Relocating a model/router port - what's the best way?

[exhashdotdot]

Hi guys, so I'm fortunate enough to have moved into my first house and alongside all the other faff (furniture, etc) I'm wondering what the best way to solve this problem is.

Currently, my modem/router/hub (not sure what the correct nomenclature is) port is located at the front door (hence, the modem/router thing is also located at the front door). It looks like this:

All the action happens upstairs at the rear of the property which means on initial inspection, I'm limited to using WiFi for my office/PC/etc; the same would go for the lounge when that gets set up.

What's frustrating is the lounge actually has two (!) BT phone sockets, but neither of them work which makes me think they were put in, but not actually hooked up. I took one apart and noticed that the small PCB was broken but this wasn't the case in the other one; the conclusion is they're not functional as of now. Here's a picture of that:

So what are my options? Here are the ones I can identify, perhaps in order of simplest to most complex:

1. Trail a very long ethernet cable through the house to my PC.
   
2. Use powerline adapters (I haven't had the best of luck with these to be honest).
   
3. Trail a fairly long ethernet cable through my house to a switch, then connect the devices I want to the switch and have lots of cables going everywhere.
4. Get someone in to figure out why the phone sockets in my lounge don't work, fix those, and move the router into the lounge.
   
5. Get the broadband socket relocated to somewhere more sensible
6. Go full throttle and get ethernet ports installed and distributed throughout the house.

Apologies if this is a classic question, maybe you guys have seen this sort of thing millions of times.

Cheers all

 

[john_smith]

How does the cable enter the property, under ground or over ground?

If it's over ground then trace the cable back to where it hits the property. Cut it there, junction box and run a fresh cable round the house externally into where you need it.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

It should be noted that the BT socket and anything back from that is BTs. Strictly speaking you can’t touch it and if you want it moved you need to arrange that with your current provider.

Doing what the above person suggested should really be a last resort, particularly if you don’t know what you are doing. If you mess it up, you’ll be on the hook for the costs.

Now onto the practical solutions:

I suggest to most people that they run an external Ethernet cable back out of the house where the phone line comes in and up to the loft. From there you can drop cables down to where ever you need them.

Use existing furniture like down pipes to hide the cables behind and you’ll never see them.

 

[exhashdotdot]

It should be noted that the BT socket and anything back from that is BTs. Strictly speaking you can’t touch it and if you want it moved you need to arrange that with your current provider.

Doing what the above person suggested should really be a last resort, particularly if you don’t know what you are doing. If you mess it up, you’ll be on the hook for the costs.

Now onto the practical solutions:

I suggest to most people that they run an external Ethernet cable back out of the house where the phone line comes in and up to the loft. From there you can drop cables down to where ever you need them.

Use existing furniture like down pipes to hide the cables behind and you’ll never see them.

That sounds like an elegant solution. I'm assuming that there are ethernet cables designed for outdoors then?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Yes, external grade is UV resistant (normally black). It’s normally clearly labeled as such.

I’ll let other recommend a specific brand but you want solid copper cable and avoid anything labeled CCA or copper clad aluminium.

Most (including me) would also recommend terminating the cables into face plates with sockets (just like the phone socket) rather than RJ45 plugs. You can get tool-less ones which are really easy to use. You can then just use ready made patch cables to make the final connection.

 

[exhashdotdot]

Yes, external grade is UV resistant (normally black). It’s normally clearly labeled as such.

I’ll let other recommend a specific brand but you want solid copper cable and avoid anything labeled CCA or copper clad aluminium.

Most (including me) would also recommend terminating the cables into face plates with sockets (just like the phone socket) rather than RJ45 plugs. You can get tool-less ones which are really easy to use. You can then just use ready made patch cables to make the final connection.

Thanks again for the reply. Would you mind elaborating a little further on the final paragraph please?

So what you're suggesting (if I understand correctly) is something like:

<-> == indoor ethernet cable
<x> == outdoor cable

Modem <-> faceplate + hole to outside <x> hole to inside + faceplate <-> switch (in loft) <-> cables to any room I want

Have I got the gist of that?

Thank you

 

[john_smith]

Call a decent electrician

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Yes that’s spot on.

Depending on how many cables you plan to run from the switch in the loft, you may want to use what’s referred to as a ‘patch panel’ but it’s overkill if you are just doing a handful.

 

[exhashdotdot]

Yes that’s spot on.

Depending on how many cables you plan to run from the switch in the loft, you may want to use what’s referred to as a ‘patch panel’ but it’s overkill if you are just doing a handful.

Thanks for the reply mate. I'll update this thread when I get around to investigating this in more detail.