[SOLVED] [Urgent] Can I run an Ethernet Cable under Laminate (Hardwood) Flooring?

[Garen D]

I am planning on replacing all the carpet in my house with laminate flooring and have already done so for the most of the house except my office. I don't want to use wifi because there will be MANY people using it and ethernet would be faster for my needs but I'm not sure if using a Shielded flat ethernet cable would be a good idea if I were to run it along the wall(underneath the foot of the wall?), under the laminate flooring. I don't want to have any exposed wires as the router is in the middle of the hallway outside my office. I can send pictures of the foot of the wall that I am talking about just in case It isn't clear as I don't know the actual name of that part of the wall. And in case it matters: I've been using a foam underlay for the laminate. Thanks for all the help!

(Cable I'm using)
https://www.amazon.ca/Shielded-Ethe...1600578930&sprefix=shielded+et,aps,193&sr=8-5

 

[Alabalcho]

I think you're talking about "baseboard" for that part at the foot of the wall.

As for the cable: As long as it is not subjected to stress (that is, stepping over). you'll be fine. Make sure you don't make corners too sharp.

 

[Nigel Spike]

Often you leave a 10-12mm gap at the walls, for contraction and expansion of the floor. This gap can be used for a network cable.
Also the foam layer can be used to make a gap for the cable.
Mainly it depends on how the floor is made and put in place.

 

[bill001g]

Do not buy that cable no matter where you plan to run it. This is fake cable. It will never pass the required tests if you were to use a certification meter to check it.

First cat7 was never fully certified and that cable does not even meet the partial cat7 standard for the way the wire is twisted.

BUT that is not the largest issue. To be certified ethernet cable the wire size MUST be 22-24. That cable has 32 AWG wire it immediately mean it fails the requirement to be a ethernet cable.

This type of cable may only work for short distances and not on all equipment. The thin wire means it is also much more prone to being broken and the wires not staying connected properly in the ends. It also can not use standard end connectors if they ever need to be replaced.

Key here is you need pure copper wire with wire size 22-24. There is no flat or thin cable that is certified cable.

 

[K6-II]

You can run it under the floor if you like the cable will sit nicely into the foam and there are no stress factors to worry about. There won't be any issues concerning EMI/RFI

From my point of view I find this option much better than running along the wall.

Cheers

 

[SamirD]

Running any cable directly under flooring is never recommended. Eventually the slight movements of the substrates wears out the insulation and the cable eventually shorts out. This is not just for ethernet but any low-voltage wiring. And high voltage wiring is never run this way as it would be a fire hazard.

There is usually a gap behind baseboards that is sufficient to run an ethernet cable, but you will more than likely find a nice gap to run the cable like this person did:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2reLFKCNf4

 

[Garen D]

Do not buy that cable no matter where you plan to run it. This is fake cable. It will never pass the required tests if you were to use a certification meter to check it.

First cat7 was never fully certified and that cable does not even meet the partial cat7 standard for the way the wire is twisted.

BUT that is not the largest issue. To be certified ethernet cable the wire size MUST be 22-24. That cable has 32 AWG wire it immediately mean it fails the requirement to be a ethernet cable.

This type of cable may only work for short distances and not on all equipment. The thin wire means it is also much more prone to being broken and the wires not staying connected properly in the ends. It also can not use standard end connectors if they ever need to be replaced.

Key here is you need pure copper wire with wire size 22-24. There is no flat or thin cable that is certified cable.

What else can I do then? Which one of these wires arent fake? Would these work: https://www.amazon.ca/Ethernet-DanYee-Braided-Professional-Plated/dp/B089NQHPKJ/ref=sr_1_21_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=ethernet+cable&qid=1600656587&sr=8-21-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExQ1RKOTg1REdYUUEwJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjU1Mzk2MjczWFYwNERYV1ZPSyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODI1ODU1M1cxMEcwVlcyS0NQQSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1 and https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07H3RRYJD?th=1 and https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01JO3FCDI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A21TE5CLHZDYA7&th=1 ? (For all ethernet cables im looking at: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=ethernet+cable&ref=nb_sb_noss )

 

[bill001g]

First you need to not get scammed by the bigger number is better. Most people cat5e is good enough. It will run to 1gbit. If you need 10gbit then you buy cat6a. You can buy cat6 cable (ie not "a") if it is cheaper than cat5e but it is still rated to 1gbit.

You likely will never find a flat cable that meets the specs. First they almost all use thin wire and the wire pairs in addition the the wires in the pair must be twisted. Flat cables even if they twist the wires in the pair do not twist the different pairs. The so called cat7 spec has very specific requirements on how the pairs are twist.

