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How hard is running ethernet cable through your house?

10,953 434 March 30, 2011 at 04:27 PM in Desktop Computers
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).

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DC
04-06-2011 at 10:39 AM.
04-06-2011 at 10:39 AM.
Quote from Dr. J :
I can't stand punch downs, personally. I think in a home setting there is no need for punchdown - why not just terminate with a jack? It would make it far easier to switch to a phone jack if needed.,
RJ-45 (aka data jack) accept RJ-11 Phone plugs...

Ideally, you run a cable from the phone service to where you run all your data cables to...that way the dsl modem (or coax/cable modem) can reside there with your router and/or switch...

So you could patch phone service to that jack if data was no longer needed in the future.
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Dr. J
04-06-2011 at 10:46 AM.
04-06-2011 at 10:46 AM.
Quote from .DC. :
RJ-45 (aka data jack) accept RJ-11 Phone plugs...

Ideally, you run a cable from the phone service to where you run all your data cables to...that way the dsl modem (or coax/cable modem) can reside there with your router and/or switch...

So you could patch phone service to that jack if data was no longer needed in the future.
that's exactly what I am talking about. I made a small patch panel out of something like this [amazon.com] by jumping the appropriate wiring to make it telco. I got a ~ 3 ft length of cat5e, plugged one end into my OOMA and wired the other end into the punchdowns on the unit. Now, I can just take a RJ45 plug from the switch and move it to the "patch" panel and it's whammo..... telco jack.

All jacks in my house are RJ45 even if they are used for telco.
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redmaxx
04-06-2011 at 10:50 AM.
04-06-2011 at 10:50 AM.
Quote from brbubba :
You can just repunch it down if you absolutely had to. I can't stand cables in a wiring closet that haven't been terminated at a patch panel. Also it shouldn't matter how it's punched down in the patch panel, is there some order that it has to be in for you??? If it's that much of a concern I would just chat with the installer before the job starts and then check it again before he leaves.
Quote from Dr. J :
I can't stand punch downs, personally. I think in a home setting there is no need for punchdown - why not just terminate with a jack? It would make it far easier to switch to a phone jack if needed.,
My thoughts exactly. My box is crammed as it is. I can't see adding a patch panel and doubling the number of cables in there. When I want to rewire a jack from phone to Ethernet, I just pull the plug from the telephone distribution panel and plug it into my router. I understand it would be just as easy if the connector were terminated on a patch panel, but it would still be a headache when it comes to available space. Not all of us have room for a small datacenter in their closet. Wink
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jkee
04-06-2011 at 11:18 AM.
04-06-2011 at 11:18 AM.
Quote from Dr. J :
I can't stand punch downs, personally. I think in a home setting there is no need for punchdown - why not just terminate with a jack? It would make it far easier to switch to a phone jack if needed.,
What is that supposed to mean?!

The only data rated jacks are either punch down tools or or tool-less keystone jacks (which most people don't have many nice things to say about). There aren't any jacks that use screws or anything else for data jacks. The rj-45 jacks that do use screws, etc are not acceptable for data. The jacks that are basically an rj-45 coupler, requiring rj-45 plugs on the cable in the wall are far less reliable than the other types of jacks.
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DC
04-06-2011 at 11:21 AM.
04-06-2011 at 11:21 AM.
Quote from redmaxx :
My thoughts exactly. My box is crammed as it is. I can't see adding a patch panel and doubling the number of cables in there. When I want to rewire a jack from phone to Ethernet, I just pull the plug from the telephone distribution panel and plug it into my router. I understand it would be just as easy if the connector were terminated on a patch panel, but it would still be a headache when it comes to available space. Not all of us have room for a small datacenter in their closet. Wink
Wave I Do! Big Grin

I'll snap a pic one of these days...

Quote from jkee :
What is that supposed to mean?!

The only data rated jacks are either punch down tools or or tool-less keystone jacks (which most people don't have many nice things to say about). There aren't any jacks that use screws or anything else for data jacks. The rj-45 jacks that do use screws, etc are not acceptable for data. The jacks that are basically an rj-45 coupler, requiring rj-45 plugs on the cable in the wall are far less reliable than the other types of jacks.
In his link it shows the 110 C4's mounted to a pcb board that has the RJ's mounted to it.

They sell those for the Home systems, that fit into a stud cavity in the master bedroom (typically)

You and see the same at Home Depot or Lowes...
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Last edited by DC April 6, 2011 at 11:23 AM.
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Dr. J
04-06-2011 at 12:37 PM.
04-06-2011 at 12:37 PM.
Quote from jkee :
What is that supposed to mean?!

The only data rated jacks are either punch down tools or or tool-less keystone jacks (which most people don't have many nice things to say about). There aren't any jacks that use screws or anything else for data jacks. The rj-45 jacks that do use screws, etc are not acceptable for data. The jacks that are basically an rj-45 coupler, requiring rj-45 plugs on the cable in the wall are far less reliable than the other types of jacks.
MEaning - rather than punchdown the "home" runs into a panel then have to make MORE wiring (that would go into a router/switch/etc, remember this is HOME wiring), wire your home runs and terminate them ALL with RJ45 jacks (RJ45 terminals on the other end). Then, create a patch panel for telephone (like the link I showed). From there, determining if a certain jack is for telephone or network is as simple as switching what the cable in the "closet" is plugged into - the patch panel for telephone, or a switch/router.

What I linked to may not be the most elegant solution, but it allows wiring RJ45 jacks for telephone (again it's simple because you only use 2 wires and those can be jumped in parallel on the board). It's what I could find @ a local store without having to search.
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Last edited by Dr. J April 6, 2011 at 12:41 PM.
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jkee
04-06-2011 at 02:06 PM.
04-06-2011 at 02:06 PM.
Ok, I just didn't quite follow what you were talking about. I wasn't paying attention to the fact that you were talking about telephone wiring

I wish somebody would make a little plastic insert for an rj-45 jack that would restrict the size of the jack to only allow rj-11/12 plugs to be inserted when an rj-45 jack is used for phone wiring.
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redmaxx
04-06-2011 at 02:28 PM.
04-06-2011 at 02:28 PM.
Quote from jkee :
Ok, I just didn't quite follow what you were talking about. I wasn't paying attention to the fact that you were talking about telephone wiring

I wish somebody would make a little plastic insert for an rj-45 jack that would restrict the size of the jack to only allow rj-11/12 plugs to be inserted when an rj-45 jack is used for phone wiring.
Your wish is my command! [l-com.com]
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DC
04-06-2011 at 03:06 PM.
04-06-2011 at 03:06 PM.
Quote from redmaxx :
Your wish is my command! [l-com.com]
Well I'll be!!!!

Who Knew? (besides you)
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brbubba
04-07-2011 at 03:56 AM.
04-07-2011 at 03:56 AM.
Quote from redmaxx :
Your wish is my command! [l-com.com]
For the sake of $3 a pop I'd rather just use labels and not let idiots into my wiring closet/cabinet.
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karsc01
04-07-2011 at 08:01 AM.
04-07-2011 at 08:01 AM.
Personally.. I wired my house and put in punchdowns. I think it looks very messy running the cable and leaving it hanging out of a hole in the wall with the plug on the end.
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