Creating a cabled network

T

tigrr

Registered
I would like to create a cabled network at home but don't really know which cables to get etc.
I have two Macs sitting in different rooms and will possibly buy a multi-function networking printer later. I haven't decided where I want to place the printer yet. I would like to place several ethernet outlets around my home even though I won't be using them all at once. Could I connect some of those outlets together (so as to save on using additional cables) as long as I just use one of those shared connectors at once?

And what kind of cables do I need (how many wires)?

PS: I'm aware that a wireless network would be easier top set up, but for various reasons I don't want that.
 
Hi
To start you will need a switch, if you want to network more than 2 devices a switch is essential to direct traffic. If you go with wall outlets all the outlets will need to be wired to a central location that plug into the switch. Once you have that you can plugin any device to a wired wall port and it will be live on network.
Remember to allow for you internet connection to feed into switch, the modem/router should be close to this central location where cables feed into switch
Cables, you will need Cat5 or Cat6-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_6_cable

Switch -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_switch

These items can be purchased from most retailers
Ed
 
I should have mentioned that I already have a router which is connected after the cable-modem.
See the attached diagram for my idea.

Notice the small numbered boxes. Those are the ethernet wall-sockets.
I understand that you can't connect several computers to the same line (as indeed is possible with telephones, which I'm also wiring up at the same time), but would it cause any problems to connect several wall-sockets up to the same ethernet output (from the router) as long as I only use one at a time? That would save a lot of extra cables.

For instance, there are two adjacent rooms which I would like to put two ethernet wall-sockets in (one for a computer, one for a network printer) and it would be an easy task to pass two cable-extensions through the wall.
 

Attachments

  • network.png
    network.png
    52.3 KB · Views: 12
Last edited:
Based on that diagram if your switch/router has enough ports you can connect as many if you want. The router should dish out simple network info to support up to 253 devices on your network. Its called DHCP -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhcp

The router has a unique IP on the internet and all your computers/devices have LAN IP addresses behind the router and are shielded from Internet but have access to it. Does that make sense?
Ed
 
I think you're misunderstanding me.
Have a look at the two LAN lines going from the router to room #3 (brown and red cables). Each cable has to be around 50 feet long.

Now, if I also wanted two LAN lines in room #4 I would have to add two more 50 feet long cables and attach them to an additional two LAN connectors on the router. But what if I could simply make a small hole in the wall and extend each of the two cable to two additional LAN wall-sockets? That would save 100 feet of additional cables. I'll only be using one or two of the LAN lines at once anyway, leaving the other two unused. In theory it seems very doable indeed, but in practice...?
 
I'd prefer to set it up without a switch.

Only one of the two rooms will be assigned as a workroom (which is where the computer/printer goes), but in case I want to make the other room the workroom later on I want to have the LAN sockets there as well.

I want to install LAN sockets in both rooms in order to be flexible although only one of them will be assigned as a workroom (which is where the computer/printer goes).
But in case I want to make the other one a workroom as well.

So given that one of the rooms won't have anything attached to its LAN sockets at all, will the (short) cable extensions from the other LAN sockets (the ones that are actually used) cause a problem? I read something about having to terminate LAN sockets...
 
If I am understanding you correctly, you are saying that you want to run three wires from one spot and on the end of each one of those you will want to have two things going to it (of course not at the same time).

And what I think you are also saying that you will run a wire from the main router to wherever through the wall; do you plan on using cables that are like a normal network cable that plugs into a computer, or do you plan on wiring them yourself (in which you will need a connector in the wall)? Also for the shorter line, are you planning on running that through the wall too or just using a simple cable that you run from one point to another.

While this a way to save on cable, it doesn't allow for much expansion for later (I guess you could always take out the shorter cable and add in a longer one) but it will be an extra hassle that you could take care of now.

One of other thing if you want to run at 1000 mbps speeds; you do not have to use Cat 6 cable. Cat 5 will do fine, even though there is ups to Cat 6 such as speeds above 1000 mbps (when they come out), but you won't need to spend twice as much on Cat 6 cable.
 
Well if those rooms are 50+feet from the router then you might be in trouble. Cat 6 cable (and a 1000 Base-T switch/router) can go almost 100 meters (328 feet). Like edadams suggested using a switch in the two different rooms is the right idea to avoid bandwidth collisions. I however would suggest and unmanaged 1000 Base-T unmanaged switch like this one. This way you can avoid bandwidth collisions and boost the signal coming from the router to that room.

The unmanaged switch will not do NAT that is why it is unmanaged. The router they connect to will still be doing the internal NAT (Network Address Translation) for all your devices. just imagined the 1000 Base-T unmanaged switch is like a hub but is much better and more modern (for home users).

So you would be best bet (like eadams suggested)would be to put an unmanaged 1000 Base-T switch in the rooms #2 and #3) and put you network devices to that local unmanaged switch. The switch WAN port will be wired to the router LAN port and the router is still the only device doing NAT. This way you will be avoiding two things at one, Ethernet distance and network collisions slowing down your network. The phone situation seems good even though (like most all homes) the phone in room #4 can listen in on phones in room #2, and vise-vera.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top