Ethernet line to the office for dummies

Presumably you have got power to the shed? How does that run? If your power has been run in trunking then you may be able to run ethernet cable through the trunking also.

Problem is getting through walls. A Cat5 cable will go through a 5mm hole, unless the RJ45 connector is on the end when suddenly you need a much bigger hole. e/.g/ this patch cable comes with prefitted connectors - one end into the router,the other end into the laptop.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OUTDOOR-EXTERNAL-cat5e-Network-Ethernet/dp/B009U81EFI

You can buy cable and fit the connectors afterwards but it's a fiddly job and you really need to test the cable to be sure you've got it right

if the laptop doesn't have a LAN port then you will need an access point in the shed like this
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-WA901N-Wireless-Injector-Ethernet/dp/B087MSF7BR

I'd honestly just get a cable guy to install it. I just got some ethernet ran from the living room, up and around the house to the study on the second floor, for not a lot over £100.

I have done this to the summer house I built and to my 3 kids' bedrooms to get stable connections.

I used an external grade Cat5e cable and terminated at both ends into an RJ45 outlet (Screwfix 34584). I ran 2 cables in case there was a need for more or one failed.

Doing it this way means you have to terminate the 8 colours data wires into the modules, for this just make sure you copy the same standard on each end of the cable. There are propper 'punch down' tools for this, I have used them but also done it successfully with a knife.

Doing it this way means you do not have to make up plugs and the connection is more permanent.

Then connect your router to the outlet at one end with any length patch lead and the same at the other to the computer.

So you need a patch cable from your router in the house to an RJ45 faceplate like this: https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/cat6-modules-outlets/41869-cat6-utp-rj45-modules-with-faceplate.html

That will fit on the front of a single gang back panel, grab one from Screwfix, B&Q etc. Surface mounted or receessed, you're choice.

Drill through the back of that to the outside of the house. Get some external rated network cable like this: https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/cat5e-cable/20-ccs-cat5e-utp-external-cable-ldpe-outer-sheath.html

Poke that through the hole in the wall and terminate it in the RJ45 faceplate.

Pop another RJ45 faceplate and back box in the garden office and drill a hole behind it. Poke the other end of your Cat5e cable through this hole and terminate it in the RJ45 faceplate.

Make sure you fill the holes with silicone and and also have a drip loop on the cable. Oh and the cable should run slightly upwards from the external course of bricks to the internal course so any water goes towards your outside wall.

Then connect a wifi router/switch to the garden office RJ45 faceplate using a patch cable and connect everything together.

^^ that.

There are propper ‘punch down’ tools for this, I have used them but also done it successfully with a knife.

It's worth investing in a 'proper' tool, they aren't expensive, but if you're penny-pinching you can get disposable plastic punch-down tools for like 99p. There's absolutely no reason to be using a knife. You don't want to be chasing weird intermittent network issues for the next year for the sake of a quid.

Proper tool on order, can't have too many tools 🙂

Good good.

I've seen people do it with a screwdriver. It almost invariably mostly works.

I assume you have already checked you have internet at the router.

Any issues I've had with video conferences have been router/incoming internet based rather than the powerline adaptors.

I’d honestly just get a cable guy to install it. I just got some ethernet ran from the living room, up and around the house to the study on the second floor, for not a lot over £100.

@oldnick I have one of these which has been a life saver when doing this job. As you said, you can never have too many tools

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Network-Cable-Tester-RJ45-Ethernet/dp/B08RNDBQRX/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=lan+tester&qid=1613477323&sr=8-5

DavidB, if there is a tool like that for plugging into faceplates I'd buy it in a shot 🙂

I’m all for getting someone in for complicated stuff, but you can get all the stuff you need including tools and 100m of outdoor cable for about £20! Ten minutes on YouTube will teach you how to do it, if you’re ever going to have to do more than one cable it’s a no-brainer really!

Battle-damaged from too many days playing "find the broken ethernet cable" in a cabinet worth of cables we decided to make ourselves.

One not-great connection can cause so much pain. Those cable testers work with faceplates, just patch cable them in at each end.

I didn't bother punching the cable down to a faceplate either end. I already had a route into the big shed via a thin hose-pipe installed when we built said shed 10+ years ago.

External cable pinned to the bottom of the fence, into a 4 port ethernet switch in the shed which powers an WiFi access point and three fixed connections (Rasp Pi, Sonos, Phone)

Other end is plugged into the back of the Orbi Mesh as that's in the kitchen and the router is in the roof!

Mate did most of the work as a) he's a sparky b) he has the crimping tool and c) he has a massive SDS drill and bit to get through the very thick wall into the kitchen.

