Connecting BB to home Network

Proc

Proc

Proc

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2 Oct 2003
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Sheffield
We've just moved into a new house and in each room there's a network point which appear in a cupboard under the stairs in our living room. We had bb installed over the weekend but problem is the router is in the master socket which is in the hallway about 10ft away. I'm just wondering what would be the best way of connecting all this up?

One way i can think is running an extension cable from the hall into the cupboard, so i can plug them straight into the router. But i'd rather avoid running cable if possible. Another i could think of if possible, is there anything such as a wireless switch where i can plug the cat5 cables into then have that wireless connect to the router? Although i think this kind of negates the fact of having evereything hardwired. Other than that it maybe having the phone line extended into the cupboard so i can put the router in there.

Any ideas on how to achieve this would be great, as i'm stumped.
 
So despite every room having a network point, there's none near the master socket? Shame as you'd just need to plug one of the router LAN ports into that and then under the cupboard cable up a switch to all the ports terminating in there.

What you're actually describing I think can be done with a simple wireless bridge. Have that in the cupboard, connect it to the wireless access point your router provides and then bridge it by simply plugging an ethernet cable out the back of the bridge and into a big switch in the cupboard that will hook up to all the other terminating network ports in there.

You could achieve the same thing with two powerline adapters. LAN port from router into one and pop it out on another in the cupboard and wire that into a switch.
 
Best way is put a switch in the cupboard. Leave the router where it is and run a network cable from the switch to the router. I know you say you don't want to run cables but its really the best way reliability wise.
 
bluebeatle said:
Best way is put a switch in the cupboard. Leave the router where it is and run a network cable from the switch to the router. I know you say you don't want to run cables but its really the best way reliability wise.
Click to expand...

This is very true. Does the hall not back onto a room that does have a network port wired in? A discrete hole in the wall and then run it along the skirting to the network point would look neat.
 
Funnily enough, I'm going to be in almost exactly the same situation as you soon, Proc. I plan to install Ethernet cabling in the study, living room, and under the stairs in my new property, but it'll be difficult to get one near the BT master socket.

My current thinking is that I'll probably just put the router and WiFi access point under the stairs and run a telephone cable from it to the master socket. They are more discrete than Ethernet cabling and can be run hugged to skirting boards easily. Right now I use a stupidly long telephone cable (must be 20+ metres all coiled up) and I still get maximum sync speeds so I don't think it'll be an issue.

This approach has the bonus of the WiFi access point being closer to the centre of the house.
 
Cheers for the suggestions guys, yeah whoever installed the points didn't clearly think about how they would be hooked up. Theres not one next to the master socket & putting it at the bottom of the hall next to the front door is just plain dumb, other end of the hall from where the cupboard backs onto it.

I wanted to do it with a little latency as possible as the net speeds aren't super fast as it is, i thought running a phone extension cable may introduce some. But looking at it the best way seems to be running some sort of cable be it phone or ethernet, theres a socket in the cupboard so powerline adapters or wireless bridge are possible.
 
Don't use a phone extension.

Have your modem or routerWithModem unit right next to the master socket. Then install 1x ethernet cat5e cable from here to your central point. In this room, put a 8/16/24 port gigabit switch (depending on the number of ports or devices you want)


Connect the router to the switch, then patch in each room to that switch.


Got any electrician friends? They'd likely do the cat5e install for a few beers :)


Don't bother looking at powerline or a wireless bridge for this purpose, you'll end up making a thread in 3 months time asking how you can improve it.
 
Looks like cat5 it is. Be good if you could get flat or smaller cable but i'll have a look at decent trunking.
 
DragonQ said:
Yep, I use a flat Cat6 cable to go from my router, under the kitchen door, to the kitchen cupboard where my file server is. Didn't want to drill a hole through the wall in a rented property. :)
Click to expand...

That sounds ideal, would save me drilling through the wall.

Also would running cat cable underneath a radiator along the skirting board be ok? It's about 5 inch from top of skirting to bottom of the radiator.
 
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