Physical cable instalation question...

[Lusiphur]

Anyone know a good way to install new cat5 plugs into an interior already drywalled wall?

I've been considering running the horizontal lines through the attic. Would the process then be to drop the line down from the attic and just cut a hole for the new outlets in the drywall?

I'll be damned if I can find a site or a book about physicall running cable. All the books talk about is network design, which is great untill you actually build the damn thing.

 

[lowtech1]

Same way as installing additional electrical wire or phone line.

 

[chiwawa626]

Basicly, yeah goto homedepot, get a "wire fisher" its kinda like a fat steel cable, and attach ur wire to it and push it or fish it thru wher u want it, like from the attic down the wall ....then in the wall make a hole in the drywall, and put one of these Text, u can get em at home depot, then just get some rj45 jacks and plates, also refered to as Keystone jacks, u can get em cheaper online then at stores. (dont buy at frys total ripoff). My cousin and i did this for about 18 rooms in our hotel, then fished all the wires thru to one room and setup a switch. its very doable.

 

[ScottMac]

If you're coming down from the attic, get a "Sinker" ...like for fishing, about ~1/2 Oz to an Oz. Drill a hole large enough to pass the sinker. Attach the sinker to some stout string (something that can handle ~10-12 pounds of pull without breaking), drop it in the hole.

It's recommended that you drill the first hole with a small (1/8" or less) drill, just in case you miss the mark and hit a visible area.

Dropping from the top only works if the wall isn't filled with fiberglass insulation/sound deadening stuff.

If you have to do any serious finagling to get from point A to point B, buy a "fish tape" Home Depot has 'em, and so does just about any hardware store.

Push the tape TOWARD the side you want to feed the cable from, tape the cable or "mule tape" to the end of the fish tape and SLOWLY pull it back. Avoid making a big lump on the end of the fish tape;streamline it as much as possible to avoid snagging stuff in the wall. If you're pulling a bundle, then get a "wire basket" at Home Depot too. It's pretty much like it sounds, a basket that covers the leading end of the bundle with a strong loop to connec to to the mule or fish tape.

Don't stretch the cable by pulling too hard, I believe most UTP/Cat x cables are rated at less than 20 pounds (maybe more like 14...can't recall).

Avoid sharp bends, kinks, or twists.

Don't compress the jacket.

At each end, don't expose more than 1/2 inch of wire (from the tip of the eight wires to the edge of the jacket), and maintain the twist up to the termination point.

There's a sh*tload of "pulling & termination" rules. Check out the tech library at www.anixter.com (the TIA/EIA information).

Good Luck

Scott

 

[JohnnyPC]

Ya - what he just said but I like to use a length of chain. The weight of the chain will decend it through the wall and if the chain is attracted magnetically, you can fish around in the drywall hole to find with one of those flexible magnetic parts picker uppers to find it...