question on setting up a wired home network

Question

I have a question on setting up a wired home network. I would like to hook up 2 computers on different floors of the house. The cable modem would be located upstairs and the other computer would be downstairs. I would like to use a wired system because I've heard that it's faster and safer (re: information transmission). But how do I physically get the wire connected? I can't afford to pay someone to come out here and do it so I would like to try to do this myself. Can someone advise me on this? I'm thinking I have to drill a hole through the wall and snake a line between the drywall and the outside of the house. But how do you feed the line through so you can reach the hole on the other floor?

If I can get some words of advice, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

jmwills · Answer

Find a freind and buy a case of beer. Seriously, you are going to need a "snake" for inserting into the wall or to some access point where you can attach the cable and pull it back through. False seiclings are great because you can pull out the panles but if you must go outside, make sure you get Shielded Twsited Pair cable (STP) as opposed to unshielded to give ou a little more protection.

True, the data transfer rate will be quicker on the internal LAN for a wired network (sharinfg files, etc) but if all you are going to do is surf, e-mail, and the like, put a wireless PC card in one of the desktops and create a wireless LAN. The speed of your wirless LAN will surpass the speed supplied by your ISP.

Wireless LAN's are 99.9% as secure as wired if you follow some simple protocols. Check these sites for some good starting points:

www.homenethelp.com

http://service.dell.com/dell/topic/1,,33732+30+26124,00.html

mes444 · Answer

We have a wired network in our house.  When we installed it we went into the attic and dropped one end of the network cable down the wall to an existing phone outlet and pulled it out enough to reach the router and then we ran the cable through the attic until we were above the other room to be connected and ran it down the wall there to another phone outlet and did the same as above.  It has worked great for years.  Just be sure to measure the entire distance to be covered and allow for the drops, pulls, etc. before you buy the cable.  You'll need a rod of some sort to tape the cable to, in order to push it through the wall to the outlet.  Enjoy!  Mimi Message Edited by mes444 on 04-21-2004 03:59 PM

jimmy99208 · Answer

I have a wired network with the same situation as yours.  We drilled a hole in the floor and used a hanger to pull it through.  Worked great ever since. Jth

Minko · Answer

@3grlsrule wrote:

.... I'm thinking I have to drill a hole through the wall and snake a line between the drywall and the outside of the house.....

If at all possible, I would try to route the cabling through INTERIOR WALLS versus EXTERIOR WALLS. Interior walls usually are constructed without cross-members between the studs.

If there is a phone jack in the room, you can probably find its transition point in the attic pretty easily and use the same hole for routing your CAT5. If you're lucky, the telephone cable is not secured to a stud in the wall, and you can use it to pull a pull-cord up into the attic. Depending on the age of the structure/phone jack, it may be possible.

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question on setting up a wired home network

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