If you ever need to replace that cable, you'll have to re-chase that area, so a super easy solution is to put a plastic pipe or box in the chase and feed the cables through it. That way, after you've repaired the chase, if you ever need to replace those cables you can attach the new ethernet cable to the old one and simply pull it through, saving you from having to rechase the wall in the future.
@@paulh43no, @moretickle is just future proofing. Personally, i’d rather make a bigger/deeper chase once & install conduit which will show up on a service checker, but it’s not required (to my knowledge) to do so.
Blimmey, clear concise informative video. No waffle / blah blah or drama. Well made, makes me want to watch other videos by you even if I have little interest in doing the work. Thanks and well done 🙂👍
CAT6a CAN carry higher speeds, for example if you were to kit out your house for 2.5Gb networking. CAT5e & CAT6a both more than capable of full Gigabit speeds. We tend to run CAT6a anyway nowadays as the cost increase on the cable reels is minimal at the scale we do this. CAT6a is also shielded and has more twists per foot which helps mitigate interference and cross-talk between the wire pairs. Love your videos as always, gives us DIY-ers confidence to do it ourselves!
Great content - one piece of advice from me, never run just 1 cable. Always 2. The back box isn’t any bigger, the effort is pretty much the same, yes the cable cost is more but that’s negligible for the effort, but crucially if one of those cables is damaged, you’ll be thankful you ran the other. Where you will have one device plug in, there’s generally a good chance there’ll be 2. Eg tv + media box, desktop computer + printer etc
@@nickgilbert1264 i find in the majority of cases, cables are being retrospectively pulled in by rod and fitting conduit isn’t within the scope of the job as is too destructive or too much making good to do, but yes, if the run is accessible, conduit is always appreciated!
I've never been so thankful for drywall...lol I did this in my house but was lucky to be able to run it from a closet upstairs in my office that fed down to the ceiling of the basement then follow plumbing back up to the main floor. A second line went up to the attic and connected to a switch that ran to all devices like a Roku in both bedrooms. Took me a couple of hours with almost no mess to repair. It is so much better than having to count on Wifi (and much more secure)
One thing that appears to have been overlooked is the mention of bringing back all cables to a central point near the router so that you either a) connect the ports direct to the router if the number of sockets are =< the number of ports on the router (which in that case the socket next to the router should be a 4 gang to act as a patch panel), or if the number of sockets is > the number of ports that a switch will need to be fitted. This video is really more about how to install sockets and chase walls out than how to actually network the house.
@@srod2966 you don't need a rack, it's easier to network and futureproof using a switch at a central location, 1 chase(if needed) = up to 8 sockets, also just fyi all provider supplied homehubs are shit and just a p.s. i'm sending this on a network that I installed using a switch and i only had to chase 6 inches
Avoid blow-out when drilling through the walls by reverting to drill from hammer action before drilling through. Avoid blowing the plaster from around the back-box outline by drilling further in from the outer square or initially use a smaller bit for better results. Score around the inner square with something sharp!
@@easychatsthey do. Unfortunately they also teach them all sorts of other stuff in a short space of time, give them a van & tools & proclaim that they’re now competent… most trainee engineers have no practical experience regarding the composition of your average wall, and they’re certainly not allowed to carry blades.
Since I usually live in single story homes, I like to run a single cable from the modem to a decent switch or small rack in a central coat closet,. I then put an appropriate diameter piece of conduit with brush grommets, through the ceiling in the closet into the attic for the ethernet cable runs to pass through. It takes much longer doing it that way but for me it's worth the extra time and effort. I try to plan ahead so I left pull lines going to the boxes so I could more easily add more later if need be. I luckily have 8 PoE ports powering mesh wifi drops with ethernet backhaul around the house mounted to the ceiling in bedrooms, living room, and my shop in the garage. Along with a few 10gig fiber runs to the office and entertainment center and at least 1 Eth run to each room. Took a while but everything is hidden and tidy. Can always add a sub switch in a room, if needed later, but having everything in the walls already makes that a trivial adjustment. Good video with some decent solutions for older homes and multi level dwellings.
Very interesting thank you so much. Here in Australia we call the black box a r-out-er so was confused at first when you called it a route-er. Thank you for all the training you give us much appreciated.
I totally get why you didn’t cover it because it’s overkill for most.. but a much better way of doing this is run ALL the CAT cable back to a central point and install a patch bay and network switch. Then you can have point to point network anywhere or just stick it all into the switch and have everything connected to everything.
I've used Powerline ethernet adapters & ethernet switches in the rooms i needed a network connection; this saved a lot of hassle with drilling, cutting and chasing wiring up and down the house. Works a treat.
They don't work for everyone. Depending on your house wiring, you may not get good performance from these. I also had a weird problem with data noise getting into an amplified speaker in the house. I installed network cables to every room in the house (except bathrooms of course).
When I switched to 1gig fibre broadband, I noticed the power line adapters absolutely cripple the speeds at devices using them. And this is a new property and router and powerline adapters are on the same floor/circuit. If you are on 100Mbps broadband you probably won’t notice it, but switch to 900Mbps and you will. Hardwiring Ethernet is my plan. Thanks for this video.
Powerline adapters are hit and miss at best (even if they're on the same power circuit). I'd use them as a last resort where possible as they tend to be slow as well (if they do work). Its always better option to run cables where you can.
Great video, just about to buy a 1970s house too and will need to do this. This helps so much with me and the mrs working from home and not relying on the wifi
A few years ago I helped a mate run an ethernet cable to his home office. We simply went out the wall, up the outside using conduit and into his office. Took about an hour.
Ethernet cables can be used for different applications, for example a TV connection, a phone connection or a PC connection. The connector on the router will be different according to the intended application at the other end of the cable. Since that initial designed application can change, plan to install a patch panel. I would prefer to put conduit into the chased out channel for future development or to anticipate future accidents - wife hanging pictures and putting a nail through the ethernet cable.
Great video! You make it look very easy. Thank you so much to help us make things for ourselves. It could be worth mentioning you can use switches to connect devices on the same floor and using the cable from the router up to each switch as the core link.
Regarding doing chases in such manner, I would have ran a cable hose from the socket up to the floor space above before filling that chase with bondo to cover it up, making it easy to replace the cables in case one goes back.
I like your videos, very practical. I would recommend having both wired and wifi in your home if you can. I would recommend a wifi mesh system, which will give you the effect of a single WiFi throughout your home. This will give you good WiFi speeds too even without a wired network. If you have cabled network in your house then even better as you can get a Mesh system that supports "Backhaul" as the Mesh devices will offer full speed WiFi and route the traffic down the wired network rather than across the wifi mesh. The latest Mesh systems use WiFi 6E, which lets them transmit traffic through the mesh even faster than your wired network. Other advantages would be if you are going Smart Home and IOT things and getting a Mesh system that support that.
Don't use mesh systems if you are putting all the effort into hardwiring. I'd recommend using poe wireless access points. Mesh systems are poor in my experience.
