How complicated/messy to install Ethernet network?

dunroving

Not sure if this belongs in the DIY section or here.

I stayed at an AirBnB small flat recently and was very impressed by the fact it had USB charger ports in all of the power points, and had an Ethernet port in two rooms. I swore that in my next house, I would look into installing something similar.

I am now in the middle of purchasing a house and will be installing some additional power points and thinking about having Ethernet ports in at least two rooms. In my current house I have a BT wi-fi extender (which is less than satisfactory) and a set of PowerLink extenders. The latter actually seems to work pretty well and wondered if paying to get an Ethernet network installed in my "new" (to me) house is overkill?

I'm trying to future-proof my house and also anticipate the day we are told that wi-fi radio waves are really dangerous. ;-)

onomatopoeia99

I applaud your idea, I've done this myself in my own home as I regard powerline as a dreadful bodge and wifi for fixed devices similarly. Both are poor compomises compared to running proper cable.

You basically need to run cables from a central point (patch panel, which will also need to have an ethernet switch nearby) to the wall sockets.

In my home the patch panel and switch are in the boiler cupboard, the cables cat5e cable go up through the ceiling of the boiler cupboard, through the loft (it's a bungalow) and then down the walls into the rooms. So I had to channel out the plaster and blockworks to run install conduit for the cables to run down the wall, install back boxes into the walls (more channelling out of wall), wire it up and then replaster.

It was very messy and channelling away blockwork is very hard work even with a good SDS drill. I did it a room at a time as I completely renovated the rooms, so they were empty while I was working. The dust and mess is unbelievable (I imagine a spark will make lighter work of the channelling as they probably do it a lot and have it down to an art). If your intenal walls are stud walls with a wooden frame and plasterboard screwed on you can potentially do it more simply, though there will still be replastering.

John_Gray

Businesses have a concept of 'flood wiring', where every needed service (13A sockets, ethernet ports, telephone sockets - unless VoIP is used) is provided at every conceivable location in an office where there might be a desk. This is fairly straightforward while a building is being fitted out, much more complicated and expensive afterwards.

You say you are wanting "Ethernet ports in at least two rooms" - that strikes me as an insufficient provision. You probably need ports in the living room, dining room, study(s), kitchen and bedrooms. And quite probably coaxial aerial sockets, too, powered by a multi-port aerial amplifier in the loft. And you always, always, need more 13A sockets than you could ever imagine.

I'm investing in copper futures now!

economic

Sorry to jump on this thread but:

I live in a two bed flat I own. It!!!8217;s not massive and I am currently using WiFi for my desktop and the signal is perfect never had a problem.

Was wondering if I should get Ethernet sockets? I think it!!!8217;s not worth it if I have to open up the floor boards etc. It maybe I can just run a cat5/6 cable directly from my PC along skirting boards (have to roll holes to feed cable through another room) and to the router which is located in the living room? Should I do it this way and is it worth it?

Thanks

dunroving

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

I applaud your idea, I've done this myself in my own home as I regard powerline as a dreadful bodge and wifi for fixed devices similarly. Both are poor compomises compared to running proper cable.

You basically need to run cables from a central point (patch panel, which will also need to have an ethernet switch nearby) to the wall sockets.

<<snip>> .... So I had to channel out the plaster and blockworks to run install conduit for the cables to run down the wall, install back boxes into the walls (more channelling out of wall), wire it up and then replaster.

It was very messy ...<<snip>> .

So, I found one page yesterday (closed it down and my history is so full I'll never find it again) that showed "power point" covers that included an Ethernet socket, but which behind the scenes essentially ran like a Powerline gadget (in other words, it just looked a lot more streamlined than a Powerline type gadget plugged into a socket). Do you have any experience with these?

[Found another example here]

I need to figure out the cost (money and inconvenience) of the whole cutting out plastering thing. I am getting additional power points installed anyway, so if I have a sparky cutting channels anyway, and they have the expertise to run Ethernet cabling (is this a typical skill of a sparky these days?), it may not actually be much more hassle.

Not sure what you mean by running a central patch panel. In terms of how I currently use my Powerline adaptors, I have an Ethernet cable running out of my router to the Powerline base unit - would a central patch panel essentially perform a similar function - that BB would be run from the router to it, via an Ethernet cable? And then from there, behind the walls, to the installed Ethernet ports?

John_Gray wrote: »

Businesses have a concept of 'flood wiring', where every needed service (13A sockets, ethernet ports, telephone sockets - unless VoIP is used) is provided at every conceivable location in an office where there might be a desk. This is fairly straightforward while a building is being fitted out, much more complicated and expensive afterwards.

