New to routing Cat6 cable

NoStateofMind

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 2005
9,711
6
76
My cousin lives in an upstairs apartment behind his parents house (where the router is located). He currently has WiFi but the signal is very weak up where he is. The distance is about 150-200' from the router. What I am planning to do for him is adding a Ethernet jack behind the router and running a cable from the house to his apartment. Now once the cable is ran to the apartment I'll need to split it to three separate rooms. Monoprice has 1000' cable for roughly $90 which is decent and I know I'll need that, a few wall jacks (5-6 with one being a multi-jack), and ethernet port thingy's. I need tools as well but I am unsure which I need, maybe some sort of ethernet stripper? If you guys could give me some direction/suggestions that would be great. Thanks in advance!!
 

Blain

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
23,643
3
81
Cat5e would be fine.
I don't really care for regular cable strippers on network cable. I've found that they cut into the wires inside.
Make sure you use some type of cable tester to check connections when finished.
 

Plugers

Senior member
Mar 22, 2002
547
0
0
I use THESE strippers. you can adjust the blade to just score the jacket and then when you twist the jacket it breaks
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Is this the same building structure or not? It doesn't sound like it is. If it is then no worries. When running copper between structures/buildings very special attention should be paid to grounding and lightning protection. If you have line of site between the two then a wireless solution would be best (Like window to window) and making sure it isn't against the terms of use of your ISP.

You don't need a special stripper to put cat6 cable into keystone jacks, but it does make things MUCH easier and more likely to adhere to the standards. You'll need what is called a punch down tool, they run about 80 bucks for a good one.
 

imagoon

Diamond Member
Feb 19, 2003
5,199
0
0
Originally posted by: Modelworks
If that cable has to go outside you need to get cable rated for that. It cost more but the insulation on the outside will not break down in UV light or weather and the inside of the cable is filled with gel to prevent corrosion.
http://www.monoprice.com/produ...id=4889&seq=1&format=2

There is a bit more than that. Going across lot lines requires city permits, permission of all the owners, special termination gear like spidey mentioned above.

Without these things, anything that happens would have the blame placed on the people who installed the cable. If you can live with the fact that should a lighting strike to the cable burn down the apartment and house, that the cousin and the parents would basically be held liable for any and all damages, and also just about every fine the city, county and state wanted to throw at them, then do it. However I would bet the lease would forbid something like this. Installing something against code is also an effective way for the insurance on the house to say "not our problem" leaving the parents without a home, no money to rebuild it, and if it is till mortgaged, still liable for the bill.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Originally posted by: imagoon
Originally posted by: Modelworks
If that cable has to go outside you need to get cable rated for that. It cost more but the insulation on the outside will not break down in UV light or weather and the inside of the cable is filled with gel to prevent corrosion.
http://www.monoprice.com/produ...id=4889&seq=1&format=2

There is a bit more than that. Going across lot lines requires city permits, permission of all the owners, special termination gear like spidey mentioned above.

Without these things, anything that happens would have the blame placed on the people who installed the cable. If you can live with the fact that should a lighting strike to the cable burn down the apartment and house, that the cousin and the parents would basically be held liable for any and all damages, and also just about every fine the city, county and state wanted to throw at them, then do it. However I would bet the lease would forbid something like this. Installing something against code is also an effective way for the insurance on the house to say "not our problem" leaving the parents without a home, no money to rebuild it, and if it is till mortgaged, still liable for the bill.

Calm down. He is networking a pc not installing a backbone to a major data center.


 

Ka0t1x

Golden Member
Jan 23, 2004
1,724
0
71
If its separate buildings the safer route would be to get a Cantenna or similar to improve wireless signal, because as Imagoon has stated there are risks and consequences involved in running simple Cat6 between buildings.

Also it doesn't matter what you're doing if you cause property damage, you are still liable for it.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Originally posted by: Ka0t1x
If its separate buildings the safer route would be to get a Cantenna or similar to improve wireless signal, because as Imagoon has stated there are risks and consequences involved in running simple Cat6 between buildings.

Also it doesn't matter what you're doing if you cause property damage, you are still liable for it.


An outdoor wifi antenna is more of a risk than wire would be.


 

imagoon

Diamond Member
Feb 19, 2003
5,199
0
0
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Originally posted by: imagoon
Originally posted by: Modelworks
If that cable has to go outside you need to get cable rated for that. It cost more but the insulation on the outside will not break down in UV light or weather and the inside of the cable is filled with gel to prevent corrosion.
http://www.monoprice.com/produ...id=4889&seq=1&format=2

There is a bit more than that. Going across lot lines requires city permits, permission of all the owners, special termination gear like spidey mentioned above.

