Has anyone hired an electrician before (and can recommend any) to install ethernet ports around the house?
Wireless is not really doing it for me, too much interference from my next-door neighbour, lots of ping spikes during gaming sessions
Just want to see the cost to see if it's worth doing it, its a 2 storey house, and the modem+router is downstairs.
id just do it as a DIY, I did cat6 in the room but cat5e sockets for now (1gb) its pretty easy (but not legal) i wasn't going to get pay a huge sum for something that easy though.
Through a wall!?
The port I want to have fitted will be around 5 metres (level 2) above the router, and 5 metres to the left. I would also have it run through right next to where the router is located (so I would need another port downstairs)
As per PeterPonting's comment; DIY cabling is not legal. It is, however, easy with the right tools.
Get yourself a cablesnake/yellowtongue and a willing helper and you're away.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1x-YELLOW-TONGUE-WALL-FLOOR-ROOFI…
Try and avoid the electrical cabling!
What's the cablesnake/yellowtongue do?
Thanks for all your responses! :)
helps to feed down your network cable (strap it on with tape) through your horizontal wall studs etc.. noggins i think they are called
why buy when you can get it free - go to your local hardware store Bunnings etc… they will usually have a few that have popped off from floor board panels (T&G) (usually located where the timbers etc are kept). managed to score both here in Mel & AKL…
i am sure you would have considered it but what are the drawbacks of ethernet power adaptors? I have been using belkin ones for about 3 years without problem for streaming 1080p movies from bedroom to living room… does the gaming take more bandwidth than movies?
I would try ethernet power adapters first, I get 2/3 the speed of being plugged straight into the router.
thats what i was suggeting in my comments above… although, you better test it by borrowing it off someone who has it…two storey building means that the circuit breakers would be different between both stories… the ethernet adaptors dont like to go through too many circuit breakers and switches..
Roughly, might cost around the $100 mark for a cable to be run from one location to another. Could be a little less, could be a lot more. Will depend on distance, difficulty, and the company. Be aware that some have no idea how to do it….
I definitely suggest hard wired is the way to go, but if you are just having issues with interference then do what others have suggested ie change channels…. If you're running 802.11b/g it might be worth upgrading to an 802.11n router (if your devices support it) that runs at 5GHz as the air is a lot clearer there….
When I wanted a phone port moved I called Jim's Electrical to find out they don't do that -data cabling is done by their TV and Arial guys .. seems odd but the guy did a good job and had all the right testing tools.
I find that their Times New Roman blokes are better at it.
Why not try Powerline adapters? They turn your powerline into network.
Basically, just plug the adapters into powersockets then you will have wired network!
cost around $50 a pair, check price in MSY, here is the link for TP-Link.
I was quoted ~$150 labour/part to have a port upstairs, but I ended up using multiple switches and long flat cables along wall/stairs corners as a temporary measure.
your cheapest (and legal) option is just to buy a pre-made 10m or 20m cat5e/6 cable and run it from your downstairs router to upstairs somehow. you could have a switch upstairs if you need multiple ethernet connections up there.
a cabled connection will be most reliable. ethernet over power sucks.
your cheapest (and legal) option is just to buy a pre-made 10m or 20m cat5e/6 cable and run it from your downstairs router to upstairs somehow. you could have a switch upstairs if you need multiple ethernet connections up there.
Yup, I have a premade 15m cat5e from memory.
Unfortunately, for me to run it from downstairs to upstairs, if I don't go through walls, it will be through a stairwell, and the cat5e cable will be dangling, a bit hard to have it run sticky-taped on the ceiling as well.
I don't mind being illegal.. what's the worst that could happen with an illegal ethernet port?
I thought the worst would only be to do with electrical fires.. could this even happen with an ethernet cable in a wall?
I don't mind being illegal.. what's the worst that could happen with an illegal ethernet port?
I thought the worst would only be to do with electrical fires.. could this even happen with an ethernet cable in a wall?
Problems:
- If you have a house fire insurance company may use this as an excuse not to pay out (regardless of cause).
- If you drill into a power cable (or cause other issues) while installing the ethernet.
how can they prove an electrician didn't run the cabling? they can't. insurance company would have to prove that the illegal cabling caused or interfered with the house fire, which it wouldnt
Problems:
- If you have a house fire insurance company may use this as an excuse not to pay out (regardless of cause).
Wow haha, that's a bit extreme..
- If you drill into a power cable (or cause other issues) while installing the ethernet.
Well the thing is, I've had a look above my 2nd storey "attic" area which has all the aircon piping and I can also see the antenna cords leading up to the external antenna.
When the antenna guy installed it, he also put a coax port in my room.
There is also another coax port about 2 metres away from the router downstairs, and I can see the other black cord in the attic that would correspond to that exact coax port.
