Ethernet Installation In Brand New Home?

[iamdarkyoshi]

Hey guys, my family will (in freaking THEORY) be moving into our brand new home soon, which does NOT have ANY ethernet in the home. Just a rough estimate, how expensive would it be to run a couple drops in the home? I do not want to use powerline or wireless. Wireless is too slow and powerline adapters make a whole ton of electrical interference to where AM radios wont work in the house. That and the house has those stupid arc fault interrupters and those can cause issues with powerline adapters. So for three walls to have ethernet installed: my room, brothers room, and a "server room" for the two ethernet runs to connect to the router where the mediaserver and wireless AP will also be located. Not sure of the length. Is it something that I could do instead of paying someone else? I have made ethernet cables before.

[Philcat101]

Hey guys, my family will (in freaking THEORY) be moving into our brand new home soon, which does NOT have ANY ethernet in the home. Just a rough estimate, how expensive would it be to run a couple drops in the home? I do not want to use powerline or wireless. Wireless is too slow and powerline adapters make a whole ton of electrical interference to where AM radios wont work in the house. That and the house has those stupid arc fault interrupters and those can cause issues with powerline adapters. So for three walls to have ethernet installed: my room, brothers room, and a "server room" for the two ethernet runs to connect to the router where the mediaserver and wireless AP will also be located. Not sure of the length. Is it something that I could do instead of paying someone else? I have made ethernet cables before.

If you are willing to rip up some of the wall, install the cabling, and patch it up, an Ethernet upgrade is worth it to do yourself.

The pricing of the cable varies; there are different types (Cat standard, eg cat5e, cat6)

[thekeemo]

Take a look at this http://lifehacker.com/how-to-wire-your-house-with-cat5-or-cat6-ethernet-cable-480020760

For me I just switched out power outlets with Ethernet ports. Keep in mind I had the Egyptian modular wall socket layout thingy so may not be possible to do what I did. Did not have to drill or cut through anything.

[Enderman]

you will need an electrician to come to your house and give you a quote

it depends on a lot of stuff, more than just how far away the plugs will be

it also matters on construction, materials, layout, etc... and usually will make a mess in your house as they need to tear out some walls

 

the easiest solution is to take a cable and just run it along the wall corner to the floor or ceiling and use U nails to hold it there

[AnonymousGuy]

It can be a ginormous pain in the ass trying to do drops...especially if exterior walls are involved.  I just ended up running ethernet cables along baseboards and under doors.

[iamdarkyoshi]

If you are willing to rip up some of the wall, install the cabling, and patch it up, an Ethernet upgrade is worth it to do yourself.

The pricing of the cable varies; there are different types (Cat standard, eg cat5e, cat6)

Ripping off the wall in a brand new house? No way. We would have to just hope to drop the cable in the right spot I guess...

[iamdarkyoshi]

It can be a ginormous pain in the ass trying to do drops...especially if exterior walls are involved.  I just ended up running ethernet cables along baseboards and under doors.

Thats going to be an issue considering that the rooms are on different levels...

[Guest]

If you're willing to rip out some plasterboard, then yeah, sure. Alternatively, you could run it on along the exterior walls or use some trunking/cable channels and run it along the interior walls... 

 

Running ethernet, or any wiring, in an existing finished structure can be a huge pain in the ass. 

 

If you know what you're doing, and a dab hand at DIY, you should be able to do it yourself; though an electrician should have the tools to fish cables through walls.

[Philcat101]

Ripping off the wall in a brand new house? No way. We would have to just hope to drop the cable in the right spot I guess...

Sheetrock is easy to replace. just do a search on how to do it. If you don't want to, it's ok, just my opinion.

[AnonymousGuy]

Thats going to be an issue considering that the rooms are on different levels...

 What I would do is just use a drill bit meant for the purpose (spade bit that's like 2 feet long) and drill straight up through the ceiling into the floor of the other room.  Use that for your trunk line.  Avoid studs.  And make sure there's no HVAC duct work running where you want to drill.  Maybe cut an exploratory hole through one side first to make sure it's just air between the two levels.

[iamdarkyoshi]

Sheetrock is easy to replace. just do a search on how to do it. If you don't want to, it's ok, just my opinion.

