Networking my home. Take it slow, I'm a newbie.

[CPA]

Facts:

Ok, moved into a new home that is wired with Cat5 throughout. No regular four wire phone lines, just Cat5. All wall outlets use the normal four wire plug, so I can easily connect my phone. In an upstairs closet, all of the lines come into a central box. The electrician who wire the house basically took all of the lines (internal and the one going to the main external phone box) and used two plugs to connect all the wires - one for the white lines and one for the other colored lines. that's it, I don't know which line is the one going to the outside of the house or which line goes to which room. I have DSL connected to my home. I use a Zyxel modem in my study to receive my DSL connection.

Questions:

1) How the hell can I take this mess of wiring and utilize it to get DSL connection to all of my rooms simultaneously?

2) Assuming I will have change all of the wall plates to the 8 wire Cat5 connectors, how then can I utilize my phone?

3) What equipment will I need?

4) Should I just forget doing this myself and call in an expert? (OK, so who here lives in Houston and would like to earn a few dollars?)


Again, please go slow with the explanations, this networking stuff can easily get confusing.

Thanks.

 

[amdskip]

The easy way out is phone line networking but I've never used this so I don't know for sure if you can share an internet connection on this but I would believe you can. Another option is wireless and I'm no huge fan of wireless yet but it may be the easiest solution for you.

You can't practically run a network and a network on a single cat 5 wire. It is true that there is 2 unused cables in a cat 5 but its just not worth the hassles of crosstalk, etc.

I would do some exploring and open the wall plates up. Is there more than one cat 5 running to each room? Do you have a basement? It would probably be best just to leave the current system intact becuase it could get messy otherwise. Is it a possibility run additional cat 5 in the basement or with the current installed cat 5. Could you pull more cat 5 through the walls or is it not possible.

Just some of my thinking and I'm no expert but its a start for you.

 

[skyking]

1) How does the DSL come into the house? Is it currently routed through the closet, or does it come in from outside on it's own line?
2) If you decide to use the existing cat5 for computers, will you miss the phone jacks you will be losing? (remember, phone or computer, but not both)
3) Are you experienced at all with network wiring, and do you have the patience it will take to test out and seperate the lines? Keep in mind that there may be some really nasty hidden splice somewhere, which could give you headaches, to say the least.

If you want to proceed, you'll need to seperate all the lines in the closet, test for the incoming phone line and identify, then identify each run of wire, and tag it. You'll need a signal generator, or you can use the phone line to provide a tone.
After determining the identity of each run, (and hoping that it is undamaged, unspliced, not routed too close to power..........), start terminating your network runs.
Ideally, use a patch panel in the closet, and move your DSL modem and router to the closet. You can purchase leviton modular faceplates and jacks at home depot, and a punch down tool also. You can purchase the jumpers from the patch panel to the router or switch pre-made, or buy a 40$ crimper and some terminals and cat5, and learn about that too
All this effort could be for naught if the runs are flaky, so keep that in mind.
Good luck!

Edit: As for the phone lines you will be losing, those could possibly be replaced with wireless telephones. Just a thought

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: skyking
1) How does the DSL come into the house? Is it currently routed through the closet, or does it come in from outside on it's own line?
2) If you decide to use the existing cat5 for computers, will you miss the phone jacks you will be losing? (remember, phone or computer, but not both)
3) Are you experienced at all with network wiring, and do you have the patience it will take to test out and seperate the lines? Keep in mind that there may be some really nasty hidden splice somewhere, which could give you headaches, to say the least.

If you want to proceed, you'll need to seperate all the lines in the closet, test for the incoming phone line and identify, then identify each run of wire, and tag it. You'll need a signal generator, or you can use the phone line to provide a tone.
After determining the identity of each run, (and hoping that it is undamaged, unspliced, not routed too close to power..........), start terminating your network runs.
Ideally, use a patch panel in the closet, and move your DSL modem and router to the closet. You can purchase leviton modular faceplates and jacks at home depot, and a punch down tool also. You can purchase the jumpers from the patch panel to the router or switch pre-made, or buy a 40$ crimper and some terminals and cat5, and learn about that too
All this effort could be for naught if the runs are flaky, so keep that in mind.
Good luck!

Edit: As for the phone lines you will be losing, those could possibly be replaced with wireless telephones. Just a thought

1) it comes from the outside on it's own line.

2) That's what I was thinking, though I was hoping against. Though I could changes some of the lines, but keep others as is, correct?

3) No, no experience, but you have to start somewhere.

