Wiring ethernet through house, most efficient and tidy way?

Meredith2k5 · March 30, 2019

So my modem/router is an archer VR600 downstairs right next to the bt socket,

I recently brought a new graphics card and want to use technologies such as the steam link or playstation remote play. I also want the quickest possible connection to my pc upstairs.

So basically I have a tv with playstation, steamlink and tv that I want to connect via Ethernet opposite my router (Unfortunately its the other side of the room so ill have to run some sort of cable along the walls).

Directly upstairs from, the router is a spare bedroom with my pc in which i currently run a cat 5 cable to.

Then in the main bedroom there is a playstation, tv and steamlink I again want to connect via Ethernet. I can easily access the attic and run cable from there, i have already run holes and trunking ready to cable.

What is the most energy efficient way and highest performance way of achieving this?

Any advice appreciated, and here are my main questions:

1. I currently have about 200m cat 5 cable, is it worth upgrading to another cable type?

2. How do I wire this up most efficiently? My current thought is to run some cable to behind the tv using 1 port to a switch, 2 ports running upstairs to each bedroom, should I have a switch in each room? The spare bedroom with my main pc will me my centre point ideally

3. What box/terminal should I use? Will one of these suffice?

Amazon link

I already own a tp link TL-1043ND gigabit router running dd-wrt. Can I incorporate this somehow or should I just get a switch? DD-WRT is complex and im not sure how i should run it. I managed to get a connection running an ethernet from my router to one input, with another input to my pc and it worked. The WAN input doesnt seem to work though.

SupaKomputa · March 30, 2019

If you setup your wifi properly you won't need a wire.

If the network is only for using Internet, i bet the speed won't be more than what the wifi can handle.

The most important part to wire is the router and the other router acted as a slave access point.

Set the archer as the main router, and TPLink acting as a slave access point.

From there it would distribute the internet upstairs.

DDwrt is not that complicated, it may seem intimidating with numerous options, but you can find tutorials to do simple things.

https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

LienusLateTips · March 30, 2019

Wait - you have Cat 5, or Cat 5e?

Meredith2k5 · March 30, 2019

13 minutes ago, SupaKomputa said:

If you setup your wifi properly you won't need a wire.

If the network is only for using Internet, i bet the speed won't be more than what the wifi can handle.

The most important part to wire is the router and the other router acted as a slave access point.

Set the archer as the main router, and TPLink acting as a slave access point.

From there it would distribute the internet upstairs.

DDwrt is not that complicated, it may seem intimidating with numerous options, but you can find tutorials to do simple things.

https://wiki.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

Thanks, I think the TPlink might be viable to use instead of a switch then.

Running things like steam link or ps4 remote play are noticeably choppy when playing games, so id rather ethernet. I also want to look into seting up some sort of media server soon so I can steam to each device, ive got a raspberry pi i might use for such a thing (I need to do my research first).

Its marked as cat 5e, however the cables dont seem to be twisted.

Acedia · March 30, 2019

Cat5 isnt suited for permanent installations. Use cat6a or 7.

Meredith2k5 · March 31, 2019

10 hours ago, Acedia said:

Cat5 isnt suited for permanent installations. Use cat6a or 7.

What are the benefits of these cables? I assume they will make a difference to reliability. Ive questioned if the difference would be noticeable as its more expensive. If its worth investing in I could buy some, the fact that i have 200m of cat 5 or cat 5e lying around means i can make use of it.

Anyway id really like some recommendations for terminals, how to fix it up nice and neat to a wall with trunking

Donut417 · March 31, 2019

14 hours ago, Meredith2k5 said:

What are the benefits of these cables? I assume they will make a difference to reliability. Ive questioned if the difference would be noticeable as its more expensive. If its worth investing in I could buy some, the fact that i have 200m of cat 5 or cat 5e lying around means i can make use of it.

Anyway id really like some recommendations for terminals, how to fix it up nice and neat to a wall with trunking

Max length for Ethernet is 100m. At that length the cables can do the following:

Cat5 (100 Mbps)
Cat5e (1 Gbps)
Cat6 (1 Gbps) (Can do 10 Gbps under shorter distances)
Cat6a (10 Gbps)

Cat 7 and 8 were not standardized by the same org that did the rest of the Networking cables. So many of us here dont recognize those cables, though they can theoretically hit faster speeds.

