Re: Creating a home Ethernet out of installed but unused Cat 5

["BruceR" <br@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

While not optimum, I have  to disagree. The best solution, of course, is
to run a new cable. However, running a phone line and ethernet in the
same cat5 jacket should present little or no problem IF DONE CORRECTLY.
I've done it many times for the sake of expediency and have never had a
problem. I've even added 12vdc on the 4th pair and still had no
problems. Just make absolutely sure your connections are done properly.

 As for tools, www.mpja.com has a very extensive tool kit for $80 that
has more than you will ever need for maintaining the wiring in your home
(http://www.mpja.com/productview.asp?product=15043+TL).  While I use
better quality "pro" grade tools for regular use, I keep one of these
kits at my second home and another in the trunk of my car "just in
case."  They do the job quite competently, are of decent quality and are
ideally suited to occassional users.

What you need: For upstairs and downstairs buy 2 Cat5 RJ45 ethernet
keystone jacks and 2 RJ12 keystone jacks (get 2 colors like blue for
data and black for phone; i.e. MPJA #11082TT & 7182TT), one keystone F
connector (Home Depot), & one 3 hole and one 2 hole keystone faceplate
(MPJA 5944TT & 5943TT). You'll also want to get 4 Scotchlok connectors
for the basement location (Home Depot).

How to do it (using only the tools in the kit): On the 1st flr look at
the phone jack and determine which wires are used for your phone line -
most likely the white/blue pair. The remaining 3 pairs should be just
left loose. You can cut off the "Dolphin" connectors on the other pairs
if you've determined that the wires aren't being used for any other
purpose. Connect the tone generator to one of the orange/white pairs (if
you have more than one pair after cutting the connectors) and turn it
on. Use the wand to locate that pair at the basement phone box. If it's
not loud and clear, go to the top floor location and see if it's loud
and clear at the jack (you may have loop wiring). Now do the same thing
but put the tone gen on the other white/orange pair.  What we're trying
to do is see where each end of the cable goes from the first floor
location. If the cable goes to the second floor location then you don't
need to do anything in the basement. If not, repeat the procedure on the
second floor so you can identify the pairs from each location that go to
the basement.  In the basement, match the conductor colors of the
white/orange pair and the white/green pairs and connect with the
Scotchloks.
 Do your terminations with the new jacks at both locations upstairs and
check it all with the cable tester in the kit.


From:SQLit
sqlit@xxxxxxxxx

> "Bruno" <bruno.lerer@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:1138551772.795104.242890@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> The phone company has installed, throughout the house, shielded Cat 5
>> cable with 4 sets of wires. One is used for phone service, while each
>> of the other three is terminated with what looks like a plastic
>> sleeve imprinted Dolphin (just in case it makes a difference...).
>>
>> I have a wi-fi broadband router on the second floor (physically
>> connected to two computers); I also have another computer in the
>> ground floor den which is currently wirelessly networked with the
>> others. The phone company's breakout box is in the basement,
>> naturally.
>>
>> For various reasons, I would like to physically network the first
>> floor computer.  Ideally, I would like to install in the router room
>> a wall plate with an RJ45 jack, with a patch cord connecting to the
>> router. Currently, the Cat 5 terminates in a standard RJ11 jack.
>> The same would go for the ground floor den; there, however, the Cat
>> 5 terminates in a wall plate with a coax F-type jack at the top and
>> a standard RJ11 at the bottom.
>>
>> So that's the question - how do I approach a project like this? In
>> particular, how do I go about making sure that, while I go two floors
>> down and then one floor up, I am still connecting  the same set of
>> wires to the appropriate terminals in the router room, the breakout
>> box and the den? What type of tools would I need to accomplish this?
>>
>> Thanks.
>
> Just to be clear, TELCO and ETHERNET in the same cable can be
> problematic. I have tried it and the results have been poor.
>
> VERIFY the pairs everywhere. Especially at the outside terminal block.
>
> The devil is in the terminations. I have seen poor terminations take
> a CAT 5 down so low it was worthless.
>
> Black Box has an excellent catalog with lots of information on the
> types of connectors, tools and color codes.
>
> I repeat myself I WOULD NOT run both services in the same cable.
> Your house your rules.
>
> Plan on spending at least $200 bucks for tools and terminals.  Just
> to get started.