The rest of your explanation was pretty much what I was thinking. I almost purchased the crimper and terminals at Home Depot the other day then realized I don't know which wires are which. As much I figured the mapping of the lines would be a big hassle (stupid electrician).

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: amdskip
The easy way out is phone line networking but I've never used this so I don't know for sure if you can share an internet connection on this but I would believe you can. Another option is wireless and I'm no huge fan of wireless yet but it may be the easiest solution for you.

You can't practically run a network and a network on a single cat 5 wire. It is true that there is 2 unused cables in a cat 5 but its just not worth the hassles of crosstalk, etc.

I would do some exploring and open the wall plates up. Is there more than one cat 5 running to each room? Do you have a basement? It would probably be best just to leave the current system intact becuase it could get messy otherwise. Is it a possibility run additional cat 5 in the basement or with the current installed cat 5. Could you pull more cat 5 through the walls or is it not possible.

Just some of my thinking and I'm no expert but its a start for you.

Some places it would be easy, others like the first floor, not so easy as I don't have a basement, rather I have an attic.

Could I get a combo wall plate and connect the cat5 to the cat5 terminal, then run a short 4 line telephone wire from the cat5 terminal to the phone jack terminal? Sort of like they do with electrical outlets.

 

[JackMDS]

My take on the ?CAT?. Geeky CATS.

If you are not experienced with RJ-45 crimping do not crimp.

It is much easier, and better results to Install in the wall Keystone Jacks, and connect the computers with commercial made RJ-45 to the wall.

The following link will provide an actual description: Physical Home Networking

HOW TO TERMINATE & ASSEMBLE KEYSTONE JACKS

You can buy in Home depot, or on line here:

http://www.9thtee.com/networking.htm

If you insist on crimping, full instructions here:

How to make CAT5

 

[igiveup]

The electrician who wire the house basically took all of the lines (internal and the one going to the main external phone box) and used two plugs to connect all the wires - one for the white lines and one for the other colored lines.

Can you elaborate on this? I am wondering what the hell the guy did...

What do you mean by "two plugs to connect all the wires"?

 

[amdskip]

Originally posted by: igiveup

The electrician who wire the house basically took all of the lines (internal and the one going to the main external phone box) and used two plugs to connect all the wires - one for the white lines and one for the other colored lines.

Can you elaborate on this? I am wondering what the hell the guy did...

What do you mean by "two plugs to connect all the wires"?

Maybe if you have a digicam you could snap some pics for us please.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: igiveup

The electrician who wire the house basically took all of the lines (internal and the one going to the main external phone box) and used two plugs to connect all the wires - one for the white lines and one for the other colored lines.

Can you elaborate on this? I am wondering what the hell the guy did...

What do you mean by "two plugs to connect all the wires"?

I'm at work, but if I recall he too all the Cat5 lines, stripped off the outer sheathing, then took the white wires and fed all of them into a plug/connector . then he did the same with the colored wires (connected all of them into one single plug).

 

[skyking]

I think I understand. He bundled all the white/w trace as one conductor, and all the solids as one conductor, for that "high amperage" phone service
Yikes!

 

[amdskip]

Ok, that makes a little more sense.

 

[skyking]

 

[CPA]

Ok, so now what do I do???

 

[skyking]

YGPM

 

[hudster]

ok, i've got a question: i'm looking at running some in-wall cat5e cable in my house too. My question is, i've heard of plenum cable, but is plenum cable necessary? I don't understand what plenum cable is for/not-for.

Basically it comes down to this: I want to run some cat5, and in doing so, i don't want to be going against like the national electrical code or anything like that...so, for what i'm doing, is this cable kit at CompGeeks sufficient for my needs? (CPA, if you decide to run new cabling, this kit may come in handy for you too...and it's at a decent price too)

thanks

 

[JackMDS]

Plenum is a version of CAT5e cable that have a special plastic coating that in case of fire will not emit toxic fumes. It is not needed if you have normal in Wall installation.

If you are not experienced with RJ-45 crimping, Do Not Crimp.

It is much easier, and the results are better if you install in the walls Keystone Jacks, and connect the computers with commercially made short RJ-45 to the wall. (It also looks nicer, and more professional).

The Links bellow have answers to 99% of issues that involves CAT5 cabling for noncommercial purposes.

Physical Home Networking

How To Terminate & Assemble Keystone Jacks

You can buy Keystone Jacks, and Plates, in Home depot (Look for QuickPort CAT5e Jacks), or on line here:

http://www.9thtee.com/networking.htm

If you insist on crimping, full instructions here:

How to make CAT5