Amazon is a nightmear to find cable. The vast majority is fake cable. I suspect the legit cable sellers have a hard time because they are buried. Part of the reason is fake cable has less copper in it (ie thin wires or copper clad aluminum). This make real cables more expensive because of the huge cost of the copper itself in cables.

You best bet is to search "pure copper 24awg"

This is a example of a cat6a cable it happens to have 23awg wire which many times cat6a cable does. As long as it is between 22-24 it is good. I have no knowledge if this selling is good or bad and if they actually ship what they advertise it is just a example.

https://www.amazon.ca/CableCreation...ds=cat6a&qid=1600682639&s=electronics&sr=1-19

 

[kanewolf]

Another option is monoprice. They have fixed length and bulk cable that meets the specs that @bill001g mentioned.
Monoprice cables are available on Amazon -- https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Flexboot-Cat5e-Ethernet-Patch/dp/B00KWS7GAC

 

[Garen D]

Another option is monoprice. They have fixed length and bulk cable that meets the specs that @bill001g mentioned.
Monoprice cables are available on Amazon -- https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Flexboot-Cat5e-Ethernet-Patch/dp/B00KWS7GAC

https://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-Fle...monoprice+ethernet&qid=1600735877&sr=8-1&th=1 Canadian version? Is this the monoprice you're talking about?

 

[kanewolf]

https://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-Flexboot-Ethernet-Patch-Cable/dp/B00AJHC51G/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=monoprice+ethernet&qid=1600735877&sr=8-1&th=1 Canadian version? Is this the monoprice you're talking about?

Yes, that looks correct.

 

[Garen D]

Yes, that looks correct.

So the one I linked to is a good/better choice than the one in the original post?

 

[kanewolf]

So the one I linked to is a good/better choice than the one in the original post?

Definitely.

 

[Garen D]

First you need to not get scammed by the bigger number is better. Most people cat5e is good enough. It will run to 1gbit. If you need 10gbit then you buy cat6a. You can buy cat6 cable (ie not "a") if it is cheaper than cat5e but it is still rated to 1gbit.

You likely will never find a flat cable that meets the specs. First they almost all use thin wire and the wire pairs in addition the the wires in the pair must be twisted. Flat cables even if they twist the wires in the pair do not twist the different pairs. The so called cat7 spec has very specific requirements on how the pairs are twist.

Amazon is a nightmear to find cable. The vast majority is fake cable. I suspect the legit cable sellers have a hard time because they are buried. Part of the reason is fake cable has less copper in it (ie thin wires or copper clad aluminum). This make real cables more expensive because of the huge cost of the copper itself in cables.

You best bet is to search "pure copper 24awg"

This is a example of a cat6a cable it happens to have 23awg wire which many times cat6a cable does. As long as it is between 22-24 it is good. I have no knowledge if this selling is good or bad and if they actually ship what they advertise it is just a example.

https://www.amazon.ca/CableCreation...ds=cat6a&qid=1600682639&s=electronics&sr=1-19

Would that one you linked be better than this one? https://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-Flexboot-Ethernet-Patch-Cable/dp/B00AJHC51G/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=monoprice+ethernet&qid=1600735877&sr=8-1&th=1 And what are your thoughts on this one? https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017P34WZI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[bill001g]

Not unless you NEED cat6a. monoprice is a brand and the reason it costs a little more is not so much the cables are better but you know the company is not going to ship you garbage. Assuming the cable I linked is exactly what they say it is then it will just be cheaper than monoprice not necessarily better.

This is the key to certified cables. If they actually are certified then you know they will work. Problem is amazon is letting so many companies outright tell lies. The only reason they can get away with it is the garbage cables will work for short distances. If you try to go the full 100meters or power devices with PoE they tend to fail.

Many people pay the extra premimum for monoprice just to avoid hassles.

Its been a while since I purchased patch cables but bulk wire I buy from the local home improvement store where I can look at the box and could easily return it if there was any issues. There is not much difference in price on the 1000ft boxes because of the shipping costs.

 

[Garen D]

Not unless you NEED cat6a. monoprice is a brand and the reason it costs a little more is not so much the cables are better but you know the company is not going to ship you garbage. Assuming the cable I linked is exactly what they say it is then it will just be cheaper than monoprice not necessarily better.

This is the key to certified cables. If they actually are certified then you know they will work. Problem is amazon is letting so many companies outright tell lies. The only reason they can get away with it is the garbage cables will work for short distances. If you try to go the full 100meters or power devices with PoE they tend to fail.