We worked 16 hour days on our previous 1873 home to try to sell it before we drove from south dakota to nevada, we dont want to do ANY more wall repairs!!

[Philcat101]

We worked 16 hour days on our previous 1873 home to try to sell it before we drove from south dakota to nevada, we dont want to do ANY more wall repairs!!

oh, ok. I get it   I know construction pains too.

[PsychoGamingLemom]

I have done this, I ran the cable along the floor and up the hallway into my room upstairs. 

I used U Nails to attach the cable and drilled through the walls however you can run it under the door frames.

[thekeemo]

1873 home... Why would you even but something that old. Alternatively you can run it through the air return duct. Then again Nevada so I doubt you have central heating..

[iamdarkyoshi]

1873 home... Why would you even but something that old. Alternatively you can run it through the air return duct. Then again Nevada so I doubt you have central heating..

Yah that was our old home. it was quite the time capsule, and it was cheap. I think it was seven acres and a three story house plus a barn and new metal shed. The house was originally planned for demolition, but we got it and everything else on the property for only like 115K. Nothing had been done in it since like the original add on in the 1920s. I grew up there and I loved it. The air ducts are an interesting idea. My PC will serve as central heating

[thekeemo]

Yah that was our old home. it was quite the time capsule, and it was cheap. I think it was seven acres and a three story house plus a barn and new metal shed. The house was originally planned for demolition, but we got it and everything else on the property for only like 115K. Nothing had been done in it since like the original add on in the 1920s. I grew up there and I loved it. The air ducts are an interesting idea. My PC will serve as central heating

gonna need a few more 390s...

[ValkyrieX]

Its really easy to drill & wire your house if you know how.

No replastering or repainting is necessary.

(Replastering new walls takes time & is hard to color match the paint, however fairly cheap & easy.)

 

Here are some how-to videos I found that may help you.

Choosing between fiber optic vs copper

Copper wiring standards & speeds

Home Wiring, Cabling, Fishing, Obstacles

Home wall jack wiring, install & finishing touches

 

---

You will want a centralized location for your network.

Outdoors Telco Box -> Home Basement/Attic

Basement/Attic -> In house closet/office (central location)

Closet/Office (in house, to avoid heat/dust & for easy inspection, troubleshooting or reset) -> Router/Switchs etc -> Room Wall Jacks

---

 

 

How to do home networking, wall jacks & wiring

 

Home Cabling Demo

 

How to pull cable thru walls easy

 

Easy way to Fish Wires & Locate Studs

 

LTT: Fiber vs Copper

 

TQ AFAP: Ethernet RJ45 Speeds & Cables

[dzonidev]

-snip-

 

Cost per drop varies a lot but it's somewhere from $100 USD right up to $250 USD. Best way to figure out the cost is to get actual quotes. However I'm not so sure anyone will give you one, because 2 drops are not so attractive and even if you get a quote it won't be cheap.

 

In my opinion, you should do this on your self (recruit the brother to help out). DIY will probably cost you 10x less than for a pro to come in, and you can still do a good job.

 

If you are considering the second option, then for us to be able to help you, we need more info. 

[iamdarkyoshi]

Its really easy to drill & wire your house if you know how.

No replastering or repainting is necessary.

(Replastering new walls takes time & is hard to color match the paint, however fairly cheap & easy.)

 

Here are some how-to videos I found that may help you.

Choosing between fiber optic vs copper

Copper wiring standards & speeds

Home Wiring, Cabling, Fishing, Obstacles

Home wall jack wiring, install & finishing touches

 

---

You will want a centralized location for your network.

Outdoors Telco Box -> Home Basement/Attic

Basement/Attic -> In house closet/office (central location)

Closet/Office (in house, to avoid heat/dust & for easy inspection, troubleshooting or reset) -> Router/Switchs etc -> Room Wall Jacks

---

 

How to do home networking, wall jacks & wiring

 

Home Cabling Demo

 

How to pull cable thru walls easy

 

Easy way to Fish Wires & Locate Studs

 

LTT: Fiber vs Copper

 

TQ AFAP: Ethernet RJ45 Speeds & Cables

Holy crap, thanks!

