Wired Home Network setting up questions

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Now I know everything is wireless nowadays and I can get wireless extenders to increase range etc but I have liked the idea of having a wired network as much as feasible in the house.

I would appreciate help on how best to go about it.

I have the main pc and router (cable BB/virgin) in the office in a converted garage downstairs.
From the router 1 ethernet port goes to the pc and Virgin ran another one to the living room for the xbox.

Since it is cable not ADSL I can't just have connections to the telephone socket.
What I was hoping to do was get (say) 100m of Cat5 or Cat6 network cable and have runs straight up (along the pipes where the current telephone extension cable runs) to the loft and from there across to each of the 3 bedrooms.

In the bedroom I would either have RJ45 connection to plug into media centre/pc etc as required or (ideally) a network socket and then connect via a patch cable.

2 main questions at this stage:
1) since I only have 2 spare ports at the back of my router does this mean I can only run 2 cables/wire 2 rooms?
2) I am guessing terminating at a socket rather than an RJ45 plug is the preferred solutions? If so can I daisy chain sockets in the same way at phone sockets or am I limited to 1 cable to one socket limited by number of ports in back of router?

Thanks
 
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1) since I only have 2 spare ports at the back of my router does this mean I can only run 2 cables/wire 2 rooms?

Yes, but you can overcome this by a switch (8 port, GigE) either placed in the loft from where you can feed multiple ports. You will need suitable power connection for the switch in the loft. or you can place a switch in front of virgin BB modem,/router.

2) I am guessing terminating at a socket rather than an RJ45 plug is the preferred solutions? If so can I daisy chain sockets in the same way at phone sockets or am I limited to 1 cable to one socket limited by number of ports in back of router?

i don't think you can daisy chain...and even if you can your total speed will be sum so if you have got two devices connected they will be sharing the bandwidth.
 
Good advice, and no, you definitely can't daisy chain.

1 cable to one port, and 1 Gig connections use ALL 8 wires within a cat5E +, so cannot split to make 2 connections like the old days. On a plus note, crossover is obsolete as it is auto detected with 1000/1G connections.
 
Also, try to avoid running the CAT5e/6 cable within 50mm/2" of telephoen cables and do not run within 100mm/4" of mains cables. This will help avoid stray magnetic fields affecting the network traffic.
 
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In my last house i ran VM BB from my super hub which i changed in to modem mode and connected it to a net gear wireless router then cat5 to a cisco switch in the front room and connected the tv tivo ps3 ect. When we got into the new place i had the modem and wirless router placed in the front room right near the tv so i run every thing from the wirless router to the ps3 ect with cat5. My PC is upstairs and i like to have a wired connection so i got a set of Belkin Powerline 1Gbps/1000Mbps no wires out side no hassle and not much speed loss i am on the 100mb and my last speed test on my pc was 85mb. Poweline adapters are the way forward.
 
diypreschooler";p="2620926 said:
1) since I only have 2 spare ports at the back of my router does this mean I can only run 2 cables/wire 2 rooms?

Yes, but you can overcome this by a switch (8 port, GigE) either placed in the loft from where you can feed multiple ports. You will need suitable power connection for the switch in the loft. or you can place a switch in front of virgin BB modem,/router.

2) I am guessing terminating at a socket rather than an RJ45 plug is the preferred solutions? If so can I daisy chain sockets in the same way at phone sockets or am I limited to 1 cable to one socket limited by number of ports in back of router?

I agree with preschooler here. One cable from your router into the loft, where you can have a switch, which will then feed down into each room.
Terminating into sockets is much neater, but you can just drag the cable down and terminate with a RJ45 plug that goes straight into the pc.
Personally i'd put sockets in but its a much bigger job, unless you surface mount the patrices.

i don't think you can daisy chain...and even if you can your total speed will be sum so if you have got two devices connected they will be sharing the bandwidth.
No, you can't daisy chain, but you are effectively sharing the bandwidth down one cable anyway (from router to switch). But at gigabit speed cable, you'll not suffer any performance hits unless all your devices are streaming 1080p content.
 
Thanks.
My master plan is to put a 5 port switch (gigabit) near the TV/xbox etc so all these things can have wired ethernet access.
There will be 1 run of cat5 from the router to the loft where I plan to put the 8 port gigbit switch and from this have runs to each bedroom (and if possible to the kitchen and other downstairs room. :D

I have also purchased a small wifi repeater to boost signal upstairs for phones etc
 
so far I have had the run to the loft and from there to each bedroom as well as the kitchen done.
The backplates have been installed in each bedroom but final wiring will be done after all this work has been completed
I have also got a 5 port router for the TV etc.
Have had my first go at terminating to an RJ45 plug and might get a patch panel for the loft !!
 
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