Ethernet Cables Throughout The House

[Chao Lao Beach]

I want to hard wire to the net (into a 4 port router) a computer in another room. I plan to run a Ethernet cable up the wall, above the ceiling and down the wall into another room. Total length about 12m. Does performance deteriorate at a length like this like on a USB cable or is it a non issue?

I see networks using these everywhere.

Also, how easy is it to connect a “plug” on the end if I cannot find one a convenient length?

I remember that these cables can be wired two ways, is there any thing I should look for?

Thanks in advance for such a dumb question !

[Crossy]

No issue, ethernet is good to 100m (and actually rather further).

Make sure you wire the cables correctly as the pairing is important. http://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/ethernetcables.html IIRC the difference is actually just the core colours.

And get yourself one of those cheap cable testers, will save hours of frustration.

[Tywais]

You will also need a ethernet RJ45 crimping tool. Can find them for a few hundred baht for a cheapo model.

Wall mount outlets how to

[innerspace]

For best results forget the crimping tool and instead get proper wall boxes. Lasts much longer. 2 wiring options on most, no difference just do the same each end.

[loeuftok]

and if you don't feel like doing it yourself, go to your local computer shop.

they will prepare the cable for you, to your desired length.

In here it goes for 30baht/meter.

[Tywais]

For best results forget the crimping tool and instead get proper wall boxes. Lasts much longer. 2 wiring options on most, no difference just do the same each end.

Still need the crimp tool as you need the interconnect (patch) cables that go from the box to the equipment. They can be purchased pre-made or have a shop make the patch cables.

[Naam]

crimping tool is the way to go. the 580 Baht i paid a few years ago was one of my best investments. planned originally 5 connections when building our home, now we have 13.

[keeniau96]

Crimping tool is the way to go, use electrical wall plate with round hole, allow plenty of cable coming out the wall. As an old electrician told me: it's easy to cut off but does not stretch worth a damn.

Practice the RJ-45 connections, need to do a few test runs to get the hang of it. Strip the insulation, align the eight wires flat in proper order, then use diagonal cutter to trim all ends in straight, even line. The open wires should not be too long, you want to get the crimp onto the cable insulation. Push the wires, check the color sequence once they are in, then crimp. Cable tester is cheap and very, very good to have.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Thanks heaps for these great tips.

[davethailand]

One other thing is if you are going to use wall sockets with separate patch cables then use solid core cat 5 cable for the run from room to room.

For patch cables or a long cable from room to room with plugs on the end use multi core stranded cat 5 cable.

If your crimping the plugs on yourself make sure the twist on the cable and the jacket is tight up into the plug before you crimp.

Edited November 5, 2013 by davethailand

[ravip]

How about the punch down tool for the face plates?

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/punch-down-tool-kit

[KittenKong]

For best results forget the crimping tool and instead get proper wall boxes. Lasts much longer. 2 wiring options on most, no difference just do the same each end.

Yes, this is a vastly better solution than crimping tools etc. They can be fitted by any idiot with two eyes and a small screwdriver and it is almost impossible to make a mistake or get a bad connection. As mentioned by another poster if you use wall boxes then you can also use "firm" cables which themselves are vastly more reliable than the flexible sort of cable used for patching. No professional cable installer worth his salt would ever put patch cable in a wall.

Factory-made patch cables of various lengths are available very cheaply and can also be made up by a shop if required, so a crimping tool is never needed at home.

[KittenKong]

An example of a toolless RJ45 socket.

There are also versions that use a simple punch-down tool.

[davethailand]

An example of a toolless RJ45 socket.

There are also versions that use a simple punch-down tool.

Don't know if its still the case but when I did this for a job you couldn't rely on pressing it shut with your fingers so we always used a pair of swan neck pliers to snap the connection together.

[JSixpack]

Why fool around? Just buy a pre-made 15 m cable (standard length) and be done with it.

[KittenKong]

Don't know if its still the case but when I did this for a job you couldn't rely on pressing it shut with your fingers so we always used a pair of swan neck pliers to snap the connection together.