I'd been using powerline and it seemed to be getting worse. They were v. old ones tho. Now it's 60 meg in the house and 60 meg in the shed.

How far away is the office/cable length required? Sometimes those cable testers need plenty of juice to go the distance and ensuring you don't get false negatives. i.e. the cable is working but the tester returns a negative due to lack of power

and something to produce wifi in the shed.

If it's just the one device that matters, I wouldn't even bother with a wifi point. Just connect the computer directly.

Cheaper, easier, more reliable.

DavidB, if there is a tool like that for plugging into faceplates I’d buy it in a shot 🙂

It does. You just use 2 patch leads

@loughan they are fine to 100m which is usual limit on ethernet. I’ve used it in 2 houses and a large datacentre.

WiFi required for wifey as she likes her wireless gadgets.
I'll order a tester when I order the bits, and a small facepalm for not thinking of two patch-leads myself.

I'd still patch in the cable to an RJ45 faceplate to allow a wired connection for the PC and wifi for phone etc - perhaps run two cables out to the shed if you can? Or find an access point that has extra LAN ports to act as a switch (you can usually set up an old router to do this if you don't mind fiddling with settings)

Easiest solution:
Cat 5 cable (exterior grade is you want but I've got standard cat 5 that's been outside for >10 years and is fine)
RJ45 crimping tool
RJ45 connectors - just get these and thank me later (you can see if the wires have gone into the right places)
https://images.app.goo.gl/wnz2oMECBnJickZz5

Why bother with a faceplate?..... just connect straight to the laptop? No wifi required, get a cheap RJ45/USB adapter and off you go!!

Why bother with a faceplate?….. just connect straight to the laptop?

Faceplates are neater, cost buttons, and move the common failure mode (stressing the cable/plug - tripping over it etc.) to a more easily replaceable part.

Cat 5 cable (exterior grade is you want but I’ve got standard cat 5 that’s been outside for >10 years and is fine)

Same here - but only 9 years 🙂

But it would be easy for me to swap the cable out if anything went wrong.

I wouldn't even be bothering with cables, just look at wifi options.

FWIW we've wifi broadband for the house, aerial is about 2 miles away.

Cat 5? I *THINK* you mean Cat7 (just to catch @Cougar's attention 🙂 )

Would something like this work in the office? Teams meetings are the deal breaker for the boss.
For that matter would it work better than the standard Sky router in the house?
I don't want to go mad money-wise as we are probably emigrating in a year or two so won't be taking any of this stuff with us.
Thanks again

Great thread. I've been looking at how to do ours so I can get away from the same tiny spare room 40-50 hours a week at least for doing some calls / meetings that don't need a big screen and sounds like this is all very doable. 🙂

Why bother with a faceplate?

Because it's Not Shit?

Cat 5? I *THINK* you mean Cat7 (just to catch @Cougar’s attention 🙂 )

You almost got me.

When I've done this I've also put a small network switch on both ends and then connect everything into that rather than directly into the faceplate. The idea is to provide some surge protection in case of lightning.  It's not perfect as ideally you should be using proper rated devices to earth points but the switches have built in power and short mains leads. They are there as cheap sacrificial devices

I also recognise I may be over thinking it but lightning isn't fussy about how it gets to ground.

Yes, just use an old router as the WAP (make sure it's not routing).
I did this in my son's room as the wifi was terrible there. Now he has 3 ethernet ports and strong wifi. Plenty... for now.

I did it on Sunday, the hardest bit was getting a sensible cable-run given the state of our lofts.
The cable came without a drum so I made a reel from an Ikea stool some 2x2 and a spare bit of log-burner stove-pipe, this helped a lot.
Tester tool thing worked fine, punch down tool is a brilliant thing, the router I linked to above (tplink TL-WR841N) works fine as an access point (has instructions for the various ways to use it) and fires wifi all over the back garden and the rear of the house!
Wife happy with it, and I get wifi in the garage too (:
Next question, if I wanted to change it's settings so the new access point is a clone of the Sky router how do I do that/ what's the correct search term? The switchover from one router to the other is quite clunky at present.
@garage-dweller, if I can do it anyone can!

Next question, if I wanted to change it’s settings so the new access point is a clone of the Sky router how do I do that/ what’s the correct search term?

you need to disable DHCP on the new router so that all IP addressing is handled by the original routeer, then change the wifi SSID and password on the new access point to match the SSID and password of the original router

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/417/

I searched for "tp-link tl-wr841n as access point"

^^^ that will work, but it's always going to be a bit clunky I think vs a mesh or other AP system that's designed for seamless roaming/handoff or whatever they call it

Thanks nbt, exactly what I needed.
And thanks zilog, even if it doesn't cure the clunk (desperately holding onto the previous wifi even when it has zero signal strength before flopping onto the nice strong alternative signal) it will make it easier when friends come round, you know, in 2022 or something.

wifi roaming is client controlled, so unless you're using AP's that can kick off clients at a certain signal (RSSI).... you're screwed 😉

Make sure the AP's are on the same SSID but different channels and you've done your best....

