Using existing cat5 for home LAN

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mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#883575 23-Aug-2013 20:02

MadEngineer: I wish more houses were wired with cat5/6, should be standard for new builds to have at least 2 cat6 cables to every room.

I say at least so that you can use hdmi over cat6 adapters that require two cables, then you need data, phone ...

Developers often want to build to the minimum building standards to keep things as cheap as possible to maximise their profit. So it is something that people should demand, along with more insulation, aluminum windows with thermal breaks, and IC downlighters.

PJ48

295 posts

Ultimate Geek

#883596 23-Aug-2013 20:34

There are far more knowledgeable people than me on these forums that professionally install networks, but looking at the termination panel photo that you posted from your garage, it look suspiciously like the unsheathed wire run from your LAN cables are very long and possibly untwisted as well, which will potentially degrade performance. As you read about home networking, you will discover the need to maintain minimum lengths of exposed wires and keeping the twisted pairs intact right until the termination point. If this is not the case with your current installation, it may be worth re-terminating the cables when you install a patch panel.

If you read past threads in this particular forum - you will see it is a recurring theme...

MadEngineer

4291 posts

Uber Geek

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#883621 23-Aug-2013 21:10

looks more like phone wiring than ethernet wiring to me

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

InstallerUFB

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#883750 24-Aug-2013 06:54

layman: Thanks for all your replies. That's great news. Seems like its fairly easy, and I'm lucky the place was built with all this cabling installed.

Thanks raytaylor for your diagram. I've attached a photo of the setup in the garage.

THis 'panel' in your garage appears to be just a 110 termination strip that has been used for the distribution of phone lines

-The top row is the individual cable terminations to the outlets - with pair 1 (the Blue one) 'jumpered' down to the bottom row

- the bottom row is the cables from the ETP (phone demarc ) and the alarm and some 'commoned' up connections to allow for individual connections to the top row

- The label has been put in the middle over the jumpers

unless you can obtain the correct patching cables that are designed for these blocks (not available for retailers but from specialised networking companys) and then remove the 'jumpering' then you realy cant use this pannel for data [for thoses in the know I know it can be done but its a job for the pros]

replace the termination of the cables with a rj45 patch pannel and use common pacth cables to connect thins up

coffeebaron

6234 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#883794 24-Aug-2013 10:34

If your are Auckland or Waikato based and want someone to do this for you; I have done many of these conversions.
Cheers
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layman

25 posts

Geek

#884933 26-Aug-2013 19:33

Thanks guys.

I think I should get the pros into do this. I'm in CHC Fraser, but thanks for the offer.

Cheers.

nickb800

2719 posts

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#885924 28-Aug-2013 15:12

Layman: Whereabouts in Chch are you? If you are near Riccarton I could come and have a look at it for you, I'm not a pro but I have installed structured (LAN/phone/TV) cabling before

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webwat

2036 posts

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#886511 29-Aug-2013 13:51

sbiddle: I'm not sure what you mean by "cat5 isn't the fastest solution". It's stock standard for an Ethernet network.

Assuming all jacks are wired correctly it's simply a matter of placing your hardware near the patch panel and connecting it.

I guess comparing with Cat7a...........

Time to find a new industry!

webwat

2036 posts

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#886525 29-Aug-2013 14:12

MadEngineer: looks more like phone wiring than ethernet wiring to me

Fortunately you have Cat5e cables going all the way to that panel but some installer has decided that you only ever need it wired up for phones. If you paid for the house to be "ethernet" or "data" ready then you should ask the vendor to pay for installing a patch panel and test every single outlet for correct performance.

I hope there is enough spare length on the cables to terminate on a patch panel, and you may be able to use one of these www.cablesdirect.co.nz/catalog/entry?entry=482. Once this is done you can decide if you want to move the router and/or network switch to the central cabinet, but keep in mind the router may have wireless that needs at least the aerial outside the metal box.

Time to find a new industry!

MadEngineer

4291 posts

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#886633 29-Aug-2013 16:51

If it's domestic I'd be inclined to run new cables, using the old as draw wire. Replace with cat6 and properly terminate. Lots of great product out now for home distribution hubs.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

nickb800

2719 posts

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Trusted

#886640 29-Aug-2013 17:09

MadEngineer: If it's domestic I'd be inclined to run new cables, using the old as draw wire. Replace with cat6 and properly terminate. Lots of great product out now for home distribution hubs.

The OP has described it as Cat5 in general terms, but I would be surprised if it isn't actually Cat5e. Properly terminated short runs Cat5e can handle gigabit, so I don't think Cat6 is worth the expense and effort for domestic.

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