Many people pay the extra premimum for monoprice just to avoid hassles.

Its been a while since I purchased patch cables but bulk wire I buy from the local home improvement store where I can look at the box and could easily return it if there was any issues. There is not much difference in price on the 1000ft boxes because of the shipping costs.

How would I be able to test if the cablecreation one is legitimate and certified?

 

[bill001g]

All you can really do as a end consumer is check the specs. If they say the wire is copper and they say the wire size is 22-24 you can generally assume it is valid cable. I have not seen a company lie about basic stuff like that. The lies you see is they try to claim those flat cables meet the standards when they can never because the wire is too thin. In most cases they clearly tell you the wire size, they just know most people do not know the size wire the standard requires.

To actually test and certify a cable takes a very expensive meter. Most time these are called fluke meters because that is the most common brand. Last time I checked a certification tester for cat6a cables was almost $1000, well outside even small cable installers budgets.

 

[Garen D]

All you can really do as a end consumer is check the specs. If they say the wire is copper and they say the wire size is 22-24 you can generally assume it is valid cable. I have not seen a company lie about basic stuff like that. The lies you see is they try to claim those flat cables meet the standards when they can never because the wire is too thin. In most cases they clearly tell you the wire size, they just know most people do not know the size wire the standard requires.

To actually test and certify a cable takes a very expensive meter. Most time these are called fluke meters because that is the most common brand. Last time I checked a certification tester for cat6a cables was almost $1000, well outside even small cable installers budgets.

Ah, so I’ll just have to hope that CableCreations one you linked was legitimate. I hope it is, seeing as I don’t want to remove the flooring and base boards all over again to replace it.

 

[bill001g]

Remember I just searched for that as a example I made no effort to check out the company or even see if the price is all that good. You might find a better deal/company. Read the reviews, look for people complaining about DoA and no response or wrong items shipped. You can ignore all the people saying "works good for me" those mean very little.

Search for pure copper cat6a (if you want cat6a) and add awg 23 or awg 24.

 

[bill001g]

After you get this done come back as tell us how well it works. From my limited experience with laminate floor I would bet you would have to cut a grove in the back which would be a pain.

 

[USAFRet]

Actually UNDER the laminate, across the room?
No way I would do that. Even with a groove routed out.

I'm halfway through laying laminate in the house. Inexpensive upstairs, and nice bamboo down.
The foam underlayment is maybe 3mm thick? Just walking on it compresses that underlayment a teeny bit..

 

[Garen D]

Yes, that looks correct.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B004HJI0D4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1 So would this be good? Its also monoprice or is it only specific cable from monoprice that are good?

 

[bill001g]

That cable will work fine. Be careful though if you actually need/want 10g you want cat6a not cat6. If not you will save money in most cases using cat5e. That cable may actually be cat6a because what makes the difference is the cable must be rated above 500mhz which this says 550. Not sure if you actually NEED 10g I would find ones that say cat6a.

Another thing to be careful of in your cable choice is the length of the cable. Many of the links in this thread are different lengths. The last one you linked is 75ft and some have been as short as 10ft. Unless you plan to cut off the ends and reterminate them you want a cable as close to the correct length as possible. That way it is long enough and you do not have to find a way to hide huge amounts of excess cable.

 

[Garen D]

That cable will work fine. Be careful though if you actually need/want 10g you want cat6a not cat6. If not you will save money in most cases using cat5e. That cable may actually be cat6a because what makes the difference is the cable must be rated above 500mhz which this says 550. Not sure if you actually NEED 10g I would find ones that say cat6a.

Another thing to be careful of in your cable choice is the length of the cable. Many of the links in this thread are different lengths. The last one you linked is 75ft and some have been as short as 10ft. Unless you plan to cut off the ends and reterminate them you want a cable as close to the correct length as possible. That way it is long enough and you do not have to find a way to hide huge amounts of excess cable.

What would happen if I didn't need the 10G exactly, but still used that cable?

 

[bill001g]

Nothing maybe less money in your wallet. It is the ports that control how the cable is used. The cable itself only runs as fast as the ports you connect to it. As long as the cable meets the specs for the ports it will function. Since gigabit is less demanding cable that is rated to run 10g will run 1g....or even 10mbits if you were to hook up really old equipment.

This is what some people call "future proof" but tech changes so fast. People used to say you should run SVHS to furture proof and now everything is HDMI. The current one is WIFI6 that is already outdated with the soon to come much better wifi6e.