Without these things, anything that happens would have the blame placed on the people who installed the cable. If you can live with the fact that should a lighting strike to the cable burn down the apartment and house, that the cousin and the parents would basically be held liable for any and all damages, and also just about every fine the city, county and state wanted to throw at them, then do it. However I would bet the lease would forbid something like this. Installing something against code is also an effective way for the insurance on the house to say "not our problem" leaving the parents without a home, no money to rebuild it, and if it is till mortgaged, still liable for the bill.

Calm down. He is networking a pc not installing a backbone to a major data center.

Relevance?

The part you are missing that this is the he may not own this building. I have seen the effects of a lightning strike to a wire strung between buildings with blatant disregard for safety systems. It didn't end well. The sprinklers in the server room took care of the fire and all of their equipment. Insurance also denied the claim because they ok'd the install that way.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Originally posted by: imagoon


Relevance?

The part you are missing that this is the he may not own this building. I have seen the effects of a lightning strike to a wire strung between buildings with blatant disregard for safety systems. It didn't end well. The sprinklers in the server room took care of the fire and all of their equipment. Insurance also denied the claim because they ok'd the install that way.

It would have been better to have told him the proper way to do it than try to scare him that all hell is going to break loose if he tries to install a cable.

Instead list what needs to be done and let the posters decide if they want to do it or not. It doesn't require a degree in electrical engineering to run a cable.



 

imagoon

Diamond Member
Feb 19, 2003
5,199
0
0
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Originally posted by: imagoon


Relevance?

The part you are missing that this is the he may not own this building. I have seen the effects of a lightning strike to a wire strung between buildings with blatant disregard for safety systems. It didn't end well. The sprinklers in the server room took care of the fire and all of their equipment. Insurance also denied the claim because they ok'd the install that way.

It would have been better to have told him the proper way to do it than try to scare him that all hell is going to break loose if he tries to install a cable.

Instead list what needs to be done and let the posters decide if they want to do it or not. It doesn't require a degree in electrical engineering to run a cable.
Originally posted by: imagoon

There is a bit more than that. Going across lot lines requires city permits, permission of all the owners, special termination gear like spidey mentioned above.
Originally posted by: spidey07

When running copper between structures/buildings very special attention should be paid to grounding and lightning protection. If you have line of site between the two then a wireless solution would be best (Like window to window) and making sure it isn't against the terms of use of your ISP.

Looks like I did. You are providing the disservice to the OP. Safety systems like mentioned above exist for a reason. Just tossing a cable between buildings can be very dangerous. Also being an apartment, he just might need to ask the property owner. At least he would get told to pull it down. At worst he could be evicted.

I agree with Spidey07. Line of site via windows would be best. A pair of high gain omni's might also work over 200' without issue.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Originally posted by: imagoon


Looks like I did. You are providing the disservice to the OP.

Telling him to use a cable rated for outdoor if the cable is going to be used outdoor is a disservice how ?

 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Originally posted by: imagoon


Looks like I did. You are providing the disservice to the OP.

Telling him to use a cable rated for outdoor if the cable is going to be used outdoor is a disservice how ?

Without including entrance protection, grounding, lightning arrestors OP could cause a fire. There's a reason why you normally hire a pro to do this because if they screw it up, it's their screw and their insurance would pay for any resultant damages. Homeowners won't because it was improperly installed wiring.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: Modelworks
Originally posted by: imagoon


Looks like I did. You are providing the disservice to the OP.

Telling him to use a cable rated for outdoor if the cable is going to be used outdoor is a disservice how ?

Without including entrance protection, grounding, lightning arrestors OP could cause a fire. There's a reason why you normally hire a pro to do this because if they screw it up, it's their screw and their insurance would pay for any resultant damages. Homeowners won't because it was improperly installed wiring.

Did I say to run it without any protection ?


It hardly requires paying someone to install it, unless the person doing the work can't follow simple instructions. Running network cable is no different than running telephone wiring. Use the same precautions as you would for that and you are fine.

The biggest issue I see is who owns the other structure. You cannot attach anything to another persons property without permission. Not even a yard sale sign tacked on the door.




 

ccbadd

Senior member
Jan 19, 2004
456
0
76
If the distance of the out side run can be dropped to 100', you could install pre-made plastic fiber cable and use a pair of converters to get into both houses. Then cat 5 from there.
 

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
One other option is powerline networking. If the two buildings are on the same side of the power transformer you may be able to use the power line for networking. All depends on the layout of the wiring . I have seen it work with two apartments that were in different areas of a division because they shared the same side of the transformer.

You could give it a try with little risk. The adpater are sold at places like best buy so you can return them if it doesn't work.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol...oduct&id=1210290067693