Hi folks, looking for some general advice please. Since running several homeplugs around my house I'm getting dropouts when streaming video/audio in multiple rooms. Fair enough I reckon - they're good when only using a couple but I'm really hammering the network hence need better bandwidth. To that end I've relocated my server downstairs since that's where my music and video systems live. So far so good, no dropouts when watching video, however I still can't stream video and hi-res audio simultaneously to different rooms - I get buffering. Furthermore my main PC is upstairs and I'm really noticing the poor performance reading/writing to the server from it. When the server was in the same room on a GB switch I would get transfer rates of 95MBps but now the server's downstairs and I connect via homeplug the rate is more like 3MBps. Pretty stuffy when I'm moving HD videos around 15GB in size. I live in a modern timberframe house and I'm the proud owner of a drill, some ethernet cable, plugs and a crimping gun. Where do I begin?! I'd like to do as professional a job as possible, i.e. it'd be great if I don't end up with naked cables running down the walls and skirting boards. That said, I could live with a bit of trunking on display, though of course I'd prefer everything "hidden". I know I'm going to keep the server under the stairs and I'll stick a big GB switch in there too - that will, in effect, be the "centre" of my network. I just need advice and reassurance about running a cable from there to each room. Many thanks in advance!
You really just need to make on the ground decisions; every house is different. I'm a big fan of cold air returns (Do you have central air?) and tucking under baseboards. Worst case, get some nail/staple on cable holders and just try to run it as neat as possible along the baseboard. If you can get your hands on some fiberglass cable pulling rods (a golf ball retriever works in a pinch) and a fish tape it goes a hell of a lot easier. In terms of doing it professionally: Try to run everything back to a central point; if you don't add a patch panel, leave slack for one. On common runs,either bundle the cables neatly, or use separate cable staples in a straight line Don't kink cable or pinch it with staples Use surface or flush mount keystone jack termination (don't just use a RJ45 crystal end and leave it loose). Monoprice is great on this side of the pond for the jacks/boxes.... not sure about your side of the pond.
Go for Cat 6 - it will give you plenty of future proofing for little/no extra cost. If you are running large lengths of cable, a cable spool will probably give you best value, but if you are only looking for, say, 20m runs at a time, don't ignore 'patch' cables. They can sometimes be shockingly cheap, and come with RJ45 connectors at both ends, so you don't need to crimp on connectors if you don't want to use a patch panel, for instance. I got my cables from Scan - their network cables are very good quality.
Sadly, if you're thinking of taking the cables through the walls, it's almost impossible without taking some plasterboard off - the main problem is the noggins between the uprights in the wall. While there may be some holes for electrical cables already, running networking alongside electrics is a bad idea. My preferred route would be to run along the skirting board and go through internal walls where you have to. If you have to get cables upstairs, have a single vertical drop somewhere where it won't be minded - the hallway or up under the stairs. Running back to a patch panel makes things easier for future proofing, and using RJ45 plates in each room is better than leaving cables dangling, as has already been suggested. You'll also need to get a cheap cable tester if you don't already have one. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Thanks folks, your detailed thoughts and input are much appreciated. I'll pick up some fish tape and conduits and have a crack over the Christmas break. Fingers crossed I can run a single drop (two cables) from upstairs to downstairs then make a reasonably neat job along skirting boards (baseboards). If this looks acceptable it'll stay, if it looks rubbish I'll acquire some professional help to hide/bury the cable later in the year. The funny thing is the house came pre-wired with RF cable to every room. Who wants RF these days?!?!?!
That's a fiendish plan. And it just might work... Here's a question. Is it likely the RF cable is fed through conduits/sleeves behind the plasterboard or could it just be loose? I have no knowledge of building regs but it'd be handy to know. This project will also require BEER. I'm off to the shops.
Get a cable pull kit from ebay. A plaster board saw and a flat wood bit. You cut the wall just above the fire break(s) and then pull the cables. I've just done this is . the hardest part is finding paint to match to cover up lol.
One problem with a switch in the loft is temperature. Lofts can get very hot in the summer (I know mine does), and nothing kills network hardware quicker than high temperatures.
Chances are it's just loose behind the plasterboard. You might be alright, but if the RF cables go round any corners, it'll be a bugger to pull. There's probably a bit of slack in the cables, so take a trip to the loft and see how easy the cables are to pull. As any real man knows, beer is essential to any project - before, during and after
lol, is it just me or is it the beers before and during which usually result in the need for a beer after If you get chance during the process (not the beer drinking parts so much) can you take a couple photos and we can see what you've been up to. I love DIY type shows so always like to see projects like this
Well, so far I've been scuppered since the RF is stapled to the batons behind the walls, therefore simply pulling it through isn't an option. Undeterred however I'll need to resume looking afresh at getting a drum of the really pliable cable such as is supplied with Sonos, and route it as neatly as possible.
just another vote that you go to a central place and use a patch panel. Also, make sure you buy enough cable to slack at each end incase you need to strip it more than once if crimping it doesn't go well the first time.
Thanks James. I expect some cable late next week and will begin the work. My good lady is pretty decent with the crimping gun tough we'll leave plenty for mishaps! Edit, what's the proper definition of a patch panel? A switch? Or something different? Thanks again!
Think like an extension lead its were lead will terminate and then you patch to what you wont next. jump to about 2mins 20 this one better
A patch panel is a central point for cable termination into female sockets. From there you can do a small cat 5 cable to the switch. It is handy if you have a lot of network points in the house and fewer switch ports. You can for example move the port on the switch from "shed" on the patch panel to "guest bedroom" to give guests network access (obviously removing access from the shed) if you had visitors for a week. In business environments it allows flexibility. One piece of advice from a lot of personal experience is double your runs. For example of you want a network point in each room, so 2 runs off cable allowing you to have 2 network points. Having to re-run a length of network cable a few down the line can be a real PITA. Again experience talking. Also run 4x to the AV centre. From my switch (in the loft) to my living room I have 6 cat5e cables. I wish I'd done 8 now...
Thanks gents, appreciated. So, update time, I've decided to board out the loft at the same time as doing the Ethernet cabling, from a logistical point of view it'll save me time in the long run. What I have noticed is a real lack of any give in the rf cable. I hate to admit it but I think it's stapled behind the walls so pulling it is not an option. I have noticed the rooms are all connected via telephone cables. Does anyone know if these might be easier to pull and less likely to be stapled? Guesswork I know but using existing cables to pull the ethernet is still my preferred option. Thanks in advance. Cleggy.
