Re: Home ethernet

Thanks, everyone.

As it turns out, my contractor goofed and went ahead and installed wiring even 
though I'd not authorized it yet.  I'm trying to assess just how badly he 
screwed up. :-/  Right now, all of the spots I'd indicated (1-2 per room) have 
an ethernet cable of unknown grade and a coax line running to them.  (I'd 
asked for an estimate on running one vs. two ethernet lines only.)  I don't 
think they ran conduit, but I am checking.

- Is there a crosstalk problem running coax and UTP that closely together in 
parallel?  I know you can't do that for electrical lines, but I don't know 
about UTP and coax.

- Why, exactly, is everyone so big on coax? :-)  I've never used it for 
anything other than cable TV or cable-to-modem service.  Ethernet strikes me 
as far more useful, so I am at a loss for why the contractor just assumed I 
wanted coax jacks coming out my ears, or why Ian below is suggesting a 2-coax 
plate.  Does coax have some use that I don't know of?  My inclination would be 
single coax to a room and then multiple ethernet jacks all over the place, not 
vice versa.

--Larry Garfield

On Sunday, March 13, 2011 10:21:08 am Ian K wrote:
> I'd recommend putting in Cat 6 or Cat 5e.   1G is generally way more
> than enough inside the home.   Then setting up wifi points is easy
> depending on where everyone will be.   I ran Cat 5e to most every room
> in the house and it has been a godsend for networking needs.
> 
> You only need one connection in a room unless you have time/space to run
> more.   These boxes also hold the coax for TV & phone lines.   That's a
> good 4 slots normally in a normal box.   2 Coax, 1 Phone & 1 Ethernet.
> 
> On 3/6/2011 7:45 PM, Larry Garfield wrote:
> > Greetings, geeks.
> > 
> > I have recently purchased a house (I'm still in shock), and having some
> > renovations done before I move in.  One I am strongly considering is
> > adding ethernet wiring in key locations, on the grounds that the
> > electrician is already there messing around inside the walls so I may as
> > well.
> > 
> > Has anyone else done this before?  Any major warnings about what not to
> > do?
> > 
> > I'm also debating the cable grade to use.  On the one hand, I figure I
> > should go for the highest grade available so that I don't have to do
> > this again, which would be Cat 7.  However, as I understand it Cat 7 is
> > still quite expensive for the wire itself, and according to Wikipedia at
> > least is not as big a leap over Cat 5 or Cat 6 as it's marketed as:
> > 
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_7_cable
> > 
> > My understanding had been that Cat 6 wasn't truly standardized, just a
> > marketing term, but Wikipedia again disagrees there:
> > 
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_6
> > 
> > I've long since given up being a networking geek and moved on to being a
> > web programming geek, so I'm a bit out of my element here.  Any advise
> > or experience anyone has to share would be most appreciated.
> > 
> > --Larry Garfield
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