Wiring a House for Ethernet (Cat 6)

[ericevan]

Hi everyone. I'm considering wiring my house for Ethernet (I've chosen Cat 6 cable.). I've read some online guides about this. However, I can't seem to find any that would work with my house, which is a Pueblo-style flat roof with parapets. However, I want to tear out as little drywall as I can. There's already wiring for coax and phone.

Does anyone know how this can be done?

 

[RealBeast]

With a flat roof there is no good way to wire the whole house once the walls are drywalled without a lot of tearing out and repair. You don't want it next to your electrical wiring so you can't really get good wall access that way.

If you are not totally committed to that course, consider going wireless with dual band N. If your house is too large for a single access point to cover well, make one run of cable to the opposite end of the house -- take it outside in a non-conspicuous location and run it around or up and across the roof (you can run it through 1/2 inch pvc across the roof if you want some weather protection for it, but it is actually pretty hardy), then back down and in to a location where you can have a second access point.

The real problem comes if you are planning to use it for streaming BluRay video, unless your wireless is very good you can get lag. I solved that by just a single cat 5e run to the room where the wireless didn't quite cut it for that purpose.

 

[ericevan]

With a flat roof there is no good way to wire the whole house once the walls are drywalled without a lot of tearing out and repair. You don't want it next to your electrical wiring so you can't really get good wall access that way.

If you are not totally committed to that course, consider going wireless with dual band N. If your house is too large for a single access point to cover well, make one run of cable to the opposite end of the house -- take it outside in a non-conspicuous location and run it around or up and across the roof (you can run it through 1/2 inch pvc across the roof if you want some weather protection for it, but it is actually pretty hardy), then back down and in to a location where you can have a second access point.

The real problem comes if you are planning to use it for streaming BluRay video, unless your wireless is very good you can get lag. I solved that by just a single cat 5e run to the room where the wireless didn't quite cut it for that purpose.

Wireless might work. However, I was considering possibly running the cable with the already existing coax that goes to some of the rooms I'd want network in. I would tape a string to the Ethernet cable and then attach it loosely to the coax. Then, I'd push the Ethernet cable (which would be solid and not stranded) along. Would it follow the coax?

This would also allow me to expand the network at a later date as well.

 

[RealBeast]

Wireless might work. However, I was considering possibly running the cable with the already existing coax that goes to some of the rooms I'd want network in. I would tape a string to the Ethernet cable and then attach it loosely to the coax. Then, I'd push the Ethernet cable (which would be solid and not stranded) along. Would it follow the coax?

This would also allow me to expand the network at a later date as well.

It might follow, depends on if they looped or used any devices to secure the coax. If you can pull the coax and it seems to move well, you may be able to attach both another coax and either an Ethernet cable or another, say 16 ga wire that could then pull an Ethernet cable through.

Whichever you do, lubricate the outside of the Ethernet cable a bit with an appropriate non oil based lubricant and it may slide through tight spots a bit easier. In any case, don't apply more than about 25 pounds of pressure pulling an Ethernet cable, as it may cause damage.

 

[ericevan]

Unfortunately, I discovered that the coax cables are securely attached to the studs (or something else solid) in the walls. Therefore, I'm currently leaning towards wireless N (up to 300 Mb/s). However, you mentioned dual-band N. How fast would this be?

 

[RealBeast]

Dual band is not faster than single band N wireless, but the 5GHz band is not affected by the stuff that interferes with much more common 2.4GHz band, including other networks and wireless devices like telephones, speakers, headphones, etc. The downside is that the 5 GHz band has less distance than the 2.4GHz. You would need both dual band router and adapters to take advantage of that however.

 

[ericevan]

Best answer selected by ericevan.

 

[pazsion]

There is also the option of buying flat wires...

Some hardware stores sell plastic channeling that can be fastened to walls, two sided tape could work.

If i had the money to do mine right...thats how i'd run all the cat 6 lines to each pc. Along a headboard or foot board. Around door edges...Some doors don't work well with normal cables...could cause damage...either type of wire will need to be fastened in a way thats secure and out of rubbing spots...often this is near the hinges...

cable modem Routers attache to the coax....You can also use them as repeaters/switches.

If you have coax installed already, and generally know it's layout...it's possible you could setup a router at different spots. Using existing coax.It'd need to be one solid coax. Then hook up the devices there when needed. It would also boost wifi availability.

Down side is the setup can be complicated, and the isp might not allow it.