It probably depends a lot on the make and model. I did an entire large house in Europe for a client and used over 150 of these things (computer network, VOIP phone network and audio network to every room, some CCTV and some HD video in parts), all without a single tool and without the slightest trouble. An electrician had previously run the stiff Cat6 cable to the various outlets and fitted the wall sockets.

Pre-made short flexible patch cables were just right for the client to pop into place where needed. A nice neat job.

[KittenKong]

Why fool around? Just buy a pre-made 15 m cable (standard length) and be done with it.

For just one cable in just one place, certainly.

But the OP was also asking about crimping tools and making his own cable, and for him and others who may be wanting to install more cables in houses these wall boxes and clip sockets are a very simple, convenient and above all reliable solution.

[IsaanUSA]

crimping tool is the way to go. the 580 Baht i paid a few years ago was one of my best investments. planned originally 5 connections when building our home, now we have 13.

Great example of something that costs more in Thailand than in the "West", even-though the ones in the USA are made in China.

I would also recommend getting yourself the crimping tool, but the tool-less wall outlets are also nice. I have used both at my house. Crimping tool also works great when you break the connector on one end of the cable...you can just cut it off and add a new end.

[JSixpack]

Why fool around? Just buy a pre-made 15 m cable (standard length) and be done with it.

For just one cable in just one place, certainly.

Yep, and that's exactly what the OP wanted. "I plan to run a ("a") Ethernet cable up the wall, above the ceiling and down the wall into another room."

But the OP was also asking about crimping tools and making his own cable

That was only if he needed to. He doesn't, as is perfectly clear.

, and for him and others who may be wanting to install more cables in houses these wall boxes and clip sockets are a very simple, convenient and above all reliable solution.

OP doesn't want to install more cables, you see. I was addressing the OP, and I gave the optimal solution.

I've got all the tools myself, but if I were the OP I'd do exactly what I advised.

Nobody else said they wanted to install anything--hence I didn't need to address them--and most if not all were, like yourself, merely taking the opportunity to show off their vast and impressive knowledge of cables and connectors. If they do decide they want to, and need advice, then they can start their own threads.

Edited November 6, 2013 by JSixpack

[davethailand]

Don't know if its still the case but when I did this for a job you couldn't rely on pressing it shut with your fingers so we always used a pair of swan neck pliers to snap the connection together.

It probably depends a lot on the make and model. I did an entire large house in Europe for a client and used over 150 of these things (computer network, VOIP phone network and audio network to every room, some CCTV and some HD video in parts), all without a single tool and without the slightest trouble. An electrician had previously run the stiff Cat6 cable to the various outlets and fitted the wall sockets.

Pre-made short flexible patch cables were just right for the client to pop into place where needed. A nice neat job.

I left the job in 1996/7 so things have changed lol.

[KittenKong]

OP doesn't want to install more cables, you see. I was addressing the OP, and I gave the optimal solution.

I've got all the tools myself, but if I were the OP I'd do exactly what I advised.

Nobody else said they wanted to install anything--hence I didn't need to address them--and most if not all were, like yourself, merely taking the opportunity to show off their vast and impressive knowledge of cables and connectors. If they do decide they want to, and need advice, then they can start their own threads.

Yes, the discussion had moved on. Shame you cant.

Once people were talking about crimping tools I saw no reason not to enlarge the thread to include a better solution than those rather Heath Robinson devices. The OP didnt have to follow that part if he didnt want to, nor did he need to feel obliged to rewire his entire house as a result of the discussion.

What I know or what I dont know is neither here nor there.

[JSixpack]

OP doesn't want to install more cables, you see. I was addressing the OP, and I gave the optimal solution.

I've got all the tools myself, but if I were the OP I'd do exactly what I advised.

Nobody else said they wanted to install anything--hence I didn't need to address them--and most if not all were, like yourself, merely taking the opportunity to show off their vast and impressive knowledge of cables and connectors. If they do decide they want to, and need advice, then they can start their own threads.

Yes, the discussion had moved on. Shame you cant.

No, shame the discussion had moved on to shootin' the breeze 'bout connectors and relatin' war stories while the OP is waiting for the optimal solution appropriate for his problem.

