What's going on in this photo?

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K8Toledo

1014 posts

Uber Geek

#3379711 2-Jun-2025 05:26

Apsattv:

If the outlet is there just missing the keystones then surely they left space to drop whatever cables you need to each outlet.

Who left it like that??

A Sparkie? :D j/k

richms

28168 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3379750 2-Jun-2025 10:14

In the early 2000s the cat5 keystones were very very expensive for plates like that until the clone brands came along with them. I recall over $30 each for them. Makes sense to not put them in unless asked for.

Richard rich.ms

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#3380173 3-Jun-2025 13:50

Thanks everyone for the advice. There don't appear to be phone lines in any of the bedrooms or the office, so that rules out using them as ethernet ports. I have my electrician coming on Thursday to add a bunch of extra electrical outlets, so I will get them to have a look at it and see what they can do. I suspect our best option will be running some ethernet cabling around the outside of the property and up the back wall. The modem and ONT are on the front wall of the downstairs living room, while my son's bedroom is upstairs at the back of the house, with no easy way to run the cable internally. I don't suppose there would be an ethernet over powerline product that would be suitable? I can see the previous owners had one in use because they left part of it behind in one of the bedrooms, lol.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

cddt

1548 posts

Uber Geek

#3380175 3-Jun-2025 14:11

If you can run ethernet, do that. Powerline is only for situations where there really is no alternative, and results can be poor or inconsistent depending on the wiring.

My referral links: BigPipe | Mercury

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#3380177 3-Jun-2025 14:14

Thanks, I suspected as much. It's been more than a decade since I used one, so I had hoped there had been some improvements in that area. I'm sure it's possible to run something externally. Not massively keen to make any unnecessary holes in the cladding, but that may be the only option.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#3380903 6-Jun-2025 01:23

Update: The electrician came today and confirmed the port with the white cover is Cat5 cabling for the phone. Since we don't need a landline, he's going to change the jacks to get Ethernet to the master bedroom, then hopefully run it through the ceiling to my son's room.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#3387691 27-Jun-2025 16:49

Another update - the electricians changed the jacks on the Cat5 cabling today. It runs from the living room beside the ONT and modem, via my downstairs office, and terminates in the master bedroom upstairs, where they extended it and ran it through the ceiling cavity and down through the wall into my son's room. Works like a charm.

They said I could get a switch for my office so I can have Ethernet there too without stopping my son's connection from working. But I am not sure what product to buy. Anyone have a recommendation? I think they meant a small external switch, and they'd change the office wall port to two jacks - one bringing the cable out to the switch and another going back into the wall from the switch, if that makes sense. Would this one work?: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/SWHTPL1007/TP-Link-TL-SG1005D-5-Port-Gigabit-Desktop-Switch

They have to come back next week to do some more work, so I may as well get that done at the same time.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

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Goosey

2829 posts

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Subscriber

#3387694 27-Jun-2025 16:55

Yep

out the wall, into the switch. From the switch back to the other jack on the wall.
plug your device into the same switch as you please.

it just needs to be powered on at all times (if you want it to always work).

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#3387695 27-Jun-2025 16:56

Great, thank you. I figured as much. I guess in a power cut the computers will also be off so no drama there. I just won't turn it off myself :)

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

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