How much Cat5 do you REALLY need?

[danielbo]

My problem is that I was told the house was ready and the runs was behind the wall by the breaker box. I dont these people knew how to run a network. My other house, I ran everything before the walls went up so I knew it was right.
The new house all I can find it two drops and it seems to me they just ran one cat 5 line in a loop around the house. I was sure that this was not right, just wanted to make sure that I really couldnt connect multiple outlets on that loop.
Really the way I see it is making a break in the line in half and that way I could have only two cat 5 outlets.
I bought this house on a builders repo, so I dont believe he will come back and correct the mistake. Now all the walls and floors are sealed. I have been able to run some three new outlets myself, where it was easy to get to, but I need about three more that I have no idea on how to do it, other then breaking that loop to give me atleast two. I am pretty sure that is all I can do.
I am trying to put ip phones in each room. I am also using a IP converter that makes it so you can use a regular phone to finish the job. But it still is not as good as a real ip phone.
I am open for any ideas or feed back on a way or if you can hook more outlets onto the loop, but I bet I can not, just hoping.
Thanks guys and enjoy reading all the other stories,
Danielbo

[buvens]

Regular old phones use that type wiring, if you want them connected like that.
Or you might could use it for some kind of speakers or even fire sensors if you can get to it in different places

[Pete]

You can check if its one loop by shorting out two leads on side and using an ohm meter on the other end to see if the leads are shorted.

In FL when the contractor sent the "telephone" cabler I had a lengthy discussion with him regarding running separate cat5 connections from the individual rooms to the centralized location I had chosen for a com closet. He didn't understand the logic relating to the endeavor. He wanted to run one loop of cat5 room to room.
He actually was not familiar with the methodology.

[Uncle Michael]

I am open for any ideas or feed back on a way or if you can hook more outlets onto the loop, but I bet I can not, just hoping.
Thanks guys and enjoy reading all the other stories,
Danielbo

I have an idea to use network switches. In effect, you would be constructing a network in a piecemeal fashion.

Assuming there is enough slack to allow it, I envision installing a backless low voltage box wherever you want a network outlet. (Obviously, the cat5 wire has to pass by there.)

Pull a loop of the cat5 out through the box and cut it. Connect each end to an RJ45 jack in a cover plate and put the plate back over the box. If possible, keep track of which jack is 'downstream', that is, toward your router, and which one is 'upstream'. It's not strictly necessary, but could be useful later. You could use color coded jacks or just a left/right convention.

Next, install a network switch near the outlets and run two jumpers from the jacks to the switch. Now, you can plug in local devices to the remaining switch jacks and the switch will relay the network through the next leg of the cat 5.

I don't think there is a practical limit to the number of times you can repeat this. At least it is much greater than the number of switches you're going to want to buy!

Anyone else see a problem with such a scheme?

[Pete]

My old home was set up in the same manner basically with three switches on three floors.

[danielbo]

I also thought about doing that. I think that will work and I am going to try it. I just needed someone else not thinking it was a crazy idea. It seems like a lot of extra work, but I think it will work.
Thanks guys for the support.
danielbo

[sdanks]

I live in an old 1959 house right now. So I ran some of the wires up through the ceiling and into the attic, where I could, and the others I ran along the outside of the house right under the eves. Then down and right through the wall, leaving a drip loop outside the wall so the water doesnt come in when it rains. I then painted it to match the outside of the house. The sat cable was installed outside this way too, so I just painted over everything. It still works well, but I use the attic where I can. In my new house which was a two story, (lost it because of the housing market) I had installed several pieces of conduit to various locations. Then if I ever needed to put in a new wall jack, I planned to drill sideways through the outlet box and through the wall studs and install a new outlet there. I could run wire down the conduit and then over where I needed it. I put in lots of outlet boxes and conduit where I could when the walls were going up. I dont know if you want the expense, but you could cut a section out of each wall, top to bottom, and put in conduit or outlet boxes or wire runs, and then have someone come back and drywall back over it and mud and tape it and paint it again. Good drywallers do that when they build the walls in the first place. Lots of patching and putty and sanding. So if you are just moving in, you might consider this. I did mine myself, and with the guidance of someone who I knew that stopped by every day for advice for a few minutes, I was able to learn how to drywall pretty well. It is amazing how well you can make a rough job look if you know what you are doing. other than that, there are some tools that will help you alot in your endeavors.

Here are some I use, and I have built some special ones myself. I am including some links to places that have pictures. I am not suggesting you buy from them, just found the pictures when searching for them.

Fiberglass push/pull rods (i.e. http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Fiber.../dp/B001TM76W8

Long drill bit (lowes, home depot etc, or http://www.amazon.com/AUG1272-72-Inc...59000754&sr=1-)

drywall saw (i.e. http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-20-556...9000839&sr=1-2)

Then I also made a couple of things out of coat hangers for various pulling and grabbing tools. I also made a long rod out of a coat hanger that I put a flashlight bulb on the end of, so I could run in up into the wall through a hole for an outlet box, and then I used a mirror from one of my wife's old makeup compacts to put into the wall at a 45 degree angle so I could look up to the area I had the light. Of course the wall has to be insulation free for this. Try to use inside walls as outside walls are full of insulation, fire breaks (horizontal boards) and connections from the outside walls and nails and screws.

In my old two story house, I would go inside the closets and drill holes where they couldnt be seen to run wires from one area to the other to get them closer where I needed them I have even installed a speaker in the hallway so I could cut a hole in the ceiling and then use that opening to run wires and then when I was done, I installed the speaker to cover up the hole I cut.

The long drill bits and fiberglass wire rods are a life saver when you are running lots of wires.

Good luck.