Silly questions as I'm about to do ours in next week or two...

Assume I don't need to shove a bit of conduit through the wall? Cavity wall and insulated if that makes any odds.

I have just realised I'll also need a 300+mm 6mm drill bit.

Assume normal silicone frame sealant will do around the hole?

Drip loop is I assume a reference to taking the cable down and then up in a gentle U below the external hole yes?

Pro tip, you can hire big stupid drill bits it's a one-off job (and a drill beg enough to drive it if you don't have one).

People saying about holding onto wifi is only partially true. We have 2 or 3 extenders and it is not a problem most of the time. Sometimes you can pulse wifi off and on and get the one you want. For 95% of the time it works just as you would hope it would.

I'll add a question to this ahead of our move to our new country pile; if I have stick one end of an ethernet cable in the back of the main router (which is, let's say "IHN Towers WiFi") and the other end in the back of another router, can that second router be a 'different' WiFi network (let's say "Hunting Lodge WiFi)?

@ihn - yes it can, kind of. it won't actually be a different network as the main router still needs to handle all the IP addressing (unless you start setting IP ranges on each router of course). If anything, it's more effort to make the Wifi details match than it is to leave them different

Cool. So I still need to

disable DHCP on the new router so that all IP addressing is handled by the original router

?

ideally yes. do you know what routers you will be using?

You don't need a new router, you need a wireless access point.

Disabling DCHP on the remote end is for if you've already got an old router lying about the place that you're repurposing as an AP and that being the case you absolutely need to do so or you're going to have a bad day. With a dedicated AP it shouldn't have a DHCP server to disable in the first place.

As nbt says, it's fundamentally the same network, by having different SSIDs you're just forcing the connection point. It's like, you could walk into your living room through the front door or the kitchen door, ultimately you're still in the same room.

cougar explains it very eloquently. I've used an old router as I had one lying around. an AP would be easier to install and use but would have mean tme buying one

Ta. I'll be using one of the three spare routers we'll need moving house with (one EE, two PlusNet, all the same model of router).

I get it's the same network underneath. My thought about having the different SSIDs was to avoid the AP 'clunk' from further up the thread; would the device, seeing the different SSIDs, assume they're different networks and swap to the one with the strongest signal, rather than hold on to a weaker signal as can happen with same-named APs?

I'm on plusnet, dpending which model of router you're using this may help

https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Sagemcom-2704N-as-wired-access-point-switch/td-p/1534314
https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/Quick-Question-Re-2704n-as-access-point/td-p/1272457

I have 2 routers and am using the sagemcom as the AP. if you have the newer technicolor tg582n you don't need the hidden pages

not sure about your device switching to a better signal though unless it loses signal / connectvitity entirely. IME once the device has a signal, it sticks

Cool, I'll have a dig through that lot when I come to sort it.

That's a really good question and I'm not certain of the answer. The ability to swap SSIDs to prefer a stronger signal might be device-dependent?

Certainly it'll do it if you lose connection the previous Wi-Fi completely. On merely a weak signal I'm not sure. One way to find out (-:

perhaps run two cables out to the shed if you can?

I thought the usual advice was run two lots of cable if you can, though even the cheapy TP-Link WAP I had in the kids' playroom had LAN in and LAN out sockets.

If you want two APs on the same network, I can endorse mesh APs for actually doing handover successfully. I've two APs in the house connected by a length of cat5 across the house, and if I walk around the house the devices switch pretty seemlessly. The APs co-operate and kick users off when the strength gets too low.

Slight thread resurrection - we've now moved into our new place, which consists of a main house and a detached annex, the annex is about 20 feet away from the main house, across a stone-cobbled yard. There's no option of getting an ethernet line across there that doesn't involve lifting those cobbles, and that ain't happening.

However, it looks like the previous owners gave some thought to this, as they've got one of these on the back wall of the main house, facing the annex:

https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/19211-tp-link-cpe210/#content

I assume they set it up as an AP to provide WiFi to the annex, as there's just the one unit. The cabling (ethernet and power) runs back into the main house to a controller/power unit where the main router lives. Well, will live, we don't actually have broadband yet, it should get turned on tomorrow, and when it does it'll be something like 7mb (for now, we might look at 4G/satellite/other options if needs be).