A few things I would consider: - Use the highest spec Ethernet cable you can afford now, it will save you from having to replace a cheaper one when it will no longer be able to keep up with the evolving standards - Use cable conduits whenever possible - Use cable rated for in-wall installation. Abrasion and fire resistant, zero smoke, zero halon etc. It might save you & your family - Avoid routing the cable where it could get in contact with water. Water and electricity (even low voltage) are not good bed fellows - Install 1-2 extra cables on the same route, even if not required or connected for now, you'll thank yourself later - Be careful with the bend radius, do NOT bend the Ethernet cables in sharp 90 degrees (or more) corners, make them as round as possible, at least a few centimeters radius. At the frequencies these cables operate with, sharp bends will affect the EM waves and will unnecessarily degrade your signal - Lay the cables in a "hub & spoke" pattern (i.e. point to point connections from your router or switch to wherever your to-be-connected devices are), do NOT think you can "daisy-chain" them - For anything more complicated than just a few connections, consider installing an Ethernet patch panel, it will make your life easier - Like somebody else wrote, try to keep Ethernet cables separate from power lines. Consider PoE as an alternative for low power devices (e.g. cameras, routers, switches etc.) - Absolutely test them (even with the cheap 10 pounds tester) before completing the installation & wall repair.
In regards to conduit in this scenario what type would you use? Conduit/Capping or Trunking? I assume conduit or trunking is better for use because the cable can be pulled out will no damage, as wont be able to do this with capping. I assume The purpose of conduit is to protect the cable from damage from the sharp fragments from the wall chase.
" Install 1-2 extra cables on the same route, even if not required or connected for now, you'll thank yourself later" - best bit of advice, it is painful having to re-run especially once everything is filled in and done neat
Not a bad video. One thing to keep in mind is the length of the cable run. The spec normally says 100m max. I always run 90m max from sockets end to end, allowing 10m max for both your patch leads, then you're ok. I'm not sure if your cable tester just do a continuity test or if it can test cable lengths. Most cases, most runs should easily get under 100m unless you are running to a out house. Otherwise, good video.
In Germany I don't run CAT5e or CAT6 cables any more as the prices don't differ too much from CAT7. So I'm installing future-proof CAT7 with Cat6A Keystone module which also deliver 10Gb Ethernet flawlessly over a longer distance - especially when you immure the cable into the wall.
Another great video. A general comment worth noting that data cables should be kept a minimum of 50mm away from mains cables. Induced noise can effect data transfer performance. The ethernet cable connection tool has several names; IDC, Krone Punch Down Tool, Punch Down Tool - and probably many others
I don't believe that should be necessary. Cat6 and Cat5e cables use balanced pairs which are immune to common-mode interference that you might get from power cables.
Great work. Couple notes though. I would definitley go for a 4 gang minimum on the one closest to the wall. Even if you don't need 4 points round the house right now at least you could spur off from them. Also, get some conduit in there in case you do want to run more wires or swap some out. Finally, if you don't care too much about latency and bandwidth, but still want a wired connection you might want to try out powerline adapters first. They plug into the wall outlets then use your electric cables already in your walls to transmit signals.
Really informative. I would love to if you could give some ideas on how to measure and correctly cut your cables so that you don't waste too much. Thanks
We have 4 BT HomeHub6 discs around our home, which provide wifi perfectly around the house through thick walls of our 200+yr old property over 40 metres, cabling seems like overkill
Great video, very informative, i recently fitted a security light thanks to the help of your channel , i plan to change a single electric socket to a double socket next thanks to your videos, which are very helpful, to people who know what they want to do , but not absolutely sure how to do it themselves, your videos are a great help
Perhaps you did, but it's not clear in the video. But you should have used conduit pipe in the space you made for the chase to run the cable through. It means that if ever you need to change the cable (For example if you wanted to change Cat6 to a new standard) you can just pull the cable through. You've made it a tougher job for yourself just sticking the cable into the wall with filler.
@@dougaldouglas8842 protection the cable in the wall in any sort of conduit, capping etc is not obligatory in the UK and this is a UK video, so be careful of miss leading comments.
Should always run 2 cables even if it is only for one port at the time, you never know if it might fail in future and you don't want to re-do the wall chasing
My house has weird stuff in the bricks that affect WiFi. I had to run cables and repeaters to cover other rooms. However, I planned the distribution and I did it properly with far less damage to the masonry walls than you did. I also made sure that when I was going into a floor space above the ceiling, I had removed the floor boards first and checked for pipework or electrical cabling BEFORE drilling upwards. It’s important to remember your potential audience and provide appropriate caveats in the video.
I've run ethernet cables and also used homeplugs, which use existing electrical cables to send the signal. Ethernet cables are more reliable but when homeplugs work they are so easy to install. Also I'd avoid Cat7 cables if you need to make connections to the back of the sockets - the cores are much thinner than Cat6. I used 'burial standard' Cat6A shielded cable - it was the best option for speeds and 'connectability'. Although it's quite thick so slightly bigger holes needed for feeding it through. Cat6A allows up to 10Gb/sec with no loss of speed up to 100m of cable. Should be future-proof and allow lengthy runs in a large house. Thanks for the video.
I’ve been trying to think for months and easy way to get cabling into my loft. Now I “think” you’ve cracked it with the stack pipe boxing idea! Just need to check the exact location!
I've run weatherproof Cat 7 ethernet cables from my virgin hub via a ethernet switch to the outside, up to our bedroom and around the side of the house to our sons room. Another switch box means his Xbox and laptop aren't reliant on iffy Wifi that far from the hub (it was actually non existent) and a third is in our room. Our TV boxes use ethernet which means we have a good signal where we need it most. It also means that if the WiFi dies we still have the telly and laptops. However with the advent of mesh networks I've gone one step further. I've installed three eero mesh pods so far with two being backhauled and I'm waiting for a fourth which will also be wired. This will completely cover our house in WiFi as three of the four pods are hard wired. My recommendation is to disable the WiFi on your ISP router and put it in modem mode. That stops any signal clashes and now we have every device that has an ethernet socket hardwired and all the devices such as our phones, Hive thermostat and echo devices that are wifi only have a full strong signal. Then there's the speed issue. We now have the proper speed from our ISP that we pay for whether wired or wireless. I like what you did and I find it fascinating but in reality it's either a job for when a property is empty and being refurbished or if you have a very understanding partner. I have neither 😂
So cool, memories from my networking days; tbf I was trunking my new PC to my TV to tidy up the cables and cat6ing my other half's PC did pop in my head, currently it's running a loose cable round the back of the sofa.🤔✌
Fascinating to see the process of installing cable, it's actually illegal to do it yourself here in Australia and it must be done by a registered cabler.
@@stuartt455hat’s hilarious. What muppet came up with that! What’s next you can’t change a light bulb unless you’re a professional? How about putting up curtain rails? Painting a wall? Government gone mad!
@@davideyres955 Yes I agree that we do tend to over regulate in Oz, however being an expat I also hate all the cables, conduits, pipes etc fixed to the surface of walls in the UK. Assuming the wall with the router is an outside wall, would it not be a cavity wall?? Not sure if house construction with double brick is different from Oz but here the cables would be "snaked" up the cavity & into the roof/attic space without any drilling or chasing.
Don't know it's been said, but my rule of thumb is if you can run one cable, run 2, need double the amount of wire and ports, but it can save you headaches in the future
Interesting, never done any chasing, my house it stud wall/plaster board (Australia) Also we rarely, if ever use wall boxes, just a mounting bracket that attaches to the plaster board.
