so, you guys are the hardware pros, right?

[sandeep]

I figured this would be the best place to ask this, so here goes.

I've got cat5 cable running from my cable modem and router setup, (which is upstairs with my family's PC), down to the basement where i've got my pc & xbox setup. currently i have one line (soon to be two) running down through the walls, with the ends just left out of an empty junction box. I'll be finishing the celiing in my basement in the next little while, and would like to clean up the ethernet business.

here's what i had planned. the internet cable is just snaked through a hole in the floor, under some carpet in the corner, which i dont really mind, as it's tucked cleanly enough behind a desk. as for the cables in the basement, i'd like to finish the box with a wall jack. my question to you guys is two-fold. first, is there such a thing as a wall mount jack (similar to what you might have for your phone line) with two female rj45 connectors in it? and also, the cable i used is the default cat5 that you buy from retail stores with a male rj45 on each end. will i be able to cut off the ends and connect it to such a jack, or female rj45 plug?

by doing this, i'd be able to just grab some 10 foot cables with a male rj45 on each end, and run them from the wall to the devices, making it much cleaner then the way it is now.


so, am i talking nonsense? or can it be done? thank in advance everyone, i know you all don't really know me, but i know you guys are the people to ask for hardware related stuff, so here i am

[Busby]

Easily possible. Home Depot should have the required pieces.

[Hipnotic_Tranz]

As bubsy said, it's very easy to do. I do this kinda stuff at work all the time. You can either go the "easy" way and get race-way (plastic to run down the wall in which you can then run cable through it) and get a surface mount box--both of which you just tape to the wall. Or you can do it the more "professional" way and actually run it through the wall (instead of on top of the wall) and get a face-plate which is flush to the drywall, much like all your outlets. It will be hard to snake it through the wall though. I'm used to doing schools which have tiles you can pop up in the ceiling which make it very easy to snake cable through walls (just cut a hole above the tile and drop it down and nobody would be the wiser However, in a home you don't have this luxury of poping up a tile, so good luck

You can get single gang face-plates that can handle up to 6 Cat5 drops last I knew. Here is a pic of both the face-plate & female that I kinda took from work (still need to give it back )

<img src=http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hipnotic_ ... iton_1.jpg>
<img src=http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hipnotic_ ... iton_2.jpg>

As you can see the female is labled as to which pairs/colors you put where so it's very easy to do. However, with this type of connector you need a special punch-down tool but if you buy some from your local hardware store they will more than likely be the kind that doesn't require a tool or comes with a tool. Hope this helps, if you have any other questions I can try to help (since I do this sorta stuff all the time in schools )

[FlyingPenguin]

The jacks you buy at Home Depot come with a plastic disposable tool.

Yes you can cut the existing cable you have, stip back the outer jacket and wire it to these jacks.

[PreDatoR]

You can also use a small flat head screwdriver to push the wires into those then just use a small pair of wire cutters to clip the excess. I have a punch down tool and they aren't cheap. Think mine was 90 bucks and bits run about 20 each.

[RubberDuckie]

Im agreement here. Go to home depot. You will get setup.

Setting up home networks can be fun or can be a headache.
Here is a pic of my closet with the cable modem, router, hub, and patch panel.
I wired every room...including the garage for LAN Parties.

[honz]

First off, nicely done duckie. i noticed ya even have the floor plan/layout of the house!! lol

like these guyz have been sayin, its easy. home depot should set ya up. altho i think i got my 'puncher' for like 30 or so.

gl

[sandeep]

well this has definately made me a bit less hesitant about doing this.

Hipnotic_Tranz, i've already got one cable running through the wall into a box, so running the second won't be much of a problem.

RubberDuckie, that's gotta be the most sophisticated home network i've ever seen, i'm well impressed. and about your "Setting up home networks can be fun or can be a headache" comment, i know all too well how much of a mission networks can be. when they work, they're marvellous. when they don't.... well you know the feeling

i wanted to get some feedback from some of you guys, just to settle any doubts i had, i appriciated the responce. my biggest worry was that i wouldnt be able to find the fittings for the wall mount jack. but now it shouldn't be a problem.

thanks again, i'll let you guys know how it turns out

[wvjohn]

I've got mine a little diselegant than duckie - tho if I had the time that would be sweet - dsl modem and router on my work table in the basement- then up into the drop ceiling - through the floor for the first floor - I also picked up a wireless router for the day when i wanted to provide **interruptible** lan access for the kids

you might want to take a look at compgeeks for some of the supplies you are looking for - they usually have a deal with about 1000 ft of cat5, crimpers, ends, and a continuity tester for about $60 - I bough one for home and one for the office

[Executioner]

Please help an ignorant soul here. I do not have broadband, as I'm still using a modem.

Can you Rubber Duckie (or someone else) explain his setup (what are the devices on the wall)? I don't know when I'll be able to go to cable or DSL, but when the time comes, I do want to be able to have some knowledge of the components needed. Thanks

[wvjohn]

it's pretty simple - you need a cable or dsl modem that translates the signal into something your computer can work with (same idea as the 56k you've gopt now) - then you need a router with network address translation. what it does is two things - it creates a local area network which allows your computers to talk to each other by assigning each one a specific IP on your home network and 2) it allows all your home computers to access the internet through the one subscription

i have dsl , and it also free up the phone line for talking, since dsl uses a different part of the wavelength in the line than the talkie part - you can surf the web and talk on the phone at the same time

[Sean]

If we stay here and don't move, I will be pushing for some ethernet to run up to my room. i am sick of wiredless.

However, before the guys put drywall up in our once unfinished basement, my dad and I ran some ethernet down there. We used faceplate things from home depot, looks great, and works great.

I may also beg to have the basement bedroom. My dad doesn't need such a huge office.

[sandeep]

wvjohn

thanks for the tip about that cable. in retail stores, which is where i usually buy my cables, i think i paid like 20 bucks for 50-75 feet of it with the rj45 connectors on each side.

just a quick question. it says the cable is "unsheilded" what exactly does that mean?

[honz]

i believe that in an unshielded wire, there is 'crosstalk' or electronic static that can reduce or distort the signal.
shielded wire has some kinda fiberish stuff in it that aborbs that static thereby reducing the amount of crosstalk (distortion).

[Hipnotic_Tranz]

I would say don't buy sheilded, it's not worth the extra cost. I've ran cable parallel and within 3ft of floresent lights and haven't had any problems as of yet. Not to say it's a good idea but it's an example. When I mentioned making sheilded cat5 in my net+ class to my boss, he laughed. Basically, unless you are running it next to your townships generator then don't worry about it