So, I assume that, as an AP, that unit is pretty 'beefy', and should easily handle providing WiFi to a separate building twenty feet away? The other option is to get a matching one facing it across the yard, setting them us a point-to-point link, and wiring the second unit into a separate router in the annex, but I think that's probably overkill?

Ignore me i re-read your post. Good luck.

@IHN There's only one way to find out, but wifi travels a surprisingly long way without e.g. walls in the way, so it's probably fine.

Yes, wifi without obstructions goes a long way.

On a related note, if you were fitting a ceiling mount PoE WAP how do you terminate the cable? To an RJ45 socket then a short patch cable, or with an RJ45 plug and plug it directly into the WAP?

Why bother with a faceplate?….. just connect straight to the laptop?

A decent punch-down tool for the faceplate is £20 (CK). A decent crimping tool is £40-£90. Personal experience is that less than £20 on a crimping tool is false economy. Mine was good for one crimped end and then the pins on the tool wouldn't make a connection in the plug.

And Cat 6 is the sweet spot for the Cougar-twitch!

Wall cable is solid core and should terminate in a keystone faceplate with a punch down tool.

Patch cables are stranded for flexibility and need crimping.

This is the same as an electrical circuit, solid in walls, stranded flex for connections.

I got a punch tool for £4, crimp for £10 and a tester for £10 and it was so absolutely fine for DIY over about 14 sockets.

I've just run a 35m cable from the BT box in the living room to the office in the garden. Faceplate fitted on wall in office using £2 tool.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133777166534

The cable came with plugs on both ends but I cut one off as it made getting through holes easier.

Soo much better than before.

A decent punch-down tool for the faceplate is £20 (CK). A decent crimping tool is £40-£90. Personal experience is that less than £20 on a crimping tool is false economy. Mine was good for one crimped end and then the pins on the tool wouldn’t make a connection in the plug.

And Cat 6 is the sweet spot for the Cougar-twitch!

If you weren't using stupid cable you wouldn't to spend stupid money on use-for-one-job tools. 😁

If I had £110 burning a hole in my pocket I'd buy a £5 punchdown, a £20 crimping tool and spend the rest on a cable / network tester.

Late to the party but I was going to suggest just replacing the power line adaptors.... My 7 year old WiFi one was playing up, so bought a new kit which gives better WiFi range and and connection stability than the old setup ever did.

I bought a 2 pack of the WiFi extenders, as a single extender only just covered the house. This turned out to be overkill as the new ones have much greater range.

Sorry, not much use now!

@Cougar early morning lols

I've never bothered with faceplates. My basic [cheap] crimping tool has been absolutely fine and the recent addition of a £6 network tester has been a revelation!

.... oh, and pass-through RJ45 connectors so you know you've got the right wire in the right place!

have this on my list of jobs next month....saving for future reading

I’ve never bothered with faceplates. My basic [cheap] crimping tool has been absolutely fine

It's different cable. You (should) use solid-core cable for structured cabling (the horizontal runs in the walls) and this is terminated in Krone-style punchdown modules. You (should) use stranded wire for patch cables, terminated with RJ45 plugs.

I dislike passthrough connecters unless you insert the cables then cut with good electricians scissors (CK) then pull back the ends so they stay a 1mm inside the end of the connector. Ive been to many a job where the cable strands have touched each other or worse something inside the unit they have been plugged into. I've had water ingress run down a perrished cable run into a switch but that job was 90% stupid installation practice
A proper tool helps with them.

I dislike passthrough connecters unless you insert the cables then cut with good electricians scissors (CK) then pull back the ends so they stay a 1mm inside the end of the connector.

That's interesting to know. I think I got around that with the Screwfix stuff by buying the connectors and crimping tool from the same manufacturer. Cables cut off flush to the connector end for each one I made up.

Going back to the question of mesh versus basic wifi extenders.

We have rubbish incoming speed so I can't be bothered to spend lots on a mesh. We therefore have a few extenders at key points around house/garden - they are all on the same SSID.

Most phones switch reasonably quickly and work fine (switches after a number of seconds - so not good if you wanted to wander around on a video conference, but fine for youtube, etc).

Windows laptop does not so much and seems to latch on to the old wifi channel, this caught me out. I had to disable wifi in windows, re-enable and it switched to the new stronger signal. Only takes a few seconds, but like I say - caught me out.

That’s interesting to know.

It's not an issue I've come across yet but I do take care when trimming the ends off.

Coming back to the keystone issue, if I was mounting a WAP on a ceiling but wanted the patch cable to run through the ceiling to the keystone rather than having  socket next to the WAP, what part am I looking for?

Coming back to the keystone issue, if I was mounting a WAP on a ceiling but wanted the patch cable to run through the ceiling to the keystone rather than having  socket next to the WAP, what part am I looking for?