Question Can Anyone Help?

[H08X]

I am not good with modems or extenders or anything internet related. I literally have a router/modem combo from CenturyLink and it works perfectly. I stream and someone works from home in the living room where the modem is. However thanks to the pandemic the building that someone else I live with worked at is closing and they will now also work from home. So I need internet in a room and there is no way for me to realistically run a cable from the modem in the living room to this room. How can I get internet connection in that room? It needs to be a hardwired connection, and I do have another internet jack in there but I would guess that doesn't matter? I really don't want to buy another line of internet so hopefully there is a solution if not though guess i will have to get another internet line.

 

[SamirD]

There's several different ways to get a wired connection there.

First, do you know where that jack in the room goes? If so, that will help a lot and may be your cheapest and highest performance solution.

The easiest solution is a set of powerline adapters. These plug into the wall, one where you have Internet and the other where you want it. Then you plug cables on each end into them and they just work. That is if they work in the first place--these are dependent on the type of power wiring you have and while the newest versions of these work around any issues quite well, the older standards units (that are still being sold) don't fare as well. Look for anything av2000 as that's the latest and greatest. Literally should be 5 minutes to get it up and running. And you can get these local at Best Buy:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tp-link-2-port-gigabit-powerline-starter-kit-white/5687904.p?skuId=5687904

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-powerline-2000-extra-outlet/6203586.p?skuId=6203586

Moca is another solution, but this requires you to have coax cable wire in both rooms and they are not as plug and play as powerlines. The benefit is that moca can be just as fast as a regularly hardwired connection, so this is better if gigabit speeds are important.

 

[JackMDS]

Since there is a Network Jack in this room it might be that there is a cable that goes to a Network Panel somewhere in the home. It might also be that the Living room is connected to this panel too, if a connection can be made form the Current Router to the Back Room.

Might be that some help from a local Pro can help solving the problem.

 

[H08X]

There's several different ways to get a wired connection there.

First, do you know where that jack in the room goes? If so, that will help a lot and may be your cheapest and highest performance solution.

The easiest solution is a set of powerline adapters. These plug into the wall, one where you have Internet and the other where you want it. Then you plug cables on each end into them and they just work. That is if they work in the first place--these are dependent on the type of power wiring you have and while the newest versions of these work around any issues quite well, the older standards units (that are still being sold) don't fare as well. Look for anything av2000 as that's the latest and greatest. Literally should be 5 minutes to get it up and running. And you can get these local at Best Buy:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/tp-link-2-port-gigabit-powerline-starter-kit-white/5687904.p?skuId=5687904

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-powerline-2000-extra-outlet/6203586.p?skuId=6203586

Moca is another solution, but this requires you to have coax cable wire in both rooms and they are not as plug and play as power lines. The benefit is that moca can be just as fast as a regularly hardwired connection, so this is better if gigabit speeds are important.

I am not sure where the jack goes, I do know it is wired properly as the centurlink tech offered to wire it for free when they were here. It does sound like the power line could work pretty well for my case. I just found a tp link on amazon, is that one good?

Also I just asked my maintenance man for his advice and he said that we could get a long Ethernet and tape it along the out side of the apartment and into the room. This would allow a hard wired connection to my modem in the living room, but not sure if it is a good idea. Does it sound like a good solution, or would a power line work better?

 

[H08X]

Since there is a Network Jack in this room it might be that there is a cable that goes to a Network Panel somewhere in the home. It might also be that the Living room is connected to this panel too, if a connection can be made form the Current Router to the Back Room.

Might be that some help from a local Pro can help solving the problem.

How do I know if there is a cable that goes to the network panel? I know that when the technician was here they set up the jack in the living room and they saw the jack in my room and offered to wire it for me, and I said yes.

 

[JackMDS]

If you want to do it by yourself get this tool (read it s instructions), and you would be able to sort out what is what, i.e map your cable syytem.

https://www.amazon.com/Merkmak-RJ11Cat5-Handheld-Telephone-Detector/dp/B06WRQSM24/

As for Power line it is very iffy. In some installations it work OK in others the same hardware can be bust.

So... if yot want to try, get it from and an easy to return vendor. Unpack it carefully, and if it does not fit to your electrical enviroment return it.

 

[SamirD]

I am not sure where the jack goes, I do know it is wired properly as the centurlink tech offered to wire it for free when they were here. It does sound like the power line could work pretty well for my case. I just found a tp link on amazon, is that one good?

Also I just asked my maintenance man for his advice and he said that we could get a long Ethernet and tape it along the out side of the apartment and into the room. This would allow a hard wired connection to my modem in the living room, but not sure if it is a good idea. Does it sound like a good solution, or would a power line work better?

I would try to find out where that jack goes. More than likely it will go to the same place where centurylink brings internet into your unit, and there is a way to use that.

Yep, tplink powerlines are good.

You could run a wire like that, but over time it will have issues--but probably only after a few years.

 

[SamirD]

How do I know if there is a cable that goes to the network panel? I know that when the technician was here they set up the jack in the living room and they saw the jack in my room and offered to wire it for me, and I said yes.

The easiest way is to find what you suspect are both ends and plug in computers into both sides--If everything is wired correctly the link lights should turn on. Another option is to plug in your router on one end and a computer on the other--again, if the link lights light up, you can use that cable/port.

 

[SamirD]

Ime, the newest powerlines work much more reliably and faster than the older technology--a lot faster. But it is important to get them from some place that you can easily return--hence my recommendation for best buy.