Not Eligible For Stars · April 4, 2019

1.

I’m not qualified to comment on the cable specs, but your job sound small (approx. 50-75 meters total?). It would not dent your wallet hard to just pre-measure the lengths needed and buy them in cat6. Contractors are often stuck with leftover cable that isn't long enough to keep (10-20 meter), if you ask politely you can get your hand on these for free. Your switch/router & all the equipment (tv/pc/n-shield) most likely only support 1Gps, which is cat6 territory.

2.

Wire most efficiently?
Install trunking in the room where the router/tv/ps4/steamlink is, you can chose to go in the corner of the roof or the corner on the floor. Chose size/type depending what molding you have (you can remove some of it and replace it with a trunking). Invest some time make it pretty and do clean straight cuts.

You will have to use screws or permanent glue to fasten trunking, the tape options don’t work. Be aware you will need some extra meters of trunking for error-cuts and avoiding using many smal pieces. A fine saw (also called multi cutter) is highly recommended if you have to modify the molding.

Note: drywall/wood/concrete, there are variations of fastening to fit your need.

Use the folding rule to mark up 90degre cuts. Its a benefit to have a newer plastic folding ruler, grandpa's old relic wont do.

You cut the trunking with a hack-/band-/circular-/fein saw.

Corners: dont attempt to do 2x45degre corner cuts as a noob, it is hard and will never look as good as the store bought corners.

Imo are fiddling with corners (as whole) unnecessary, it creates more joints which also are aesthetically unwanted.

Endings, joints, trays: 3 last pictures.

Lazy/pro-tip for trunking: use angle grinder with tuch-up disc. Its perfect for tidying plastics. Gives you that smooth melted mellow edge your looking for. In lack of angle grinder, use knife to scrape off unevenness.

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You say you have a attic, run a trunking vertically (up) to reach the attic. As you can see on the three pictures bellow.

(10x13mm trunking, trying to hide a 16mm tube comming from attic… not working out very well - gave the carpenter/painter the task to apply acryl paste)

Smaller trunking have a problem hiding the drill hole (pluss the drill often scratch the wall if unexperienced). To counter this, chose a larger than needed trunking. Other way to sove it is with acryl filler.

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There also exists molding ment to hide cables, but those are a little pricy.

The moldings portrayed are rated to hold 230V, but can of course hold Cat6's instead.

Note: dont mix signaling and high current cables, you might be victim to interference.

Keep in mind you have to replace all the molding in the entire room to gain beauty points.

(This molding is made out of some fireproof material, for ethernet cables you can cheap out and get something made of wood etc.)

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A 20mm tube can hold 3xCat6. These are the tools you need.

Corrugated is usually used hidden inside walls, but works just as good on the outside if you apply a shit ton of clips to it.

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Uppermost tube: 32mm hard tubing with the bend made out of 2x joints and 15cm corrugated. On the picture it is protecting Kevlar-shielded 4pair fibre cables, "fibre cat6's".

//

Usually used for single runs, requiring little strengt.

Note: drywall/wood/concrete, there are variations of fastening to fit your need.

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Usually used for more rugged stuff, especially holding tubing.

Note: drywall/wood/concrete, there are variations of fastening to fit your need.

//

Off topic, I’m doing something similar atm at my own place, and I chose to run 3x50mm empty corrugated tubes from the basement where my modem/router is located to the attic as futureproofing. In addition to that there is like 5 blue 20mm tubes containing 2xCat6+1xCoax to the rooms requiring hardwired. An access point is already installed on 1^st floor, another one planned for 2^nd.

Interference between the 230V cables (grey tubes) and the signal cables (blue) is a fear of mine, but I have experienced that it mostly isn’t a issue for normal use. If the problem shows up, I can open the box the cables run in and divide the signaling with galvanics.

(ap = nano-hd)

3.

I duno where you live, here in Norway we use these orange boxes (73mm) for hidden applications and the big white square for on-wall. The key-stone plate can hold 3xCat6 on a 83x83mm square.

(replace the sat-tv with a cat-6 keystone to get 3xCat6)