Installing Data In Our Old Villa

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aim

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Master Geek

#288415 27-Jun-2021 15:22

Hi guys,

I've just recently moved to Wellington and bought an old villa. The fibre entry point is in the lounge, and the other end of the house has my office. The office has a few network devices including a gaming PC and my workstation. So, I'm keen to put some cat6 under the house (it's accessible) and terminate it in the office. So I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations on suppliers in Wellington who'd sell me ~30m ish of cat 6, some cable clips/saddles with a couple of wall plates? Done a little googling but the ones I've found are (understandably) geared towards wholesale volumes, and electrician businesses.

Thanks in advanced. aim.

mdf

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#2735380 27-Jun-2021 15:49

Cables Direct. Shortest length would be a 50m roll but that is still likely cheaper than buying by the meter.

Otherwise any electrical wholesaler will sell direct if you pop in. They're good for wallplates, but everything else is expensive IME.

You can also get most of it from Bunnings, though I don't like the look of the Deta and HPM stuff they stock.

davidcole

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#2735465 27-Jun-2021 19:12

Pb tech have it all as well. Ive bought cable rolls from there before and patch cables.

Keystones and bulk rj45 plugs I found better on trademe and AliExpress. But if you’re only getting < 10 it’s probably worth it.

Jaycar has a bunch of supplies as well I think

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raytaylor

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#2738582 4-Jul-2021 01:01

Ideal electrical sell easy-install flush mount boxes which clip to the drywall and dont require a stud. OBE1041
Also from ideal you can get some keystone rj45 joiners CDYARJ45C6N and keystone faceplates CDYFP1KS (single gang).
PBTech sell long ethernet cables CABDNX0030

1) Half bang a long nail through the floor 5 cm from the wall. This is how you locate the wall position from under the floor.

2) Cut a oblong hole in the drywall above the nail to fit the flush box. Probably best not to go more than 30cm above the floor.

3) Go under the house and find the nail. Drill a 12mm hole up into the wall by going 10cm from the nail towards the centre of the wall.

4) Poke about a metre of cable up into the hole and seal with some expanding foam or roofing silicon.

5) Return to the room and fish out the cable from inside the wall. Use a wire coat hanger if that helps.

6) Insert a drywall flush mount box into the oblong hole.

7) Install a keystone faceplate with a RJ45 joiner inserted into it. Plug the cable from under the house into the rear side of the joiner and attach to the flush mount box.

8) Remove the nail.

Do the same at the other end and coil the excess cable up under the floor.

I also recommend running a second cable for a secondary access point which could be positioned in the hallway linen closet.

Ray Taylor

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raytaylor

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#2738584 4-Jul-2021 01:12

Ray Taylor

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Goosey

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#2738650 4-Jul-2021 13:59

Given its an old villa, you might need to consider fire proofing those holes…(would fire rated foam be enough)?

- will also stop ants !

neb

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#2738795 4-Jul-2021 20:17

mdf:
Cables Direct. Shortest length would be a 50m roll but that is still likely cheaper than buying by the meter.

If you need a pile of shorter lengths it's actually cheaper to buy patch cord and lop the RJ45's off than it is to buy the cable by the metre.

Also, if you're setting up a network cupboard with a mass of cabling running to one point then don't bother setting up a huge patch panel but just run the cables through a hole in the wall straight to the switch/router. All the wiring in the Casa that doesn't run to wall plates is just RJ45 to RJ45, saves a pile of extra wiring and connection points.

Oh, and put ply on the walls of the cupboard rather than gib so you can directly mount the 1,001 things that need to be attached there. Best suggestion ever from the builder.

elpenguino

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#2738855 4-Jul-2021 20:53

neb:
mdf:

Cables Direct. Shortest length would be a 50m roll but that is still likely cheaper than buying by the meter.

If you need a pile of shorter lengths it's actually cheaper to buy patch cord and lop the RJ45's off than it is to buy the cable by the metre.

Haven't we heard in the other ' I'm running data in my house ' threads that patch lead cable is flexible/stranded?

Which means when you lop the ends off, you can't terminate it in the usual IDC termination blocks.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

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neb

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#2738856 4-Jul-2021 20:57

elpenguino:
Haven't we heard in the other ' I'm running data in my house ' threads that patch lead cable is flexible/stranded?

Which means when you lop the ends off, you can't terminate it in the usual IDC termination blocks.

It was years ago when I last did this so I can't remember the exact details but I also don't remember any problems with it, so YMMV.

Daynger

434 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2739278 5-Jul-2021 18:12

raytaylor:

Ideal electrical sell easy-install flush mount boxes which clip to the drywall and dont require a stud. OBE1041
Also from ideal you can get some keystone rj45 joiners CDYARJ45C6N and keystone faceplates CDYFP1KS (single gang).
PBTech sell long ethernet cables CABDNX0030

1) Half bang a long nail through the floor 5 cm from the wall. This is how you locate the wall position from under the floor.

Depending on your flooring dont do this, you could split the wood, better off drilling a small hole through wood 3mm or so, if its carpet nail it as drill can catch the carpet and pull it.

2) Cut a oblong hole in the drywall above the nail to fit the flush box. Probably best not to go more than 30cm above the floor.

3) Go under the house and find the nail. Drill a 12mm hole up into the wall by going 10cm from the nail towards the centre of the wall.

We usually use a piece of TPS cable stripped out of it outer insulation to leave a red or green core, easier to find and there can be many nails poking through flooring for various reasons under houses.

4) Poke about a metre of cable up into the hole and seal with some expanding foam or roofing silicon.

Do the sealing last once the cable is terminated, if you need more or less itll be painful to change after sealing, not to mention a sticky mess if you need to pull more through.

5) Return to the room and fish out the cable from inside the wall. Use a wire coat hanger if that helps.

6) Insert a drywall flush mount box into the oblong hole.

7) Install a keystone faceplate with a RJ45 joiner inserted into it. Plug the cable from under the house into the rear side of the joiner and attach to the flush mount box.

8) Remove the nail.

Do the same at the other end and coil the excess cable up under the floor.

I also recommend running a second cable for a secondary access point which could be positioned in the hallway linen closet.

Fairly solid advice above, i have added a few things to think about in bold.

Might also pay to scout out under the floor first too, get a rough idea of what is below before you go drilling holes, you dont want to drill too many holes down through your floor if you are hitting joists ect

raytaylor

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#2739337 5-Jul-2021 21:50

elpenguino:

Haven't we heard in the other ' I'm running data in my house ' threads that patch lead cable is flexible/stranded?

Which means when you lop the ends off, you can't terminate it in the usual IDC termination blocks.

We dont use punch down blocks anymore. You just put a EZ-RJ45 plug on the end, and then use a keystone patch panel with keystone RJ45<>RJ45 modules.

Much quicker as two guys can be terminating at the same time, less chances of stabbed fingers and if a future MSP / IT technician ever needs to try and troubleshoot a loose punch, they most likely have an RJ45 crimper in their car as opposed to needing a special punching tool and removes the potential to accidentally pull out another cable while trying to loosen the faulty one.

My suggestion of buying a patch cable means the OP doesnt need to cut the ends off. He just drills a 12mm hole to poke the preterminated cable through.

No special crimping or networking tools required beyond a standard drill, 12mm fat drill bit, craft knife and philips screwdriver.

Ray Taylor

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