[SOLVED] Cat5E phone line converting it to LAN; how?

[BlueCat57]

Good thing my handyhuman (I’m sorry but PC has gone crazy. My Word spellchecker suggested I change handyman to repair person. My wife suggest handyhuman. I chose her.) didn’t show this week.

I did some more exploring and found that my phone lines are CAT5e. So off to Tom’s Forums and I found this post that is relevant to my plan to convert my existing coax to Ethernet using DECA adapters. (I know, repetitive - “DIRECTV Ethernet Coaxial Adapter.”)

This makes the whole process more complex and bigger, but it means I might be able to use CAT5e at full speed instead of being limited by DECA’s 100 mbps. (MoCA is too expensive.)

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The original thread is closed for replies, so here is one note that might be useful for some if they found this post.

The OP didn't mention a crawlspace. If they (or you) have one, then check there near the outside phone box for the start of the phone line runs.

 

[kanewolf]

You would put ethernet keystone jacks in the rooms you want ethernet. You would use either RJ45 termination or an ethernet punchdown panel in the common connectivity area. You would then connect those terminated wires to an ethernet switch. That switch would have a single ethernet cable going to your existing router. You would have wired ethernet connectivity in all the rooms you convert.

Follow 568B color code. Get a basic connectivity tester like this -- https://www.amazon.com/Klein-VDV526-052-Scout-Junior-Tester/dp/B004CI9NRM
Practice termination and punchdown on scrap cat5e wire.

 

[BlueCat57]

Thanks for the tips.

I do not plan to install any new outlets. Some rooms have coax but no phone, others phone but no coax. I'll try to work with what I have.

As it is, the project really only involves two rooms, so I'm really making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

[bill001g]

You may want to look at moca rather than deca. Generally they are cheaper because they are more common. Moca might be faster I don't know if deca did the mimo stuff like moca did or not.

Still if you can just put jacks on the ends of the telephone wires it will be easier. One key thing to remember is ethernet is point to point. Telephone can be wired point to point back to a central closet or it can be daisy chained room to room. If it is daisy chain installed it will be much harder to get to work. You need to remove all the extra wires so you have only 1 device on each end.

 

[BlueCat57]

I knew you'd show up here. Thanks.

I've got a DECA pair arriving this weekend and I realized I could set it up and test it without having to cut any holes in the walls.

I'll be able to do Intenet => cable modem => WiFi Router => DECA => coax => DECA => switch => Computer and test the speed and viability of the set up.

Since I found the phone lines, I might only need one ethernet to coax pair and would then consider MoCA because that connection would be to our HTPC and the whole idea is to get a faster more stable connection to that. The HTPC is capable of HD and when we upgrade our home theater it will be 4K so we will need a fast, stable connection. Or I might just try to yank an ethernet cable through the wall using the coax.

Based on what I've seen so far, I'm guessing the phone lines might be daisy chained. There is one very accessible connection that looks like it is so I can check without too much trouble.

Again, thank you.

 

[jsmithepa]

Don't get excited just yet. U have 4 pairs of wires from end to end, can convert, otherwise NO. Is been known CAT cables for phone only use 1 pair.

 

[BlueCat57]

Well, that test was a bust. I tried to create an "ethernet" cable using the DECA, coax and ethernet cables.

I powered the DECA via USB. I believe the bricks output more than the required 5v=0.5A so I'm guessing they were getting enough juice. Do the adapters have a power light? I didn't see anything. One side of the adapter has Power Network Rv on it. Do the lights shine through the plastic?

Despite have a couple of dozen barrel adapters, I couldn't find anything that fit. I have a few more boxes to search through but it will be faster to return these DECAs and get ones with the power supplies.

The coax and ethernet came out of my "used" stash so it is possible they are bad. I tried a couple of each to no avail.

Restarted computer and router with no change.

Being a pessimist, I'm bummed that this didn't work on the first try. Having used computers since 1984, I'm still AMAZED when anything works "as advertised" on the first attempt. On the bright side, I found an eyeglass tool to tighten the nuts on my glasses. I was planning to buy one on Prime Day.

And yes, you warned me and advised me, and I appreciate that. And I will appreciate any additional tips and information you may be able to offer. The project is not critical, just the one that interests me most today.

 

[BlueCat57]

Final update (hopefully): I purchased and tested the POWER SUPPLY version of DECA (adapters).

And they work. I created an "ethernet" cable using a coax with a DECA on each end.

I did a SpeedTest .net on it and got similar speeds to using a "pure" ethernet cable.

Now, I have to wait for my handyhuman to show up to get some outlet boxes installed and electrical moved around to finish the changes.

Again, thank you all for your help.