If your going to do all that effort as opposed to Ethernet over mains, I would bring all the cat 6 ports back to a patch panel in a cupboard somewhere and use an ethernet switch. Remember cat 5/6 can also be used for phones & other low voltage signals , so if you have a main BT socket you can run that back to your patch panel then have the phone in whichever room you wish. also get a proper punch down tool. Cuts the cables as you install them into the socket / patch panel. And just to be clear NEVER JOIN THE CAT 5 CABLES WITH BLOCKS / WIRE NUTS / WIRE CONNECTORS. The number of times I've had to deal with structured cabling installed by electricians who think because it has an electrical connection it is fine...
@@SaintGerbilUK CAT 6 supports up to 10Gbase-t up to 50m in length. Depending on your luck you might be able to get 5Gbase-t up to 100m, but 2.5G and 1000base-t should be pretty safe at 50-100m.
wouldnt it make more senst to add somesort of channel for the cable so whenever you need to replace it upgrade it or add cables you dont need to do all the wall demolition parts again ?
Great video. 👏🙏 When you were drilling the hole from the chase in the downstairs wall into the floor space above with the long drill bit, what precautions had you taken to make sure you didn't go through a pipe or cable in the floor above? Was it just a visual inspection of the area from upstairs prior to drilling? Many thanks for the fantastic, clear and helpful content!
Ex BT repair here. I always cursed the installers of riser fitted dropwires for not supporting the top of the cable with even a cable tie to take the strain off the inner cores. Finding breaks in high rise blocks is a right pain in the proverbials, one floor at a time. Edit: too many full stops.
I pull re-usable cable pathways (using HDPE duct) for Future-Proofing, in some countries Comm cable use Orange color, others require White for communications Cabling. Dura-Line is one Brand name.
I would have used PVC tubing in your chase and put the wiring inside the PVC. that way, if, you need to replace the wiring, for whatever reason, you dont have to open the wall back up.
If your going to run a cat cable you only need an old router to extend your internet. You'll get additional wifi signal, separate network for the kids and more than 2 extra ports to use. And a cable tidy 1cm square will save all the drilling/DIY. Make it far easier to change or upgrade the cable in future.
Thank you very much for the helpful video. I was worried about chasing the cable in the walls as it seemed daunting. I ended up running them around the outside of the house instead. Will certainly use your method once I get around to decorating front room
just a note to the side, make sure that your socket coresponds to the cathegory of the cable, if the cable is Cat6, placing a Cat5 socket is just making your cable slower
Great video as most other ones on the subject are installing in stud walls. I'm just about to do this in a bungalow which has solid interior walls. For me it would be really good to see more on how you repair the wall damage after fitting the wiring as that's the bit I'm most lost on and most worried about doing well. All we get is "use some easyfill to repair around the sockets ... and some bonding to repair any chasers" but I have no idea what "easyfill" and "bonding" is :/
I would imagine for gaps this size Polyfilla plaster repair would do. For the chase, definitely recommend covering the cable with plastic channeling once it's run. Not only to protect the existing cable, not only to make it easier to replace, but also to reduce the volume you'll need to fill afterwards
Just a note for anyone taking on this project. Do not run cat 5e cable along side mains power cable or through holes in joists that contain mains cables. a 50mm gap between the cables is required.
You should have mentioned the type of cable. You should be using solid core for fixed installation. The problem with a lot of installation is that it can work but may well be introducing a lot of noise which will mean lots of errors and retransmits and therefore poorer performance. The specs for running cables are to provide a guaranteed performance which can only really be ascertained with a really expensive certifier. It will probably be fine in short run situations but people may well not know.
@@triplexdreadhe means stranded or solid core cable. Solid core structural cable should be used for your runs whereas stranded is better for connecting your devices to the wall socket.
@@domhamai The only reason for using solid core over stranded for fixed installations is cost. You can happily use stranded if you want it's covered in the IEE 802.3 Ethernet specifications and it does have some advantages for retro fitting as it is easier to run being more flexible. However you do need to make sure that your wall plates and patch panels are suitable for use with stranded cable as not all are.
There is a lot missing from this video, especially a basic network diagram showing how you would use a network switch to connect the sockets together. In most cases, using a switch will greatly simplify the install and reduce the amount of cable needed. In my case, I put the switch in the loft and ran the cables down to the upper floor rooms using the gap in the stud wall. Only a single cable joined the router to the loftspace, which I did by going through the outside wall and up the back of the drain pipe into the soffit (and therefore, loft space). The main cable between the router and loft switch is therefore easily replacable should it ever needed to be upgraded. I also put cables in conduit where possible and left in a length of strong string (builders line) in case I want to pull any addtional cables through them in the future (much cheaper than putting in a second CAT6 cable as others have suggested).
It's also helpful to know furniture placement where you can hide cable if need be. I agree that a switch is the way to go. It is way easier. I have my cable modem (one I purchased not rented) that connects to a PFSense firewall/router and that goes to a switch that connects the rest of the house.
An easier option I used is to just use some of these Powerline ethernet adapters , the new generations work very well. I get GB speed through out my house. Devolo Magic 2-2400 Lan
Ideal solution is to run 1 single cable from that spot to a patch panel somewhere in the house and route all the cables to that patch panel, have a dummy switch that just splits up the router connection to the other routes and you're golden, never need to move nothing. Reason I suggestion to put it elsewhere because of the fact house is 1970's meaning it ain't plaster where you can easily make a hole for the cables to go through.
For reliability and transfer speeds it's no contest when it comes to wired LAN vs WiFi. WiFi has got a hell of a lot better in the last 10 years but it still has good days and bad days. Wired network connections once installed are rock solid provided you use good cable and good kit (switches or hubs) from a reputable maker. However as you show here installing cables all around a house is a task, The ideal is to do it when the house is empty (i.e. between occupancies) - but since that is usually not possible, it is probably best done in stages - for example as each room is redecorated/refurbed) as part of an overall LAN plan. A lot depends on what you use your house network for. If it's just office work and email then you may not gain much in speed, though you will get more reliability. But if you're moving around a lot of data around (talking about HD video or large software downloads etc) then it is well worth the effort.
What people tend to forget is that WiFi is a shared resource and most people find that they will be sharing the WiFi channels (frequencies) with neighbours and any equipment that also happens to use the same frequencies. Even without external interference, the available speed is still shared between the available devices therefore, for example, if you have 100Mb WiFi connection and three devices, each will get a little under a third of this capacity (reality is more complicated than this, but it's a simple visualisation of it). The newer WiFi ranges, such as 5GHx and 6GHz in particular also have less penetration therefore walls and similar in the way can greatly reduce performance. Nothing sensible/legal that you can do about neighbours though...
I don't know why this isn't standard in new builds. I want to do this to my house though as a new build reluctant to damage new walls. Hoping there is some way I can feed the cable through existing pipes either electrical or coaxial. I could go around the house though I would like to keep wires hidden.