I was thinking of using a ring attached to the ethernet cable, piggybacking the coax cord all the way downstairs to the coax port and trying to get it out there. This would mean there would be very minimal drilling required, and even possibly, use the same hole that the coax ports are located, replace the wall plates with this?
http://compare.ebay.com.au/like/190836909502?ltyp=AllFixedPr…
So the configuration of the ethernet cable that runs inside the walls is ground floor wall socket, runs up to the roof (using the coax cable from roof to ground as a guide) and from the roof, down to the 2nd storey coax port.
What do you think?
how can they prove an electrician didn't run the cabling? they can't. insurance company would have to prove that the illegal cabling caused or interfered with the house fire, which it wouldnt
Yeah, was wondering how the heck they could claim it as "illegal cable", especially since there would be no power connected to it at all.
I'm thinking something along the lines like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53xGOm0PnG0
Except I don't have a crawlspace between the 1st and 2nd floor, just the "attic" above level 2
They can prove it easily enough if you are clueless about the standards and rules of where/how such cables are run.
Which is why it is illegal in the first place….there are standards and rules about placement etc…
According to http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Telco/Infrastructure/Cabling…
A key requirement of the Wiring Rules is that telecommunications cabling is adequately separated or segregated from electrical cabling to avoid creating a dangerous situation.
Which would be fine in my case because the only cable that's running through the holes where the two antenna coax cables are in, there's no other cables surrounding them.
Even licensed electricians make mistakes or are lazy or shonky.
I got an electrician out to fit a new power point for me and it was about 5 years later I found out he had wired it up to the lighting circuit, he took the easy route and shot through with the money
another option is set up a few repeaters within your house, about $25 each
Just a point to note, using a repeater reduces the bandwidth by at least half. (in a best case scenario)
Rather than trying to slide an Ethernet cable down a coax on a ring, it's probably easier to disconnect the coax at the wall plate, connect a string or rope to it and then pull them both up to the attic. Once it's up there, join the Ethernet to the coax and rope and pull the lot back down to the plate. Then repeat it for the other room. Just make sure you join them good and whack some duct tape around them before yanking them through a wall.
Good idea, I might run the risk of screwing up the coax cable though..
What do you think of, using a strong string + ring to slide down the coax cable to the port (both ports), then using those strings to pull down the ethernet cable from the roof?
I'm thinking of trying this method myself. But one question, when they build a house, do they normally nail the coax (with those holder things) to the timber studs?
You can try it. No harm. Yiu may as well try the ethernet/ring trick. But there's a lot of crap it could get caught up on. Coax is pretty sturdy, it will survive a trip up and down the cavity.
That's how the electrician would have run the coax in the first place.
How about instead of running cat5 over the house, you move the router next to the computer that requires the stable internet connection and plug directly into it?
If there is no phone line in that area, you may find running a phone line from outside through an external wall is easier than running cat5 up through an internal wall.
Thought about that, the computer that requires a wired connection is on the 2nd level, no chance of it running externally :/
I know of a sparky in Melbourne that does them for around $115 each, flat price, including GST, materials and labour.
I live in sydney :|
$115 each plus travel costs
Anyone got a jetstar $1 deal? :D
you do not need a electrician! you just need someone who has a restricted or open ACMA cabling license. Some electricians do further study and sit for the exams so they have ACMA license too. however some don't know what they are doing when it comes to telecommunications and data. I have fixed quite a few jobs done by electricians. I recommend you choose a licensed telecommunications and data technician as they specialize in that type of work every day not like electricians. If you were in SEQ i could have done it for you very cheap.
Hi coolsteps,
Are you ACMA cabling licensed? I live in the calamvale area and have a simple cabling job running extra cat5 cable from downstairs to upstairs and there is already an existing point next to it, are you able to do this and how much?
i am ACMA cabling licensed but dont really need any extra work ATM. if im already onsite OR in the local area no call out fee so i usually charge $120 if its a standard ACP ie no extra cabling needed to be run just a new additional socket. but if its a NON standard ACP install (additional connection point) ie cabling required to be run through ceiling and holes need to be made in the wall then about $199. It really depends on what needs to be done and how long it would take. if it requires going up in the manhole in the ceiling i probably wouldnt want to do it in summer as its unsafe alone and advise of other alternatives. i've replaced corroded sockets for as little as $38 for 15 mins labour on some days if im already onsite it really depends on type of work that is required by taking a look first. PM me if you need more info. no matter who you choose ask to see their cabling license and check that its still valid on the registrar website as there are many cowboys out there.
You can try using a wifi analyzer to see which wifi channels are used/congested and then set your router/wirelessAP to use the least congested. Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wi…
I tried that already, used inSSider, when I go channel 1, tvpad has spikes
If you've got a crawl space under the house, you can easily run the cables through the floor using a drill, and locate the holes close to the wall behind your desk, the holes will be small enough to pass a cable through..