I'm the only one to give that solution (post #5 came close). No one else had announced any such problem, so, if you don't mind, I do have other things to do.

Once people were talking about crimping tools I saw no reason not to enlarge the thread to include a better solution than those rather Heath Robinson devices. The OP didnt have to follow that part if he didnt want to, nor did he need to feel obliged to rewire his entire house as a result of the discussion.

Go right ahead. Nobody crimping your style there, pal. Me, I just addressed the OP.

What I know or what I dont know is neither here nor there.

In the context of the OP's particular problem, you're exactly right, which meant adding noise to his problem rather than quickly solving it.

I figure the first priority is to solve his problem so HE can move on if he wishes. THEN you can sit around comfortably and shoot the breeze to your heart's content.

Edited November 7, 2013 by JSixpack

[KittenKong]

I'm the only one to give that solution (post #5 came close). No one else had announced any such problem, so, if you don't mind, I do have other things to do.

.....

Go right ahead. Nobody crimping your style there, pal. Me, I just addressed the OP.

.....

I figure the first priority is to solve his problem so HE can move on if he wishes. THEN you can sit around comfortably and shoot the breeze to your heart's content.

If you were a bit less full of yourself you might have noticed that in his original question the OP said:

"Also, how easy is it to connect a “plug” on the end if I cannot find one a convenient length?"

So all you did was tell him something he apparently already knew and had specifically mentioned. Some of us prefer to make an original contribution.

[JSixpack]

I'm the only one to give that solution (post #5 came close). No one else had announced any such problem, so, if you don't mind, I do have other things to do.

.....

Go right ahead. Nobody crimping your style there, pal. Me, I just addressed the OP.

.....

I figure the first priority is to solve his problem so HE can move on if he wishes. THEN you can sit around comfortably and shoot the breeze to your heart's content.

If you were a bit less full of yourself you might have noticed that in his original question the OP said:

"Also, how easy is it to connect a plug on the end if I cannot find one a convenient length?"

So all you did was tell him something he apparently already knew and had specifically mentioned. Some of us prefer to make an original contribution.

I noticed that of course and I addressed it by telling him to just go out and buy a pre-made cable 15 m, a standard length sold most everywhere, possibly even Tesco Lotus. That is, he definitely CAN easily find one a convenient length--which he DIDN'T apparently already know. No need whatsoever for all the confusion and wasting time and money. Post #5, the only other useful post in the thread for the OP, assured him that any shop selling cable could put the connectors on for him. Quite true.

My post was focused on the OP, not myself or anyone else, so not irrelevant to his problem--unlike your posts, mixed w/ the usual little self-congratulations for which you're known. Sorry I couldn't join the parade--must have been annoying I guess--but I did, above, invite you to continue enjoying yourself presenting your solution to the non-problem.

Edited November 7, 2013 by JSixpack

[KittenKong]

I noticed that of course and I addressed it by telling him to just go out and buy a pre-made cable 15 m, a standard length sold most everywhere, possibly even Tesco Lotus. That is, he definitely CAN easily find one a convenient length--which he DIDN'T apparently already know. No need whatsoever for all the confusion and wasting time and money.

My post was focused on the OP, not myself or anyone else, so not irrelevant to his problem--unlike your posts, mixed w/ the usual little self-congratulations for which you're known. Sorry I couldn't join the parade--must have been annoying I guess.

Well, to me it looked like you were telling him something he already knew and berating others for having a sensible and polite discussion. Both of which seem like a waste of time to me. It's your time to waste though so by all means get on with it. I'm sure others will form their own opinion.

Either way it seems that more people were interested in the rest of the discussion about RJ45 terminations anyway, including the OP. I certainly was.

As for me being annoyed by you, for that to happen I suppose I would have to care about something you did or wrote. In a discussion about RJ45 cables this is highly unlikely. In fact it's highly unlikely in any sort of discussion that would take place on a public forum such as this.

Some people on here do have some very strange ideas about their own importance.

[Tywais]

Since it has turned into bickering and the OP has his answer and then some, this topic is closed.