Theory is spot on but the downside is if your going to that effort the internet access point should have been relocated to somewhere more useable and a plan for the rest of the house should have been made. In the first instance you say all the walls are solid so your Wi-Fi is going to struggle. I recently did my whole house I put a server cabinate in my garage and had my access point relocated then I ran all the cables to one place and into a 24 port managed switch. It means I don’t need to rip half the house up later down the line because I don’t need any more expansion. Could also run all CCTV, NAS whole heap of items
Great video. I'm thinking of doing some ethernet as well. That said, bad wifi is always cheap wifi, or insufficient wifi. There are great mesh systems out there now that cover the entire house, and if you want really really good wifi, get a pro brand like Ruckus, arguably the best in my opinion. Yes, you'll pay more for good gear.
Excellent video every helpful.. What was the reason to use a 2 Ethernet wall socket when you used only one? Can the other one also be wired up tonconnect another device?
All well and good, but that is just a small part of the story. What about connecting all your new sockets to the internet. where do the other ends of the cables go? What about fitting a network switch and connecting the switch to the internet?? Will you be coveriung this at some point???
Great tutorial but I think powerline adapters are a more convenient solution for the average person. It takes 10 minutes to setup and performance is not that much worse than ethernet cables unless you are unlucky with the wiring.
Worth bearing in mind that Cat6 is less tolerant of bends than Cat5e is. If you have bends/corners with a radius any tighter than a tennis ball it can impact the performance of the cable. And also regardless of whether you go Cat6 or 5e, get the decent stuff at least 24AWG don't go for the cheap rubbish with crappy thin copper like 28AWG.
that tool looked intresting but i would use it only for cutting the sheet for the punching i would use a real punch down tool it pushes it in and cuts it off in one move
My home is old, build in 1950s. I used google wifi 3 packs. Its Mesh technology takes care of all my ethernet and wifi needs. No drilling required. No mess. You will need to have outlet for the room, that you want to used ethernet. Setup is easy as setting up any router.
Mesh technology is a good retro fit solution, but it will never compare to hardwiring devices. You'll never get 10Gpbs speeds over your Mesh Wi-Fi network. Wiring a house with CAT6 has a number of advantages. You even even use it for video distribution. Wireless networks still are not reliable enough for everyone.
Hi. Great videos mate. Question, I need to do a re-wire and network cables also. Would I do 1 big chase and put all cables in same chase? Or 2 chases, 1 for electrical and 1 for Ethernet? Cheers.
There is a technology called Ethernet over Powerline from the like of Netgear. I used it first in 2008 with 500Mbit/s bandwidth to avoid wiring ethernet cable. Now the standard is 2Gbit/s. Sufficient for most use cases except perhaps for low latency gaming.
I tried that like 8 years ago. Couldn't get more than like 25 Mbps even when trying multiple outlet combinations. Its not an infallible solution. Those numbers you see are theoretical values under ideal lab conditions.
great video. I live in an old 1900 mining terrace and the floors are all really uneven. How about a floor leveling video? I would love some nice wood floor in my living room but have avoided doing at as its 2 rooms knocked into one and the floor is very uneven
Would it not make more sense, if you have to chase the wall to run conduit so you have a nice easy route incase you need to run anything else? Also I noticed you ran the cables separately to the same location, wouldn’t it make more sense to have 2 runs and tape them together? Basically running both cables in one run
The downside to taping cables together, especially if you run them in a conduit rather that simply buried in a wall, is that at some point you may need to change one of them. I wired out house for network when we were moving in, 10 yrs down the road, things change and I needed to repurpose a cable that was routed from up near the loft to the cellar. Rather than run a whole new cable, I was rerouting the final 5m of it. The problem I hit was I had been "tidy" and taped the 2 cables together through the conduit. Tape ends and pull together, YES, tape along the length, I would avoid.
@theEnjoyed this, well done. The only thing I would have recommended would be resessed cable ducting in the channel chase you made. This would then give you a degree of future proofing if you ever need to replace the cables, or add new ones.
If you're planning on pulling data cables through conduit you'll need to avoid any sharp bends, and keep the tension below 25 lbs, otherwise you risk damaging the transmission qualities of the cable.
I’m having an extension and I sourced my own wires as I wouldn’t have anything less than 6a cables which support 10gbps. It was only 10 years ago that 1gbps seemed fanciful.
Great video, just a quick question, I know nothing about this sort of stuff especially drilling. If you are using the test for seeing if there is wires/pipes behind the wall, is it definitely a case where there wont be wires or pipe on the other side? Thanks
If you ever need to replace that cable, you'll have to re-chase that area, so a super easy solution is to put a plastic pipe or box in the chase and feed the cables through it. That way, after you've repaired the chase, if you ever need to replace those cables you can attach the new ethernet cable to the old one and simply pull it through, saving you from having to rechase the wall in the future.
Standard!!! Samething applies to Electrical cables... These kinda projects require PVC Conduit Pipes and Junction boxes.
wow, he didn't use that right? Is this a video how you should not do it?
@@paulh43no, @moretickle is just future proofing. Personally, i’d rather make a bigger/deeper chase once & install conduit which will show up on a service checker, but it’s not required (to my knowledge) to do so.
He didn't even mention either a or b wiring setup also this guy feels like a Sparky/builder than anything like a network guy
@@England91The channel is called 'DIY Guy', not 'Network Guy'
Blimmey, clear concise informative video. No waffle / blah blah or drama. Well made, makes me want to watch other videos by you even if I have little interest in doing the work. Thanks and well done 🙂👍
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks
CAT6a CAN carry higher speeds, for example if you were to kit out your house for 2.5Gb networking. CAT5e & CAT6a both more than capable of full Gigabit speeds. We tend to run CAT6a anyway nowadays as the cost increase on the cable reels is minimal at the scale we do this. CAT6a is also shielded and has more twists per foot which helps mitigate interference and cross-talk between the wire pairs.
Love your videos as always, gives us DIY-ers confidence to do it ourselves!
Great content - one piece of advice from me, never run just 1 cable. Always 2. The back box isn’t any bigger, the effort is pretty much the same, yes the cable cost is more but that’s negligible for the effort, but crucially if one of those cables is damaged, you’ll be thankful you ran the other. Where you will have one device plug in, there’s generally a good chance there’ll be 2. Eg tv + media box, desktop computer + printer etc
Or just put it in conduit which is dirt cheap. Then you can replace or upgrade the cable in the future.
@@nickgilbert1264 i find in the majority of cases, cables are being retrospectively pulled in by rod and fitting conduit isn’t within the scope of the job as is too destructive or too much making good to do, but yes, if the run is accessible, conduit is always appreciated!
I've never been so thankful for drywall...lol I did this in my house but was lucky to be able to run it from a closet upstairs in my office that fed down to the ceiling of the basement then follow plumbing back up to the main floor. A second line went up to the attic and connected to a switch that ran to all devices like a Roku in both bedrooms. Took me a couple of hours with almost no mess to repair. It is so much better than having to count on Wifi (and much more secure)
One thing that appears to have been overlooked is the mention of bringing back all cables to a central point near the router so that you either a) connect the ports direct to the router if the number of sockets are =< the number of ports on the router (which in that case the socket next to the router should be a 4 gang to act as a patch panel), or if the number of sockets is > the number of ports that a switch will need to be fitted. This video is really more about how to install sockets and chase walls out than how to actually network the house.