Yeah, I don't have a crawl space under the house, only got an attic, so it'll be doable :)
STUFF ALL THAT… dude, seriously. ive got the same problem but our house is 8 bedrooms over 3 stories. i looked at installing a lan with cat5e, expensive and also still need to plug devices into the wall or buy more wifi router for phone and tablets.
i spent nearly a whole day looking for an alternative…. and i found heaven!
ubiquiti!
they have the shit!
got wifi now running on 5GHz (options of 900mhz, 2.4ghz, 3ghz and 5ghz) so no interference with neighbors and bose remote control and home phone both running on 2.4GHz
also able to stream wifi from my house to my friends house 9kms away, we play on network and share our NAS!!! its sooo powerful, 150mbps+ up to 15kms range LOL. you need to check if your portable devices are good with 5ghz. most laptops and new flagship mobiles have it. i go to my local cafe and use my wifi from home. i thought it would be really expensive but i only spent about $100 for a NANOSTATION M5 and configured it as a wifi router.
thank me later ;) oh i just found where i got mine… ubiquitiwarehouse.com.au just a tad cheaper than RRP.
good luck!
Thanks, I will have a look into it, the main problem is I'm the gamer in my house - and there's 2 other streaming devices (a laptop + tvpad) along side the neighbour's wifi, so even if I manage to cancel out the neighbours wifi signal, there's still the issue of gaming on wireless with 2 people streaming. 3 half-duplex connections flying around isn't exactly optimal :|
9km!?
9km!?
That product can do it but alarick also claims 150mbps+ on a device that only has a 100mbps ethernet connection. latency is often also a problem with these systems.
I was having issues with interference with neighbours and various devices. (damn microwave) on 2.4. I just got dualband, now running on 5ghz and no further issues with interference. No one else nearby happens to run 5ghz. Turns out my router already supports dual band so just had to get a dualband dongle. Got the belkin 300mbps for around $60 from officeworks. Problem solved.
Above is right just get a dual band router and operate on different frequency.
i have got 24 port put around my house i got professional as part of my new house they did not connect one right. i had re wire them plus think put center com box in. it room next door to my car. it part of home automation system
How much did it cost you? Do you need to call network installer when you are building the house or the builder will understand and install it for you?
Just a quick update if anyone else is looking for answers:
Following, and reversing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ado5acjZZ-U
I managed to remove the wall plate.
There are usually two small white plugs that cover the screw, my first white plug - I managed to remove with tape, the second one I had to make a hole in the middle (using a very sharp tool, you can use a small nail, I used the "reamer/punch" tool on a victorinox knife)
Remove that, then unscrew the two ridiculously long screws that hold it to the metal bracket in your wall.
My metal bracket fell into the wall cavity - I used a magnet on a string to pull it back after I removed the wall plate.
Issue was, I thought the wall plate was glued on, it just had a really good grip on the plaster somehow, to remove it, I used an allen key, placed the tip on the long end of the allen key onto the side of the faceplate (in the corner), used the plastic mallet and tapped the short end of the allen key. That dislodged it.
Just thought I'd mention this incase someone else on the internet is trying to remove what seems to be a screwless wallplate, in reality, it it's just a wallplate with screws hidden under white screw covers.
Hey all, enjoyed some of the comments. the legal thing is a spanner in the mix. For the most part though, even with my tin, pitched roof (much room), single story, in the country of sth gippsland, new house.
I say its still possible. One thing i want to avoid is, cowboys. All the quotes i got were for HIGH labor costs but not much cabling, they will only lift up the steel sheets and reseal.
I'd avoid this at all costs, unless its something that can be approved and covered by your housing insurance and you don't the mind the probable nightmare that will follow of a leaky roof ceiling with a hole. I've seen it happen, they don't fix it right away, takes months and all they can do in the mean time is put card board to soak up the water.
So if you can find someone whos acredited and will do things the hard way but for even more than $1200. Try putting out a listed job offer that is going to be difficult.
But you can probably do it yourself - in this scenario at least. Turn on your thinking cap on and get to work. PLAN, PREPARE, ACT. Even if it is a a dead end, at least then you know. Then work on plan B.
Fortunately the American's already did put on their thinking caps. Even though we face different building codes with stuff like studs. Couldn't hurt, just avoid those electrical wires, dummy. Find this stuff.
Greenlee D'VersiBIT System
Magnepull Cable Fishing Tool
If you own the house, personally i'd just get someone in to remove the drywall of the port locations and then have them come back later to patch it back up/sand/paint and really something you can do yourself.
I like this because its quick to knowing what your up against in the wall, esp for where there is much wiring. But each his own. Good Luck.
look into changing the channel in the settings of your modem/router first. off memory try 1,6 or 11. but do a quick google search and it'll tell you what's up