Wiring a network connection from bedroom to livingroom

[wr_uk]

I'm wanting to wire a network connection from my bedroom to my living room.

I'm thinking I will need
- 20m RJ45 ethernet cable not sure if it needs to be cat 5e or cat 6 (probably cat 6 for future trends)
- 2 x RJ45 ethernet face plates
- ethernet crimpers

Can you advise me first of all if this is doable and secondly if I've overlooked anything that I might need to buy?

Also would there be much data loss over about 20m.

The other question I have is should the wire I require be solid or braided??

I've heared that Braided cable tends to work better in patch applications for desktop use. It is more flexible and resilient than solid cable and easier to work with, but really meant for shorter lengths. Solid cable is meant for longer runs in a fixed position. Plenum rated cable must be used whenever the cable travels through an air circulation space. For example, above a false ceiling or below a raised floor.

My wire will be running under the floor boards and behind the plaster on the walls.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

Wayne

[Lord Nikon]

Originally Posted by wr_uk

I'm wanting to wire a network connection from my bedroom to my living room.

I'm thinking I will need
- 20m RJ45 ethernet cable not sure if it needs to be cat 5e or cat 6 (probably cat 6 for future trends)
- 2 x RJ45 ethernet face plates
- ethernet crimpers

Can you advise me first of all if this is doable and secondly if I've overlooked anything that I might need to buy?

Also would there be much data loss over about 20m.

The other question I have is should the wire I require be solid or braided??

I've heared that Braided cable tends to work better in patch applications for desktop use. It is more flexible and resilient than solid cable and easier to work with, but really meant for shorter lengths. Solid cable is meant for longer runs in a fixed position. Plenum rated cable must be used whenever the cable travels through an air circulation space. For example, above a false ceiling or below a raised floor.

My wire will be running under the floor boards and behind the plaster on the walls.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks

Wayne

Cat6 will have no problems whatsoever, as for the length - Assume a max length of 100m recommended for an ethernet cable so 20m will be no trouble. To follow the guideline exactly which for your application will not be a problem there are certain - suggestions. The cable for the infrastructure will be solid, where it crosses a power cable it should do so at right angles, corners should be such that the cable does not kink. When calculating the cable length always add 1m for each connection. ie Plug and socket on the wall will account for 2m of the total length. You may want to futureproof by using Cat6a which is rated for 10Gbit networks.

Oh, and always stick to a wiring scheme, either 568A or 568B.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by wr_uk

...Any advice would be much appreciated!...

You might consider using a HomePlug device - there will be no need to redecorate!

I use devices from this company, and have had excellent service:

http://www.solwise.co.uk/

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

[Mr_love_monkey]

Originally Posted by TheNorm

You might consider using a HomePlug device - there will be no need to redecorate!

I use devices from this company, and have had excellent service:

http://www.solwise.co.uk/

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

Though if he's looking at cat6, he probably wants a higher throughput than the homeplugs give - my 85mbps only give aroun 15 to 20

Originally Posted by wr_uk

I'm wanting to wire a network connection from my bedroom to my living room.

I'm thinking I will need
- 20m RJ45 ethernet cable not sure if it needs to be cat 5e or cat 6 (probably cat 6 for future trends)
- 2 x RJ45 ethernet face plates
- ethernet crimpers

Can you advise me first of all if this is doable and secondly if I've overlooked anything that I might need to buy?

Yes! You've not mentioned the keystone jack punchdown block so you'll need this and this.

Don't skimp of a cheap pair of crimpers either. I purchased some from Maplins (Rolson make) and they would never crimp one of the wires correctly - I swaped them for another set, and they are just about ok.

PS - Screwfix are excellent for buying small bits like this - Maplin / RS charge a fortune and sometimes you have to buy bulk. BTW - I'm just a Screfix customer - not linked in anyway!

[MovedGoalPosts]

You won't need crimpers if you are just running the cable between two sockets. You just need the punch down tool. Premade patch leads to connect the socket to computer / router or whatever is the best option.

A cable connection tester is useful to confirm you've made it all up correctly.

If you can wire a plug you can wire your own ethernet cable network, just follow the colour code on the socket plugs. It's easy to get confused between A & B standards.

[pabscars]

Originally Posted by Rob

You won't need crimpers if you are just running the cable between two sockets. You just need the punch down tool. Premade patch leads to connect the socket to computer / router or whatever is the best option.

A cable connection tester is useful to confirm you've made it all up correctly.

If you can wire a plug you can wire your own ethernet cable network, just follow the colour code on the socket plugs. It's easy to get confused between A & B standards.

What I don't understand is why it matters which strand goes in which pin as long as they match end to end.

One of my many tasks at work was to run a load of ethernet cables above a suspended ceiling from our server room to an office some 30 or so metres away.

However I found that not following the correct wiring diagram resulted in the leads I had run not working, so I cut them off and crimped on new ends following the correct diagram and it worked

anyone care to explain why it matters which order they go in

CAT 5 /6 UTP: Unshielded TWISTED pair - clue's in the title!

[pabscars]

Originally Posted by LSainsbury

CAT 5 /6 UTP: Unshielded TWISTED pair - clue's in the title!

Cheers Pal, just off to do a little googling on the topic now

---------- Post added at 14:32 ---------- Previous post was at 14:26 ----------

Ahhhhhh I get it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro...c_interference

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by Mr_love_monkey

Though if he's looking at cat6, he probably wants a higher throughput than the homeplugs give - my 85mbps only give aroun 15 to 20

The 200meg units claim to handle HD video - and are only £30 each.

http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-av-push.htm

If I was going to redecorate a room anyway, yes I'd go for cat 6 cable. But getting it behind a plasterboard wall can be very messy.

[jb66]

200meg homeplugs can stream hd, but so can my d-link615 that seems to get slated on this forum

[Jon T]

Originally Posted by pabscars

What I don't understand is why it matters which strand goes in which pin as long as they match end to end.

One of my many tasks at work was to run a load of ethernet cables above a suspended ceiling from our server room to an office some 30 or so metres away.

However I found that not following the correct wiring diagram resulted in the leads I had run not working, so I cut them off and crimped on new ends following the correct diagram and it worked

anyone care to explain why it matters which order they go in

Each of the eight wires is paired with one of the other eight, this gives four pairs, each pair is twisted together down the full length of the cable. This makes the "pair" less susceptible to noise from the other three pairs(called crosstalk),and also outside noise sources. It also helps stop the "pair" radiating(or picking up) interference to anything else.

Also, following standards aids fault finding and performing future work on the cabling. Most CAT 5/6 network cabling is EIA568B.

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by TheNorm

The 200meg units claim to handle HD video - and are only £30 each.

http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-av-push.htm

If I was going to redecorate a room anyway, yes I'd go for cat 6 cable. But getting it behind a plasterboard wall can be very messy.

Depends on the hd video. Most I have seen only need about 20mbps (About 2.5MB/s). Depending on your wiring an 85mbps should be able to handle that fine, and in my experience the 200mbps units are no faster anyway.