@@srod2966 you don't need a rack, it's easier to network and futureproof using a switch at a central location, 1 chase(if needed) = up to 8 sockets, also just fyi all provider supplied homehubs are shit and just a p.s. i'm sending this on a network that I installed using a switch and i only had to chase 6 inches
@@srod2966Exactly. It’s always the geeks who don’t understand the audience. There’s plenty of dull videos out there for network design.
Like from me. So good to see someone who is working with solid walls rather than Americans with plasterboarded walls.
I was just thinking I will never complain about US wall construction again
Avoid blow-out when drilling through the walls by reverting to drill from hammer action before drilling through. Avoid blowing the plaster from around the back-box outline by drilling further in from the outer square or initially use a smaller bit for better results. Score around the inner square with something sharp!
I wish they’d teach the BT engineers that! 😩
@@easychatsthey do. Unfortunately they also teach them all sorts of other stuff in a short space of time, give them a van & tools & proclaim that they’re now competent… most trainee engineers have no practical experience regarding the composition of your average wall, and they’re certainly not allowed to carry blades.
Since I usually live in single story homes, I like to run a single cable from the modem to a decent switch or small rack in a central coat closet,. I then put an appropriate diameter piece of conduit with brush grommets, through the ceiling in the closet into the attic for the ethernet cable runs to pass through. It takes much longer doing it that way but for me it's worth the extra time and effort. I try to plan ahead so I left pull lines going to the boxes so I could more easily add more later if need be.
I luckily have 8 PoE ports powering mesh wifi drops with ethernet backhaul around the house mounted to the ceiling in bedrooms, living room, and my shop in the garage. Along with a few 10gig fiber runs to the office and entertainment center and at least 1 Eth run to each room. Took a while but everything is hidden and tidy. Can always add a sub switch in a room, if needed later, but having everything in the walls already makes that a trivial adjustment.
Good video with some decent solutions for older homes and multi level dwellings.
Very interesting thank you so much. Here in Australia we call the black box a r-out-er so was confused at first when you called it a route-er. Thank you for all the training you give us much appreciated.
I totally get why you didn’t cover it because it’s overkill for most.. but a much better way of doing this is run ALL the CAT cable back to a central point and install a patch bay and network switch. Then you can have point to point network anywhere or just stick it all into the switch and have everything connected to everything.
I've used Powerline ethernet adapters & ethernet switches in the rooms i needed a network connection; this saved a lot of hassle with drilling, cutting and chasing wiring up and down the house. Works a treat.
They don't work for everyone. Depending on your house wiring, you may not get good performance from these. I also had a weird problem with data noise getting into an amplified speaker in the house. I installed network cables to every room in the house (except bathrooms of course).
When I switched to 1gig fibre broadband, I noticed the power line adapters absolutely cripple the speeds at devices using them. And this is a new property and router and powerline adapters are on the same floor/circuit. If you are on 100Mbps broadband you probably won’t notice it, but switch to 900Mbps and you will.
Hardwiring Ethernet is my plan.
Thanks for this video.
Powerline is slow. It can't carry gig+, speeds and can lose sync and drop out entirely. It's a last resort.
Powerline isn't very good at all and they are really quite lousy if the 2 sockets are on separate circuits.
Powerline adapters are hit and miss at best (even if they're on the same power circuit). I'd use them as a last resort where possible as they tend to be slow as well (if they do work). Its always better option to run cables where you can.
Great video, just about to buy a 1970s house too and will need to do this. This helps so much with me and the mrs working from home and not relying on the wifi
A few years ago I helped a mate run an ethernet cable to his home office.
We simply went out the wall, up the outside using conduit and into his office.
Took about an hour.
Looks shit though
Ethernet cables can be used for different applications, for example a TV connection, a phone connection or a PC connection. The connector on the router will be different according to the intended application at the other end of the cable. Since that initial designed application can change, plan to install a patch panel.
I would prefer to put conduit into the chased out channel for future development or to anticipate future accidents - wife hanging pictures and putting a nail through the ethernet cable.
Great video! You make it look very easy. Thank you so much to help us make things for ourselves.
It could be worth mentioning you can use switches to connect devices on the same floor and using the cable from the router up to each switch as the core link.
Great point! Thanks
Regarding doing chases in such manner, I would have ran a cable hose from the socket up to the floor space above before filling that chase with bondo to cover it up, making it easy to replace the cables in case one goes back.
I like your videos, very practical.
I would recommend having both wired and wifi in your home if you can.
I would recommend a wifi mesh system, which will give you the effect of a single WiFi throughout your home. This will give you good WiFi speeds too even without a wired network.
If you have cabled network in your house then even better as you can get a Mesh system that supports "Backhaul" as the Mesh devices will offer full speed WiFi and route the traffic down the wired network rather than across the wifi mesh.
The latest Mesh systems use WiFi 6E, which lets them transmit traffic through the mesh even faster than your wired network.
Other advantages would be if you are going Smart Home and IOT things and getting a Mesh system that support that.
Don't use mesh systems if you are putting all the effort into hardwiring. I'd recommend using poe wireless access points. Mesh systems are poor in my experience.
Thank you for posting this, i live in a period property and wasn’t sure of the best way how to route my cables, this has been invaluable mate! Cheers
Glad it helped
Always showing us how to save money by doing it ourselves thank you ❤
A few things I would consider:
- Use the highest spec Ethernet cable you can afford now, it will save you from having to replace a cheaper one when it will no longer be able to keep up with the evolving standards
- Use cable conduits whenever possible
- Use cable rated for in-wall installation. Abrasion and fire resistant, zero smoke, zero halon etc. It might save you & your family
- Avoid routing the cable where it could get in contact with water. Water and electricity (even low voltage) are not good bed fellows
- Install 1-2 extra cables on the same route, even if not required or connected for now, you'll thank yourself later
- Be careful with the bend radius, do NOT bend the Ethernet cables in sharp 90 degrees (or more) corners, make them as round as possible, at least a few centimeters radius. At the frequencies these cables operate with, sharp bends will affect the EM waves and will unnecessarily degrade your signal
- Lay the cables in a "hub & spoke" pattern (i.e. point to point connections from your router or switch to wherever your to-be-connected devices are), do NOT think you can "daisy-chain" them
- For anything more complicated than just a few connections, consider installing an Ethernet patch panel, it will make your life easier
- Like somebody else wrote, try to keep Ethernet cables separate from power lines. Consider PoE as an alternative for low power devices (e.g. cameras, routers, switches etc.)
- Absolutely test them (even with the cheap 10 pounds tester) before completing the installation & wall repair.
In regards to conduit in this scenario what type would you use? Conduit/Capping or Trunking? I assume conduit or trunking is better for use because the cable can be pulled out will no damage, as wont be able to do this with capping. I assume The purpose of conduit is to protect the cable from damage from the sharp fragments from the wall chase.
@@ryanjackson3777 conduit also allows you to potentially upgrade it later
" Install 1-2 extra cables on the same route, even if not required or connected for now, you'll thank yourself later" - best bit of advice, it is painful having to re-run especially once everything is filled in and done neat
Also avoid water pipes, I've had some cables fail tests just because they were too close of a water pipe that had running water at that time.
