Explain Ethernet please

Minibiker · 24 Apr 2018 at 13:59

Hi all

Im currently in my local supermarket looking at Ethernet cables but not sure what im looking for... They do a 5 metre and a 10 metre cable, but im not sure what else im looking for other than length...

If i use Ethernet cables do i still need to plug the wifi box into the wall with the phone line bit or just the main plug

Cheers

bremen1874 · 24 Apr 2018 at 14:14

You want Cat5e or Cat6 cables.

Buy whatever length you need. There are length limits, but you won't get near them.

The router's phone connection will still need to be connected. That's where the broadband comes from.

Minibiker · 24 Apr 2018 at 14:23

So basically the first pic is my current setup, im guessing the last pic is the Ethernet cable connected way @bremen1874

bremen1874 · 24 Apr 2018 at 14:40

Only if you have a separate modem.

Minibiker · 24 Apr 2018 at 14:49

bremen1874 said:
Only if you have a separate modem.

All i have is sky tv box and the wifi box

APM · 24 Apr 2018 at 14:57

Wasn't there a cable in with the skybox when it arrived?

Minibiker · 24 Apr 2018 at 14:58

APM said:
Wasn't there a cable in with the skybox when it arrived?

Weve moved house since and misplaced the box

memyselfandi · 24 Apr 2018 at 15:03

If your current set up is the first image then you should touch nothing shown in that image.

If you want to physically connect something else to the internet, not using wi-fi, then you connect an ethernet cable, of the appropriate length, to one of the yellow sockets (as shown in the picture ... I'd start from the top) and connect the other end to the device, be that computer or set top box or whatever.

If the device has previously used wi-fi it may need to be reconfigured to not use wi-fi and to use the physical connection instead. This is also assuming that the Sky box will give out addresses automatically (I don't have one so don't know)

topgun06 · 24 Apr 2018 at 15:41

As already mentioned, your setup should be like in the first picture. You would use an ethernet cable to physically connect things (PC, Sky Box, TV) to the router.

Quartz · 24 Apr 2018 at 16:24

Ethernet has a length limit of 100m for copper. If you want to route your cable neatly, you need 5 metres to go round each door and Screwfix do some nice 8mmx12mm trunking.

As for the connections, you plug one end of the ethernet cable into your PC and the other end into the router as described above. Then you plug one end of the ADSL / VDSL cable into the router and the other end into a microfilter and then into a phone socket

Orcvader · 24 Apr 2018 at 19:22

What exactly are you trying to achieve?

Minibiker · 24 Apr 2018 at 19:27

Orcvader said:
What exactly are you trying to achieve?

Basically, ive been having lag issues over the last week when playing PUBG, the Internet has been fine for the last few months but all of a sudden its gone all slow and laggy so looking to get a smoother, faster connection

The1nonly1 · 24 Apr 2018 at 19:48

Leave your set up as it is in the image you posted with the cable going to the BT Socket on your wall. You will need a cat5e or cat6 Ethernet cable that will plug into one of the yellow 'LAN' ports on your router and then connect the other end to your device (PC, laptop Xbox, PS4 or whatever it is).

Orcvader · 24 Apr 2018 at 21:14

As above, all you need to do is connect one of the yellow ports on the Sky hub to whatever device you want to hook up. The Sky image you posted has nothing to do with ethernet, it's just different ways hooking to the phone line depending on what type of broadband and phone socket you have (eg ADSL, fibre, etc).