You say you are wanting "Ethernet ports in at least two rooms" - that strikes me as an insufficient provision. You probably need ports in the living room, dining room, study(s), kitchen and bedrooms. And quite probably coaxial aerial sockets, too, powered by a multi-port aerial amplifier in the loft. And you always, always, need more 13A sockets than you could ever imagine.

I'm investing in copper futures now!

I know what you mean about flooding - the office I recently retired from (desk space for two people) had enough Ethernet ports to feed half a dozen computers. I'm probably just not forward-thinking enough but, while I see your point that two ports may not be enough, why would I need multiple ports in all those areas you listed?

Re: The bolded section, I am hoping if I can plan ahead far enough, I can get all of this done (plus TV cabling, additional phone ports, etc.) done at the same time. I plan to completely redecorate the whole house anyway, so it won't be huge hassle - I'd just rather get it all done in one phase of plaster bodging, rather than repeated work.

DCFC79

economic wrote: »

Sorry to jump on this thread but:

I live in a two bed flat I own. It!!!8217;s not massive and I am currently using WiFi for my desktop and the signal is perfect never had a problem.

Was wondering if I should get Ethernet sockets? I think it!!!8217;s not worth it if I have to open up the floor boards etc. It maybe I can just run a cat5/6 cable directly from my PC along skirting boards (have to roll holes to feed cable through another room) and to the router which is located in the living room? Should I do it this way and is it worth it?

Thanks

You can do it along the skirting board using something like this maybe
http://www.network-cabling.co.uk/store/product_info.php?cPath=23_44&products_id=183

Others maybe available so its not as obvious.

dunroving

What I really need is to be able to get some quotes for the various options: (a) running Ethernet (and TV cable, etc.) behnd the plaster, (b) installing power point plates that replicate the function of a Powerline unit, and (c) running cables via the mini trunking that DCFC79 just posted.

What would I look for in the Yellow Pages (or equivalent)? Do electricians (or some of them) have the expertise to do this? If not, what term is used to describe someone who does this sort of small-scale domestic networking job?

DCFC79

OP a patch panel is this https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEWLink-Port-CAT5E-Patch-Panel/dp/B001GXR1WA its where all the ends of the ethernet cables plug into and then it would go into say the loft or somewhere else.

DCFC79

dunroving wrote: »

What I really need is to be able to get some quotes for the various options: (a) running Ethernet (and TV cable, etc.) behnd the plaster, (b) installing power point plates that replicate the function of a Powerline unit, and (c) running cables via the mini trunking that DCFC79 just posted.

What would I look for in the Yellow Pages (or equivalent)? Do electricians (or some of them) have the expertise to do this? If not, what term is used to describe someone who does this sort of small-scale domestic networking job?

Some electricains cover the work as its another string to they're bow, maybe search for "network cable installation" or "data installations" then add your local town/city or your county.

that

dunroving wrote: »

I know what you mean about flooding - the office I recently retired from (desk space for two people) had enough Ethernet ports to feed half a dozen computers. I'm probably just not forward-thinking enough but, while I see your point that two ports may not be enough, why would I need multiple ports in all those areas you listed?

I do not know your setup but most people router is in the lounge, often by the front window - 1 access point. The TV - 1 access point. possibly a nas storage device - 1 access point. a kodi or other tv box - 1 access point. some may get a camera in the room for security/pet - 1 access point. you may also have an x-box etc. connected - 1 access point or more. you may want computers in there too - 1or more access points.

that

economic wrote: »

Sorry to jump on this thread but:

I live in a two bed flat I own. It!!!8217;s not massive and I am currently using WiFi for my desktop and the signal is perfect never had a problem.

Was wondering if I should get Ethernet sockets? I think it!!!8217;s not worth it if I have to open up the floor boards etc. It maybe I can just run a cat5/6 cable directly from my PC along skirting boards (have to roll holes to feed cable through another room) and to the router which is located in the living room? Should I do it this way and is it worth it?

Thanks

If it is not broken, then dont fix it - money saving rule.

The room which houses the switch and patch panel will hopefully be easy accessible to all rooms, rather than be the odd little room at the end of the house.

plasterers are lazy and is a chore to fully plaster to the floor, so often there is a gap behind the skirting where the plaster meets the floor

If you did get plasterers that did plaster to the floor, you could always route a channel out either in the wall or wood