The higher CAT spec cables are thicker than the older spec cables. In some cases this can be a pain as the permitted bend radius is larger.
Not a bad video. One thing to keep in mind is the length of the cable run. The spec normally says 100m max. I always run 90m max from sockets end to end, allowing 10m max for both your patch leads, then you're ok. I'm not sure if your cable tester just do a continuity test or if it can test cable lengths. Most cases, most runs should easily get under 100m unless you are running to a out house. Otherwise, good video.
In Germany I don't run CAT5e or CAT6 cables any more as the prices don't differ too much from CAT7. So I'm installing future-proof CAT7 with Cat6A Keystone module which also deliver 10Gb Ethernet flawlessly over a longer distance - especially when you immure the cable into the wall.
I use CAT 8 cable in my office. Works a treat.
Another great video.
A general comment worth noting that data cables should be kept a minimum of 50mm away from mains cables. Induced noise can effect data transfer performance.
The ethernet cable connection tool has several names; IDC, Krone Punch Down Tool, Punch Down Tool - and probably many others
Kerchunker. For kerchunking.
Depending on the guide, it is advised to keep 300-400mm spacing between high and low voltage cables.
I don't believe that should be necessary. Cat6 and Cat5e cables use balanced pairs which are immune to common-mode interference that you might get from power cables.
Or just cross them at right angles, if you have to.
@@MrSwanleyExactly. It is hilarious seeing the amount of waffle that some come out with. The OP hasn’t got a clue what he’s talking about.
Great work. Couple notes though.
I would definitley go for a 4 gang minimum on the one closest to the wall. Even if you don't need 4 points round the house right now at least you could spur off from them.
Also, get some conduit in there in case you do want to run more wires or swap some out.
Finally, if you don't care too much about latency and bandwidth, but still want a wired connection you might want to try out powerline adapters first. They plug into the wall outlets then use your electric cables already in your walls to transmit signals.
4ra ka interface dekh ke dil garden garden ho jata hai 🌼 bohot hi cool hai
Really informative. I would love to if you could give some ideas on how to measure and correctly cut your cables so that you don't waste too much. Thanks
We have 4 BT HomeHub6 discs around our home, which provide wifi perfectly around the house through thick walls of our 200+yr old property over 40 metres, cabling seems like overkill
Lol this guy is brilliant, so easy and straightforward to understand 👍
I appreciate that!
Great video, very informative, i recently fitted a security light thanks to the help of your channel , i plan to change a single electric socket to a double socket next thanks to your videos, which are very helpful, to people who know what they want to do , but not absolutely sure how to do it themselves, your videos are a great help
Perhaps you did, but it's not clear in the video. But you should have used conduit pipe in the space you made for the chase to run the cable through. It means that if ever you need to change the cable (For example if you wanted to change Cat6 to a new standard) you can just pull the cable through. You've made it a tougher job for yourself just sticking the cable into the wall with filler.
Yep 20mm oval conduit
@@TheDIYGuy1 Ignore me then :)
@@Ciano56 You are correct, and it is obligatory when it comes to electrical wiring
@@dougaldouglas8842 protection the cable in the wall in any sort of conduit, capping etc is not obligatory in the UK and this is a UK video, so be careful of miss leading comments.
"Perhaps you did"... "You've made it a tougher job". That escalated quickly.
Should always run 2 cables even if it is only for one port at the time, you never know if it might fail in future and you don't want to re-do the wall chasing
some skirting boards come with cable channels too, handy for horizontal runs in a room
Absolutely
My house has weird stuff in the bricks that affect WiFi. I had to run cables and repeaters to cover other rooms.
However, I planned the distribution and I did it properly with far less damage to the masonry walls than you did. I also made sure that when I was going into a floor space above the ceiling, I had removed the floor boards first and checked for pipework or electrical cabling BEFORE drilling upwards.
It’s important to remember your potential audience and provide appropriate caveats in the video.
I've run ethernet cables and also used homeplugs, which use existing electrical cables to send the signal. Ethernet cables are more reliable but when homeplugs work they are so easy to install. Also I'd avoid Cat7 cables if you need to make connections to the back of the sockets - the cores are much thinner than Cat6. I used 'burial standard' Cat6A shielded cable - it was the best option for speeds and 'connectability'. Although it's quite thick so slightly bigger holes needed for feeding it through. Cat6A allows up to 10Gb/sec with no loss of speed up to 100m of cable. Should be future-proof and allow lengthy runs in a large house.
Thanks for the video.
I was looking yesterday the whole youtube for a video like this, I didnt know you also had this on your channel.
You re the best man thank you
Thanks and glad you found it
I’ve been trying to think for months and easy way to get cabling into my loft. Now I “think” you’ve cracked it with the stack pipe boxing idea! Just need to check the exact location!
I've run weatherproof Cat 7 ethernet cables from my virgin hub via a ethernet switch to the outside, up to our bedroom and around the side of the house to our sons room. Another switch box means his Xbox and laptop aren't reliant on iffy Wifi that far from the hub (it was actually non existent) and a third is in our room. Our TV boxes use ethernet which means we have a good signal where we need it most. It also means that if the WiFi dies we still have the telly and laptops. However with the advent of mesh networks I've gone one step further. I've installed three eero mesh pods so far with two being backhauled and I'm waiting for a fourth which will also be wired. This will completely cover our house in WiFi as three of the four pods are hard wired. My recommendation is to disable the WiFi on your ISP router and put it in modem mode. That stops any signal clashes and now we have every device that has an ethernet socket hardwired and all the devices such as our phones, Hive thermostat and echo devices that are wifi only have a full strong signal. Then there's the speed issue. We now have the proper speed from our ISP that we pay for whether wired or wireless.
I like what you did and I find it fascinating but in reality it's either a job for when a property is empty and being refurbished or if you have a very understanding partner. I have neither 😂
So cool, memories from my networking days; tbf I was trunking my new PC to my TV to tidy up the cables and cat6ing my other half's PC did pop in my head, currently it's running a loose cable round the back of the sofa.🤔✌
Fascinating to see the process of installing cable, it's actually illegal to do it yourself here in Australia and it must be done by a registered cabler.
Even a simple Ethernet cable? Or is this only for electrical cable?
@@TheDIYGuy1 Yes even ethernet, if it's going in the walls, floor or ceiling it must be done by a professional.
@@stuartt455hat’s hilarious. What muppet came up with that! What’s next you can’t change a light bulb unless you’re a professional? How about putting up curtain rails? Painting a wall? Government gone mad!
@@davideyres955 Yes I agree that we do tend to over regulate in Oz, however being an expat I also hate all the cables, conduits, pipes etc fixed to the surface of walls in the UK. Assuming the wall with the router is an outside wall, would it not be a cavity wall?? Not sure if house construction with double brick is different from Oz but here the cables would be "snaked" up the cavity & into the roof/attic space without any drilling or chasing.
Good to see Adam Peaty’s found a new line of work since he quit competitive swimming 👍
Don't know it's been said, but my rule of thumb is if you can run one cable, run 2, need double the amount of wire and ports, but it can save you headaches in the future
Interesting, never done any chasing, my house it stud wall/plaster board (Australia) Also we rarely, if ever use wall boxes, just a mounting bracket that attaches to the plaster board.
