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Pre-wired home with cat 5 issue

7K views 55 replies 10 participants last post by  zx10guy 
#1 ·
First time posting here so if i'm wrong in any way, please let me know.

I have a home that's pre-wired with cat 5 and thought it would be easy to use when I needed it, but it looks like I'm wrong. I know the home is using cat 5 because it was in my docs when I purchased the home and, after pulling off the wall plate, I see it labeled as cat 5 and see all of the jacks are connected properly with all of the wires. Since I've been living here, all of the jacks have been used as phone lines and have never been needed for a network until now.

Connecting all of the jacks to the router and modem should be as easy as plugging in the Ethernet cable and be good to go. The problem I am having is that there is no main junction box inside the house that connects all of the cables together. All of the cables tie in at the phone box outside of my house and, at that point, only use the colored wires used for phone service, leaving the networking wires not connected and loose.

The question I have is what is the best way to connect the loose wires outside to complete the network wiring so that it works properly? Also, is there a way to even bypass having to do anything outside and just use the colored wires already connected by making changes to an Ethernet cable?

I'm comfortable with wiring and making a cable if I have to, I'm just not sure if it would work or if somehow tying in the wires outside would be the only solution. Any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance!
 
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#2 ·
It looks like those wires were meant to be used as phone lines instead of network cables. is there any way you can bring those cables inside the house? otherwise is going to be ugly
 
#3 ·
When I bought the house new, I had many options through the builders. Included with the construction was having the house pre-wired with cat 5 for networking. The original plans were to use my wireless router for internet access and just use them as phone lines with the option to change usage later. I had the option of installing a box inside the home for networking/video/etc, at a price. Didn't do it thinking, well who knows if I'll even need it. Regret it now, but kind of pissed at the builder since they led me to believe that it would work as a home network without it.

I can work with ugly and put some makeup on it to make it look passable, I just need to get an idea that works so I know what to do.
 
#4 ·
how many cables are there? There is really only two ways. one installing a patch panel (110 block) in some sort of box outside or put 8P8C connector (aka RJ45 jack) on each cable and then run them back to the router using a coupler
 
#5 ·
Total of 6 cables, only really need 3 of them though. They exit the house along with my electrical so I would assume the only point in the house where they are together would be right above my breaker panel, and I'm not to confident in cutting right around that to get a better look or putting a panel there.

Option #2, if I understand correctly, I would attach a connector to each of the cables outside, tie them in together, and then run another cable back inside into the router? Not sure I have that option again because of where I'd have to drill back into.

Thinking option #1 might be better. Not pretty outside, but better.

There is no way to make a cable that would use the phone lines as incoming and outgoing data lines is there?
 
#6 ·
no network cables can't be spliced like that. they must be separate. so in theory all cables must be run back to the router
 
#8 ·
here is a 6 port

http://support.directv.com/app/ask

I just did a Google search
 
#10 ·
#12 ·
dennisj00 said:
You could put a small switch at that location, just put crimp connectors on the cables you want to use, and run one new cable to the switch from your router.
Most switches wouldn't survive unless the outdoor enclosure is NEMA 4 (water tight) and it would still be a crap shoot. Power will be a major problem unless you go PoE.

For three cables, I'd go with couplers and use some anti-oxidant grease.
 
#13 ·
Most switches wouldn't survive unless the outdoor enclosure is NEMA 4 (water tight) and it would still be a crap shoot. Power will be a major problem unless you go PoE.


Yup this is the exact reason why I did not mention putting a switch outside
 
#14 ·
A switch will probably survive as well or better than a patch panel in a weather-proof enclosure. Power shouldn't be a problem since he mentioned it was near his breaker panel.

If anything, I'd pull the cables back into the crawl space and go with the switch. (assuming there is a crawl space)

I have several switches installed in outdoor enclosures that have worked for years.
 
#15 ·
A switch will probably survive as well or better than a patch panel in a weather-proof enclosure. Power shouldn't be a problem since he mentioned it was near his breaker panel.

If anything, I'd pull the cables back into the crawl space and go with the switch. (assuming there is a crawl space)

I have several switches installed in outdoor enclosures that have worked for years.
A patch panel has no powered electronics parts no risk of "frying" something or even fire
 
#18 ·
The phone company will not touch any of the wiring from the house to the NID. While the DMARC is at the NID located just outside of the house, in the housing you'll see two sides. One is marked for customer access. This is where the wiring from your house comes in and plugs into the feeds provided by the Telco. The other side is marked for Telco access for their access.

Switches are so cheap these days, that I would probably try placing it in an enclosure to see if it works. If it dies, you'd lose what...$20? The alternative to do it by the book is to purchase an environmentally hardened switch. However, they're not cheap and a simple 8 port switch can cost around $300-400.
 
#19 ·
If the house is fairly new why not contact the builder and ask them why they did it that way? Never seen the cat 5 run outside on a build of a new house that specified network capable, they cables where all run to a central closet and if termination and patch panel was in the contract it was put in
 
#21 ·
I eventually plan on bringing them into the house when I have the $$ for someone who can pull them in. Since the phone lines enter the house at the same point as electrical, I just don't want to mess with zapping myself with the big line. Once I get them inside, I'm comfortable with running them into a main room or just paying someone to do it.

The builder gave me the option to pay and have them meet in a central location. I didn't go with that choice since it was extra and was led to believe that if I wasn't adding anything special to the lines, the home should still be able to use the lines as a network.

To make sure, this is what I'm looking for, correct??

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-Structured-Media-6-Port-Cat5e-Voice-and-Data-Stand-Alone-Module-with-Bracket-R00-47605-CB5/100662465#.UghNbZKTjSg

Went with HD since the local electronics places only had powered switches and nothing like the patch panel. I want to put it into the Telco box outside and it seems to fit with some modifications to the items inside and it is pretty weather tight so water shouldn't be an issue. I don't need to use the jacks, just use the 110 connectors and that's it?
 
#22 ·
Yup, that will work
 
#23 ·
Not sure if I did something wrong but not getting the results I expected. Connected everything properly, checked and double checked the connections at the patch panel and at the wall. Not getting any connection from wall A (computer) to wall B (router/modem). Anything in particular to look for or make sure I did?
 
#24 ·
Well you need to run a line from your router to the patch panel and make sure to connect it to the right wire "wall"
 
#25 ·
I may not have understood that part until now. I thought the panel was connecting the wires together so the signal comes across to each other. Knowing that, if I have the wire coming in from the router to the panel via RJ45, will it connect all of the other wires connected via 110? If that would work, what is the best way to find the correct wire going to that wall?
 
#26 ·
No you need dedicated lines from the router to the patch panel. in order to find which wire goes where, you need to use the "trail and error" method.
 
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