Help me switch from Wireless to Ethernet

[MrRemnant]

Basically the title. I'm going to run a cable to my PC. I've got a couple of questions to make sure i get the right stuff.

I need the cable to cover about 20 meters, are there any types to avoid, what's a good price, cat 5e or cat 6? Can i connect the cable to the ports on the back of the router, or will i need to get a port installed in the wall? 

I know basically nothing about this so sorry if these are very basic. 

Thanks. 

[mariushm]

Cat5e is good for 1gbps (2.5gbps if devices on both ends support the newest standard) up to 100 meters.

Cat6 is good for 10gbps up to around 50 meters.

Cat6a is good for 10gbps up to 100 meters.

 

There probably won't be much of a difference between cat5e and cat6 cables, most likely you're gonna find ready made cables that are cat6 or cat6a because they're produced in volume and it's not hard to bump the quality of the cable from cat5e to something better.

 

It should be enough to just buy a 20+ meters patch cable (cable with the jacks preinstalled from factory) and you can simply plug in back of router and your pc, no need to bother with wall stuff.

 

Don't buy the absolute cheapest cables, buy from a brand name in the networking department if possible.. you'll be fine.

 

 

[MrRemnant]

19 minutes ago, Genwyn said:

Cat 6 ideally, Cat 5 works, theyre all compatible with eachother.

Generally speaking dont buy the super cheap stuff, but its not a complicated cable, theres not too much variance in materials used. Try and find the stuff that advertises a soft outer shell, the hard stuff tends to get harder over time and cracks.

You plug it directly into the back of the router in one of its switch outputs. They will be labeled, basically any open port that isnt the input. You can look up your router or post details on it here if you want that pointed out, but its pretty self explanatory.

 

Plugging ethernet into the wall is called powerline ethernet, it runs the network signals over your homes electrical mains and you can connect to it via an adapter at any socket. It sounds dumb as hell but its a real thing and actually works pretty good if you have modern wiring. Thats not a necessity, you would plug the routers output into a socket, then just plug an adapter into any other socket in the home.

Powerline sounds like an ideal solution for my needs, do you know of any obvious downsides? And, if no, would this be a decent choice for an adaptor (My house only has a 100mbps connection) Netgear pl1000

[Boomwebsearch]

12 minutes ago, MrRemnant said:

I'm going to run a cable to my PC

Is this in reference to a laptop or a desktop computer system?

 

For longer distances, try to compromise for WI-FI if you can, or Ethernet over powerline. Because it helps keep the clutter associated with routing a cable to a minimum and could improve longevity of the your solution. From my experience, if you need long distances try keeping the cables against corners of your building and secure with tape (cable path tape if you want to keep the look more professional and good in aesthetics) as it helps the cable last longer since there is a lot less change that someone trips on it and breaks the cable. Room to room Ethernet is difficult is there are doors that need to be opened and closed, for that I suggest flat wire networking cables, routing cable to the side near the hinges and maybe some insulating foam to protect the cable further from the door closing on the cable. 

15 minutes ago, Genwyn said:

Plugging ethernet into the wall is called powerline ethernet, it runs the network signals over your homes electrical mains and you can connect to it via an adapter at any socket.

15 minutes ago, Genwyn said:

actually works pretty good if you have modern wiring

I would definitely avoid Ethernet over power if your building's electrical wiring is old or is subject to high interference. Sometimes WI-FI works better if there is too much interference in the building's wiring often with older buildings than Ethernet over power. I will link a good power over Ethernet product (on Amazon) in this post for reference purposes.

 

link to the aforementioned product within this post:   https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=asc_df_B00AWRUICG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309776868400&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6391555223124738154&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009996&hvtargid=pla-383104855610&psc=1

 

[MrRemnant]

1 minute ago, Boomwebsearch said:

Is this in reference to a laptop or a desktop computer system?

 

For longer distances, try to compromise for WI-FI if you can, or Ethernet over powerline. Because it helps keep the clutter associated with routing a cable to a minimum and could improve longevity of the your solution. From my experience, if you need long distances try keeping the cables against corners of your building and secure with tape (cable path tape if you want to keep the look more professional and good in aesthetics) as it helps the cable last longer since there is a lot less change that someone trips on it and breaks the cable. Room to room Ethernet is difficult is there are doors that need to be opened and closed, for that I suggest flat wire networking cables, routing cable to the side near the hinges and maybe some insulating foam to protect the cable further from the door closing on the cable. 

I would definitely avoid Ethernet over power if your building's electrical wiring is old or is subject to high interference. Sometimes WI-FI works better if there is too much interference in the building's wiring often with older buildings than Ethernet over power. I will link a good power over Ethernet product (on Amazon) in this post for reference purposes.

  

link to the aforementioned product within this post:   https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=asc_df_B00AWRUICG/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309776868400&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6391555223124738154&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009996&hvtargid=pla-383104855610&psc=1

 

It's a desktop system, the wiring in the building is around 24/25 years old, would this be too old? 
There is 1 other computer, a tv, 4-6 various phone/ tablet chargers connected. Would this be too much interference?