This is a gem, and a familiar Norfolk accent to boot, subscribed
😅😅😅
If your going to do all that effort as opposed to Ethernet over mains, I would bring all the cat 6 ports back to a patch panel in a cupboard somewhere and use an ethernet switch. Remember cat 5/6 can also be used for phones & other low voltage signals , so if you have a main BT socket you can run that back to your patch panel then have the phone in whichever room you wish. also get a proper punch down tool. Cuts the cables as you install them into the socket / patch panel. And just to be clear NEVER JOIN THE CAT 5 CABLES WITH BLOCKS / WIRE NUTS / WIRE CONNECTORS. The number of times I've had to deal with structured cabling installed by electricians who think because it has an electrical connection it is fine...
Ethernet over mains has to be treated as a last option... I'd much rather do what this guy is doing
@@CGRealStudiospoint still stands to run everything back to a central location.
Yeh for cameras too. Wireless cameras in a larger house are dodgy as.
Doesn't ethernet over mains have a 10mbs limit compared to cat6 which has a 1000mbs limit?
And most ISPs start at about 30mbs?
@@SaintGerbilUK CAT 6 supports up to 10Gbase-t up to 50m in length. Depending on your luck you might be able to get 5Gbase-t up to 100m, but 2.5G and 1000base-t should be pretty safe at 50-100m.
wouldnt it make more senst to add somesort of channel for the cable so whenever you need to replace it upgrade it or add cables you dont need to do all the wall demolition parts again ?
Dude's a top g! Recommendations, instructions are well described and concise
"rooter" "in-shoe-lay-shun" LOL
absolutely great job and you could use Wi-Fi less destroying the wall but the film movireally nice
Great channel and. Finally some 1 can explain how to do it properly 😊😊
Mate, it's a really great video. I've been looking for something like this for quite a while. Your video was clear and easy to follow.
Great to hear! Thanks
Nice video - exactly what I was looking for :) Also, do you have a fenland accent or am I miss-hearing!
Great video. 👏🙏
When you were drilling the hole from the chase in the downstairs wall into the floor space above with the long drill bit, what precautions had you taken to make sure you didn't go through a pipe or cable in the floor above? Was it just a visual inspection of the area from upstairs prior to drilling?
Many thanks for the fantastic, clear and helpful content!
Ex BT repair here. I always cursed the installers of riser fitted dropwires for not supporting the top of the cable with even a cable tie to take the strain off the inner cores. Finding breaks in high rise blocks is a right pain in the proverbials, one floor at a time. Edit: too many full stops.
I pull re-usable cable pathways (using HDPE duct) for Future-Proofing,
in some countries Comm cable use Orange color,
others require White for communications Cabling.
Dura-Line is one Brand name.
Careful around those ceilings and asbestos
I would have used PVC tubing in your chase and put the wiring inside the PVC. that way, if, you need to replace the wiring, for whatever reason, you dont have to open the wall back up.
If your going to run a cat cable you only need an old router to extend your internet. You'll get additional wifi signal, separate network for the kids and more than 2 extra ports to use. And a cable tidy 1cm square will save all the drilling/DIY. Make it far easier to change or upgrade the cable in future.
I love how you put the hearing protectors on then didn't use them, lol. Then put them on in the next cut after you probably realised.
Thank you very much for the helpful video. I was worried about chasing the cable in the walls as it seemed daunting. I ended up running them around the outside of the house instead. Will certainly use your method once I get around to decorating front room
You're welcome!
Running then outside will eventually fail unless you used external grade as ordinary cat5/6 cable is porous.
just a note to the side, make sure that your socket coresponds to the cathegory of the cable, if the cable is Cat6, placing a Cat5 socket is just making your cable slower
Great video as most other ones on the subject are installing in stud walls. I'm just about to do this in a bungalow which has solid interior walls.
For me it would be really good to see more on how you repair the wall damage after fitting the wiring as that's the bit I'm most lost on and most worried about doing well. All we get is "use some easyfill to repair around the sockets ... and some bonding to repair any chasers" but I have no idea what "easyfill" and "bonding" is :/
I would imagine for gaps this size Polyfilla plaster repair would do. For the chase, definitely recommend covering the cable with plastic channeling once it's run. Not only to protect the existing cable, not only to make it easier to replace, but also to reduce the volume you'll need to fill afterwards
For anyone else wondering I found this - ruclips.net/video/6Omsv5-NN9k/видео.html
😂man has them tools I never ever considered. Bob Vila would have never put me thru this.
Just a note for anyone taking on this project. Do not run cat 5e cable along side mains power cable or through holes in joists that contain mains cables. a 50mm gap between the cables is required.
You should have mentioned the type of cable. You should be using solid core for fixed installation. The problem with a lot of installation is that it can work but may well be introducing a lot of noise which will mean lots of errors and retransmits and therefore poorer performance. The specs for running cables are to provide a guaranteed performance which can only really be ascertained with a really expensive certifier.
It will probably be fine in short run situations but people may well not know.
He did but recommended ca5e or cat6..Complete minimum should be cat6 preferably cat6a
@@triplexdreadhe means stranded or solid core cable. Solid core structural cable should be used for your runs whereas stranded is better for connecting your devices to the wall socket.
@@domhamai The only reason for using solid core over stranded for fixed installations is cost. You can happily use stranded if you want it's covered in the IEE 802.3 Ethernet specifications and it does have some advantages for retro fitting as it is easier to run being more flexible. However you do need to make sure that your wall plates and patch panels are suitable for use with stranded cable as not all are.
Great video very informative and helpful. Would like to see how to run power to a garden shed/ workshop
missing conduit to protect the wiring in the chase but as always top notch :) someone will hang a picture into that cable in years to come
Explain how conduit protects someone putting a picture up?
@@JIBS. It's not the mechanical protection, but rather the ease of replacing the damaged cable.
There is a lot missing from this video, especially a basic network diagram showing how you would use a network switch to connect the sockets together. In most cases, using a switch will greatly simplify the install and reduce the amount of cable needed. In my case, I put the switch in the loft and ran the cables down to the upper floor rooms using the gap in the stud wall. Only a single cable joined the router to the loftspace, which I did by going through the outside wall and up the back of the drain pipe into the soffit (and therefore, loft space). The main cable between the router and loft switch is therefore easily replacable should it ever needed to be upgraded. I also put cables in conduit where possible and left in a length of strong string (builders line) in case I want to pull any addtional cables through them in the future (much cheaper than putting in a second CAT6 cable as others have suggested).
It's also helpful to know furniture placement where you can hide cable if need be. I agree that a switch is the way to go. It is way easier. I have my cable modem (one I purchased not rented) that connects to a PFSense firewall/router and that goes to a switch that connects the rest of the house.
Nice video but I think would have run a single CAT6 from the ONT on the wall to a central location and moved the modem to help the wifi.
The man can do wrong!! Great video ❤
An easier option I used is to just use some of these Powerline ethernet adapters , the new generations work very well. I get GB speed through out my house. Devolo Magic 2-2400 Lan
I've been using them for years. Quick and easy, hassle free set up you can swap them to any socket you want if you ever need to move stuff around.
Thanks for another well explained and easy to follow how to video.
