a room so that the cable appeared in another corner of another room.
However, when I was not able to drill holes in the floor/ceiling to run cables (Landlord wouldn't allow it), I actually bought a 100' cat5e cable and would just run it from one area to another area. In my last house, the cable modem was in the living room and my office was upstairs. So, I ran a cable from my office, down the stairs, into the living room and into the router. There are several things you can purchase to cover the cable that is running throughout the house, or you can run it under carpeting. Is is messy? A little, but it worked and if you plan it well enough, it can be very non-intrusive.
Or, place a Craigslist ad for a "Wanted: Moonlighting Dish Network installer". Put your phone number in there, and what you want done. You'll probably get a couple bites minimum, and can get an idea what they will charge.
If you only want to go to the 1st floor office, and the living room, you might get it done for $100 CASH and a 6 pack of beer or pop (depending on the tech). Don't give him the beer until he's done!
I mean its not really that hard, all you have to do is understand your house plans, find a hidden area, cut a hole and fish it through there.
Drill?
Drill Bit (big enough for the cable to pass through the floor, etc?
Cat 5e Cable?
Etc...
You could also check at the local home depot / lowes, etc to see if there any guys that moonlight...the Craigslist idea above is a possibility too.
If you had a closet in that room with the computer, you could put the hole in there where it's less likely to be seen...you could also get a long patch cord and that will save you from terminating the ends (needs a bigger hole as now the end of the cable is bigger).
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Drill?
Drill Bit (big enough for the cable to pass through the floor, etc?
Cat 5e Cable?
Etc...
You could also check at the local home depot / lowes, etc to see if there any guys that moonlight...the Craigslist idea above is a possibility too.
If you had a closet in that room with the computer, you could put the hole in there where it's less likely to be seen...you could also get a long patch cord and that will save you from terminating the ends (needs a bigger hole as now the end of the cable is bigger).
Most times you get only one floor before you have to off-set horizontally.
Most times you get only one floor before you have to off-set horizontally.
At my current place, I said f*ck it and just used a pair of WRT54G routers to form a bridge between my office and my living room (thankfully the modem is in my office)
Thos.
you are better off buying the ethernet wire and jacks yourself as most installers will up-charge on them. if you just need 2 or 3 then lowes is a good place, but if you need more, check out mon0price.
Thos.