Best way to wire ethernet up/downstairs?

[ktm407]

My modem is in my bedroom upstairs. The cable to it is fed through the outside wall of the house into this room -- my cable company did that.

I've got a new computer downstairs for my mom, almost directly underneath the modem, (probably about 10 feet to the right and then underneath) that I'd like to get an ethernet cable to for a LAN internet connection. (Wireless is less reliable and has been causing weird sounds in my cordless phones. I'd just rather do LAN.)

What would be the best way to do this? Feeding the wire down the stairs would look kind of sloppy and waste a lot of cable. Could I feed it through the outside of my house from the upstairs and then back in through the downstairs? (I live in a place that gets snow and rain.) Or could I hook up an ethernet jack downstairs and feed cabling through my walls somehow?

What supplies exactly would I need and what would be the best method? I've never done anything like this before, but I'm willing to do it to get a LAN connection downstairs. Thanks.

 

[JackMDS]

May be buying 5.8GHz phone instead of 2.4GHz phone would yield better phone service and reliable WIFI.

 

[ktm407]

Maybe, but my mom isn't very computer savvy and I don't think anything can get simpler than having a LAN connection for her. That didn't answer my question.

 

[Rike]

I don't know if this is the "best way" and it's sure not the cheapest, but it sure would be the easiest: Ethernet Over Power Line (If you go with this, it's cheapest at Amazon.)

Me, I'd figure out how to drop a line through the wall, but I'd do that just so I'd know how to do it.

 

[Emulex]

flatwire 1mm good stuff

 

[Arcanedeath]

You could always drill a hole through the floorboard and run a cable along the inside wall to her PC, Might not be pretty but would do the job.

 

[seepy83]

To do it right and make it look clean, you probably want to run it inside the wall. Do you know anyone that's an electrician that could help you run the cable? If not, you might read some tutorials on how to Fish or Snake wire through walls. And depending on the layout/construction of your house, you might have to make a few extra holes that need to get patched up after you're done.

 

[Modelworks]

Easiest, Drill a hole in the wall run the ethernet cable outside along the outside wall of the home to the other room then drill another hole and bring the cable in to a jack.

You need some cable rated for outdoor usage or it will degrade when the weather + UV rays hit it. The place below is reliable and sells the stuff by the 100 foot cheap. I like the gel filled. It prevents corrosion from moisture.

Then get some keystone jacks and a punch down tool and you are ready to go.

http://www.cat5ecableguy.com/outdoor_bulk_cable?b=1

I prefer these when doing through wall work because you don't have to cut the wall, just drill a hole, bring the cable in and mount the box over the hole.
http://www.cat5ecableguy.com/inc/sdetail/204

 

[Emulex]

i have cat6a flatwire for indoor and its survived two winters just dangling. i know i'm lazy but with kid and work i've got negative time free to go get up on a big ladder to do any better. so far i have zero issues running gig-e at 100ft with decent switches on both ends. works indoors and outdoors. it gets very hot and cold in the south 30F in the morning 70F by afternoon. harsh man.

 

[spacejamz]

I don't know if this is the "best way" and it's sure not the cheapest, but it sure would be the easiest: Ethernet Over Power Line (If you go with this, it's cheapest at Amazon.)

Me, I'd figure out how to drop a line through the wall, but I'd do that just so I'd know how to do it.

I have been very happy with this product...i have my ps3 downstairs connected wirelessly to my Hp server upstairs, but my high def video was always choppy...After installing this netgear stuff, it runs smoother than silk....there was no easy way to run a cable from my router to the entertainment stuff downstairs...

 

[NesuD]

I don't know if this is the "best way" and it's sure not the cheapest, but it sure would be the easiest: Ethernet Over Power Line (If you go with this, it's cheapest at Amazon.)

Me, I'd figure out how to drop a line through the wall, but I'd do that just so I'd know how to do it.

I've used this in a couple of homes where the owners were deadset against pulling any cabling through their walls. Seems to work just fine for basic home networks