My pleasure!
Ideal solution is to run 1 single cable from that spot to a patch panel somewhere in the house and route all the cables to that patch panel, have a dummy switch that just splits up the router connection to the other routes and you're golden, never need to move nothing. Reason I suggestion to put it elsewhere because of the fact house is 1970's meaning it ain't plaster where you can easily make a hole for the cables to go through.
This video is so helpful. Thank you.
Hi pal. Is the purpose of this video for your smart tv and laptops/computers and other WiFi hub boxes if you have weak WiFi connections.?
Yes
For reliability and transfer speeds it's no contest when it comes to wired LAN vs WiFi. WiFi has got a hell of a lot better in the last 10 years but it still has good days and bad days. Wired network connections once installed are rock solid provided you use good cable and good kit (switches or hubs) from a reputable maker. However as you show here installing cables all around a house is a task, The ideal is to do it when the house is empty (i.e. between occupancies) - but since that is usually not possible, it is probably best done in stages - for example as each room is redecorated/refurbed) as part of an overall LAN plan. A lot depends on what you use your house network for. If it's just office work and email then you may not gain much in speed, though you will get more reliability. But if you're moving around a lot of data around (talking about HD video or large software downloads etc) then it is well worth the effort.
What people tend to forget is that WiFi is a shared resource and most people find that they will be sharing the WiFi channels (frequencies) with neighbours and any equipment that also happens to use the same frequencies. Even without external interference, the available speed is still shared between the available devices therefore, for example, if you have 100Mb WiFi connection and three devices, each will get a little under a third of this capacity (reality is more complicated than this, but it's a simple visualisation of it). The newer WiFi ranges, such as 5GHx and 6GHz in particular also have less penetration therefore walls and similar in the way can greatly reduce performance. Nothing sensible/legal that you can do about neighbours though...
I don't know why this isn't standard in new builds. I want to do this to my house though as a new build reluctant to damage new walls. Hoping there is some way I can feed the cable through existing pipes either electrical or coaxial. I could go around the house though I would like to keep wires hidden.
Theory is spot on but the downside is if your going to that effort the internet access point should have been relocated to somewhere more useable and a plan for the rest of the house should have been made. In the first instance you say all the walls are solid so your Wi-Fi is going to struggle. I recently did my whole house I put a server cabinate in my garage and had my access point relocated then I ran all the cables to one place and into a 24 port managed switch. It means I don’t need to rip half the house up later down the line because I don’t need any more expansion. Could also run all CCTV, NAS whole heap of items
Great video. I'm thinking of doing some ethernet as well. That said, bad wifi is always cheap wifi, or insufficient wifi. There are great mesh systems out there now that cover the entire house, and if you want really really good wifi, get a pro brand like Ruckus, arguably the best in my opinion. Yes, you'll pay more for good gear.
Go for it!
Very useful information mate!
Excellent video every helpful.. What was the reason to use a 2 Ethernet wall socket when you used only one? Can the other one also be wired up tonconnect another device?
All well and good, but that is just a small part of the story. What about connecting all your new sockets to the internet. where do the other ends of the cables go? What about fitting a network switch and connecting the switch to the internet?? Will you be coveriung this at some point???
Great tutorial but I think powerline adapters are a more convenient solution for the average person. It takes 10 minutes to setup and performance is not that much worse than ethernet cables unless you are unlucky with the wiring.
You could be right but in my experience those power line adapters aren’t brilliant
Worth bearing in mind that Cat6 is less tolerant of bends than Cat5e is. If you have bends/corners with a radius any tighter than a tennis ball it can impact the performance of the cable. And also regardless of whether you go Cat6 or 5e, get the decent stuff at least 24AWG don't go for the cheap rubbish with crappy thin copper like 28AWG.
👍
all well and good if you got floorboards, not as easy if you have concrete floors throughout the house
that tool looked intresting but i would use it only for cutting the sheet for the punching i would use a real punch down tool it pushes it in and cuts it off in one move
My home is old, build in 1950s. I used google wifi 3 packs. Its Mesh technology takes care of all my ethernet and wifi needs. No drilling required. No mess. You will need to have outlet for the room, that you want to used ethernet. Setup is easy as setting up any router.
Mesh technology is a good retro fit solution, but it will never compare to hardwiring devices. You'll never get 10Gpbs speeds over your Mesh Wi-Fi network. Wiring a house with CAT6 has a number of advantages. You even even use it for video distribution. Wireless networks still are not reliable enough for everyone.
Hi. Great videos mate. Question, I need to do a re-wire and network cables also. Would I do 1 big chase and put all cables in same chase? Or 2 chases, 1 for electrical and 1 for Ethernet? Cheers.
There is a technology called Ethernet over Powerline from the like of Netgear. I used it first in 2008 with 500Mbit/s bandwidth to avoid wiring ethernet cable. Now the standard is 2Gbit/s. Sufficient for most use cases except perhaps for low latency gaming.
I tried that like 8 years ago. Couldn't get more than like 25 Mbps even when trying multiple outlet combinations. Its not an infallible solution. Those numbers you see are theoretical values under ideal lab conditions.
Can I retire a uk home using EU wire
great video. I live in an old 1900 mining terrace and the floors are all really uneven. How about a floor leveling video? I would love some nice wood floor in my living room but have avoided doing at as its 2 rooms knocked into one and the floor is very uneven
nice video n good information. like n watch from Hindustan (India)
Would it not make more sense, if you have to chase the wall to run conduit so you have a nice easy route incase you need to run anything else? Also I noticed you ran the cables separately to the same location, wouldn’t it make more sense to have 2 runs and tape them together? Basically running both cables in one run
The downside to taping cables together, especially if you run them in a conduit rather that simply buried in a wall, is that at some point you may need to change one of them. I wired out house for network when we were moving in, 10 yrs down the road, things change and I needed to repurpose a cable that was routed from up near the loft to the cellar. Rather than run a whole new cable, I was rerouting the final 5m of it. The problem I hit was I had been "tidy" and taped the 2 cables together through the conduit. Tape ends and pull together, YES, tape along the length, I would avoid.
@theEnjoyed this, well done. The only thing I would have recommended would be resessed cable ducting in the channel chase you made. This would then give you a degree of future proofing if you ever need to replace the cables, or add new ones.
Done ✅, 20mm oval conduit inside chase
@@TheDIYGuy1 ahh missed that, thanks
If you're planning on pulling data cables through conduit you'll need to avoid any sharp bends, and keep the tension below 25 lbs, otherwise you risk damaging the transmission qualities of the cable.
Do you have a link for the yellow cable sheering tool used? Thanks 👍🏼
Would love to see how to do the same via the piping space
what Ethernet cable would be best for 120 feet distance? THANKS
Can you show all tips how to put suspended ceiling and hide all electrical wiring please!
I’m having an extension and I sourced my own wires as I wouldn’t have anything less than 6a cables which support 10gbps. It was only 10 years ago that 1gbps seemed fanciful.
6a cable?
@@Dave-zg5xl cat6a.
Great video, just a quick question, I know nothing about this sort of stuff especially drilling. If you are using the test for seeing if there is wires/pipes behind the wall, is it definitely a case where there wont be wires or pipe on the other side? Thanks