[ValkyrieX]

Holy crap, thanks!

 

Your welcome.^^   Honestly its easier than it looks, with some practice and a few "tricks" there are many ways to fish wires easily.

 

The hardest part is drilling the wood inside & then poking a tiny wire thru it.   Part of the trick is using long 3'+ drill bits with a 'eye' hole at the end like a needle to pull wire with, if you don't have that, just tape your wire (a lot, and tightly) to other long items, like fiberglass glow rod's (buy at home depot), which are useful for fishing wires thru drop ceiling's, long runs, or up & down inside walls.

 

For example...   if you are inside the attic, and fishing a wire down into the wall to a hole that you made for the outlet, you can drop/push a short wire down, then have someone in the house attatch the end of the wire in a box to it so you can pull it to your central drop point.  If you have 10 drops @ 500', you can use 5 boxes of 1000' wire and do 5 runs at a time.  Use of glow rods, and flash lights to signal your helper, or tapping a screwdriver hard (bang loudly) to signal them sometimes is necessary.

 

 

Wallplate Mount: (mount for wallplate, 2 ends (top & bottom) fold inside wall to secure) (no plastic or metal "box" needed)

http://www.frys.com/product/1645257?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

http://images.frys.com/art/product/300x300/1645257.01.prod.jpg

 

 

Wallplate 1-6 port:

http://www.frys.com/product/6301411?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

http://images.frys.com/art/product/300x300/6301411.01.prod.jpg

 

[iamdarkyoshi]

Your welcome.^^   Honestly its easier than it looks, with some practice and a few "tricks" there are many ways to fish wires easily.

 

The hardest part is drilling the wood inside & then poking a tiny wire thru it.   Part of the trick is using long 3'+ drill bits with a 'eye' hole at the end like a needle to pull wire with, if you don't have that, just tape your wire (a lot, and tightly) to other long items, like fiberglass glow rod's (buy at home depot), which are useful for fishing wires thru drop ceiling's, long runs, or up & down inside walls.

 

For example...   if you are inside the attic, and fishing a wire down into the wall to a hole that you made for the outlet, you can drop/push a short wire down, then have someone in the house attatch the end of the wire in a box to it so you can pull it to your central drop point.  If you have 10 drops @ 500', you can use 5 boxes of 1000' wire and do 5 runs at a time.  Use of glow rods, and flash lights to signal your helper, or tapping a screwdriver hard (bang loudly) to signal them sometimes is necessary.

I have done wire drops before (my old house was plaster and had knob and tube wiring, so thats a thing that needed replacing) but I didnt know how much it would cost for someone to do it for me, because we are all very busy (and should have been moved in a week ago, but apparently my mom's gasoline reimbursement doesnt count as income) but I will probably do it myself. But I would need to buy a ballsload of cable and other bits and bobs.

[ValkyrieX]

Another trick you can use is... if you can find spare wires, like if you are using 1 wire but there are 2 inside a pipe that goes into the wall, you can use the 'spare' wire, tape your  single/multiple cat5/6 wire(s) to it, and use it to pull your wire to the desired location then push it back in if you want to keep the spare just in case.  You can use a nail with an "eye" at each end of the wire to tie it down tight from both ends, and could use a few inbetween also if you want for cable management inside the attic or basement as well.

 

 

(Something like this, but nailed in, not screwed)

http://www.frys.com/product/8393217?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

http://images.frys.com/art/product/300x300/8393217.01.prod.jpg

 

 

If you are planning on living at your new residence for a long period of time, you could always run a few 'spare' (pull wires) at your 'difficult' locations and leave them there in case you want to do more pulls in the future.    Basement to Attic and/or wiring closet may need spares.  Bedrooms probably need 1 only unless the room is someone who is real tech heavy and uses multiple computers in 1 room and does not want to use a switch.   In a living room, you can use 1 with a switch to branch it out to save from multiple runs, but its messy if the wire runs are far from the wall mount. There are a lot of methods of concealing wire runs and cable management, probably a lot of video's on YouTube, but i'm guessing it's a non issue.

[ValkyrieX]

Ethernet "Hacks": (adding PoE and USB)