Multiple cables to outside of house - what's the best method?

valve90210

valve90210

valve90210

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Hi All

Having recently moved into a new house (semi-detached), I'd very much to get network cables run to every room as we have so much kit which wants to be networked and the number if only going to increase as time goes on.

My plan is to have the modem/router installed under the stairs, which are next to the outside wall. This would then allow me to run the majority of the network cables round the outside of the house which will make it much more simple to run them to all the room and into the positions I want without having to lift carpets etc.

This should be fairly simple for the most part as it will be a simple hole drilled into the wall and sealed up one the cable is through. but I'm not quite sure what to do at the main point of exit under the stairs as this will need to be a fairly substantial hole in order for me to run several cables out but obviously I don't want it to look a mess, nore do I want it to be draughty.

Has anyone else done this, if is so how, and or can anyone suggest any suitable methods (ducting?)?

Thanks
 
Please describe 'substantial hole', 25mm or larger.

You could use a Junction box IP55 rated on the outside wall then run feeds from that, will you be doing first floor as well, if so run conduit to the attic, & then drop down to required rooms from there.

External conduit will look so unsightly going around a house, you could use black conduit clipped at soil level,it would blend in well, & use a inspection tee were needed & a piece of condiut to a 1 way circular conduit box fixed to the wall , & drill through the box & wall in to the required room.

Can always hide the circular box with a well place plant.
 
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Not really sure but enough to fit several network cables through. Probably would end up being bigger than 25mm.

Does it make a difference if it's bigger or smaller than 25mm?
 
valve90210 said:
Not really sure but enough to fit several network cables through. Probably would end up being bigger than 25mm.

Does it make a difference if it's bigger or smaller than 25mm?
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No, just the initial junction box would need to be large enough to accommodate the hole & all the cables before splitting.

If larger, go 32mm or 40mm & use some waste pipe to sleeve the hole, will save chaffing the cables.
 
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Let me just makes sure my Monday morning brain is working...

I'd just drill a big hole through to the outside of the wall (possibly lined with a waste pipe if it's a big hole), then mount a junction box on the outside, simple push the wires through the hole and that's it... sounds almost too simple!!! lol

Anything I can put on the wall on the inside to make it look nice and tidy and prevent any draughts? (though I'm guessing the junction box mounted on the outside will essentially close off the hole and prevent draughts?)

As you mentioned re first floor, that was my plan re going up into the loft and then dropping down from there, same as I intend to do with the aerial leads! :)
 
You would need a good drill & core bit to put through a 32mm hole (hire one is cheaper).
Inside just another junction box, you can use a sealant around the pipe & other circular junction boxes to eliminate any draughts, or creepy crawlies getting in.

It's how I did my last place, using 20mm conduit at ground level, & teeing off where required to each room.

If you have cupboards on 1st floor, backing on to bedrooms make use of them for hiding the cables with surface trunking.
 
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Perfect, sounds simple enough! I think my parents have the kit for drilling a large hole as I'm sure they did so for an extractor fan some years back...will have to ask! :)

I would like to use conduit for all of my leads but I may have to go without on a couple of the cables where the conduit would look really unsightly (on the front of the house having to go above and across the front door then back down but other than that it should be fine for the rest! :)

Should be able to get a decent number of network leads into a 20mm conduit I'd guess, along with a few pull cords incase I need to add anything later on! :)

Edit:
Nightglow said:
If you have cupboards on 1st floor, backing on to bedrooms make use of them for hiding the cables with surface trunking.
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Two of the bedrooms have built in cupboards which will make it nice and simple, the third doesnt but as you say some trunking will be fine for hiding the cables!
 
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Tool station is usually cheapest for fittings, you can glue the pipe using solvent glue, same as use for plumbing fittings.
I never bother with gaskets, just use a bead of mastic to give a watertight seal, you will most likely find a nylon draw tape handy for pulling through cables on longer runs.

Junction boxes several sizes available, depends on number of cables you tend to install, need to look a toolstation cat..

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/IP55 Rated/Junction Box IP55/d190/sd3140/p30645
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/Conduit & Trunking/PVC Inspection Tee/d190/sd2743/p73425

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/Conduit & Trunking/PVC Conduit Box/d190/sd2743/p90761

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/Conduit & Trunking/PVC Box Lid Round/d190/sd2743/p92197
 
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Brilliant, thanks for your help, all looks simple enough for even a newbie like me to do and will make networking the house a much simpler task than trying to do it all internally!
 
One other thing, drill hole in the Conduit Box a few mm larger than the masonry hole before fitting to the wall, then fix box to wall & then drill hole through the wall.

Once cable is through, just seal hole with sealant, on the room side you can finish off with a surface or flush box & a network out face plate.
 
One using a hss bit, unlikely to split the box, I just drilled a dozen boxes on work bench first, secondly if you the box fixed on the wall & try to drill through the box & wall at once, you'll may split the box & rip the box off the wall.(Try it once to save time,didn't work.:o)

Also you decide to glue fittings, fit all the conduit dry first, to make sure everything is correct,then go around & glue, you might find it's tight enough fit without glue.
 
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I see, makes sense!!!

Cool re gluing will see how it goes. Just got to wait for Plusnet to come out and install my phone line and hope they'll put it where I want!
 
Have you considered running a single cable upstairs into a switch/hub that is central, then split out into the individual rooms from there? Still a faff running to each room from there, but possibly simpler than drilling multiple holes through your walls. Just a thought.
 
Linkex said:
Have you considered running a single cable upstairs into a switch/hub that is central, then split out into the individual rooms from there? Still a faff running to each room from there, but possibly simpler than drilling multiple holes through your walls. Just a thought.
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And would look much nicer than horrible cables all over the house!
 
Linkex said:
Have you considered running a single cable upstairs into a switch/hub that is central, then split out into the individual rooms from there? Still a faff running to each room from there, but possibly simpler than drilling multiple holes through your walls. Just a thought.
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Shimmyhill said:
And would look much nicer than horrible cables all over the house!
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That is my plan, as I mentioned in my second or third post. I agree it will be simpler for routing on the first floor and look better than masses of cables on the outside however I do need to run a couple round the outside for the ground floor but I will make sure they're fairly discreet.
 
maccapacca said:
Don't think you really need to worry about bend radius on a Cat 5/6 cable. Why does everything turn into a black art?
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Presuming he's using proper outdoor cable, then the bend radius is relevant to the weathering resistance of the cable. Bend it too far and it might not survive too long. I've also heard exceeding the bend radius on Cat6 can cause speed issues, but never experienced this myself.
 
Bend radius is part of the installation specs for the cable, Cisco makes a big deal about stuff like this as core separation does influence crosstalk. In real terms the difference is slight, but it's the sign of a sloppy install if you see it.


Umm, cables run outside :( they didn't run the mains cabling outside so same applies to net cable I think.
 
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