The home network is extended to the basement game room by running Cat 5e cable and installing a new Ethernet jack. A “wired” network connection was needed at this location due to a weak WiFi (wireless) LAN signal. This was a “high priority” according to my teenage son for better Xbox Live performance.
Verifying 100mbps LAN Data Rate for the New Ethernet Jack
The most difficult part of this project was pulling about 65 feet of Cat 5e Ethernet cable from the home router in the upstairs bedroom up to the attic and down three floors to the basement game room. The trick is to find a convenient pathway to fish the Ethernet cable inside the walls.
Home Networking Equipment
My home network consists of a DSL modem (far left), Linksys WRT54G WiFi wireless router, Netgear FS108P desktop switch and a NetGear Skype phone basestation (white box) as shown below. The Netgear FS108P desktop switch is needed for increased Ethernet port capacity and for Power Over Ethernet (PoE) devices on my network.
Home Network Equipment
I had previously installed a dedicated wall box with a single Ethernet Jack and 4-port wall plate as shown below (I used a red Ethernet cable to denote a PoE connection). I’ll add a 2nd Ethernet jack to this outlet.
4-port Ethernet Wall Plate
Working from the attic, I fed kite string with fishing weights the through a 3/4 inch hole in the 2×4 wall plate down through the drywall cavity to the blue outlet box. It took a few minutes of trial and error to drop the fishing weights through the hole in top of the box. I had a helper shine a flashlight into the outlet box so I could see my target from the attic and tell me when the fishing weights dropped into the outlet. (I have rolls of nylon and metal fish tape, but didn’t use it because the fish tape coils over in the wall cavity and I’d never hit the small hole in the blue outlet box. A straight wire pulling rod might have worked if I’d had one available.) Click on the photo for a larger view.
Kite String with Lead Fishing Weights
Now that I had the kite string fished through the box:
- I tied yellow construction string to the kite string and pulled it up into the attic.
- The Ethernet cable was taped to the yellow construction string.
- The Ethernet cable was pulled down and out of the outlet box.
Wiring a RJ-54 Ethernet Jack
Wiring an RJ-45 Ethernet jack is easy to do if you’re attentive to detail and follow a couple of guidelines:
- Strip about 2 inches of outer sheath from the cable.
- The four wire pairs should remain twisted as closely as possible to the punch down pins for maximum signal integrity. About 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch of untwisted wire is usually sufficient to reach the punch down pins.
- Avoid kinks as the light gauge copper strands can break.
- Double check the wire color are correctly matched to the colored-coded pin positions on the jack.
- Wire the jack following the T568B wiring diagram unless you have reason to use the T568A. The T568B standard is widely used in commercial and residential cable installations. If your cable or phone company installs an Ethernet jack for you, they’ll use the B standard. This means matching the twisted pair colors to the “B” color code band on the Ethernet jack. Notice the B color band (upside down) on the Leviton QuickPort Jack in the image below.
Leviton QuickPort Ethernet Jack
- Detailed wiring instructions from Leviton are here.
The punch down tool and Cat 5e jacks are illustrated below.
Punch Down Tool and Ethernet Jacks
About 2 inches of sheath are removed from the cable, revealing the four twisted wire pairs.
Cat 5e Ethernet Jack and Cable
The orange wire is matched to the orange pin position on the ‘B‘ color band and punched down in the photo below. Click for a larger view.
Punching Down the First Wire - Cat5e Ethernet Jack
The orange Cat 5e wire is punched down on the jack pin below. The punch down pin is slotted such that it cuts the insulation and grabs the wire, holding it securely in the jack.
Orange Cat 5e Wire after Punch Down
The color coded wires are matched to the ‘B‘ band color codes and punched down in sequence. The minor trick here is to carefully route each wire to the pin position and avoid kinks.
Punching Down Cat 5e Wires onto the Ethernet Jack
Your Cat5e jack should look like this after punching down all eight wires.
Completed Cat5e Ethernet Jack Wire Punchdown
Right side close-up. The wire color matches the pin in the ‘B‘ color band.
Cat5e Ethernet Jack Punchdown - Right Side
Left side close up.
Cat5e Ethernet Jack Wiring - Left Side
Trim the excess wire as close to the jack as possible.
Trim Off the Excess Wire - Cat5e Ethernet Jack
The finished Ethernet jack:
Cat5e Ethernet Jack Wired and Ready for Service
This article is continued in Part 2.
Bob Jackson
January 19th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
A friend of mine just emailed me one of your articles from a while back. I read that one a few more. Really enjoy your blog. Thanks
April 12th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I just wanted to say thanks for your publishing of this article. This is almost exactly what I was thinking of doing(single story house though) for the purpose of an XBOX 360 in another room(bad signal with wireless) and you answered all the questions that I had and the pictures were a nice touch. After searching for a long time on how to do this, I am glad I came across this article. I am going to try install mine sometime soon and just wanted to let you know that you have helped someone. Thanks.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Thank you very much. i’m attempting to network our new house. we were left with he non tech savvy builders and Verizon left us with only 1 jack. being an xbox player myself i am very sick of being dropped from my favorite games. if all goes well i shall post again.
June 30th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Before I read this, I had no clue how to hook up an Ethernet jack. Now I feel like a pro. Thanks!
August 1st, 2009 at 9:49 am
Loved your stuff, extreeemly helpful in many ways. I already had the hookup in my room with the cable running but just wondering how to insert wires. All for my ps3 and xbox 360. Also just wanted to say how easy you made it im only 15 and with no mechanical knowledge easily performed this. nice blog!
December 26th, 2009 at 11:58 am
How do you connect a Mac?
December 26th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
The Apple Mac computers use a standard RJ-45 Ethernet port. Just plug the Ethernet cable into your home network.
If you’re asking how to configure the Mac O/S network settings, that I wouldn’t know as I’m not a Mac user. This article at Apple Support may be what you’re looking for: Creating a small Ethernet network – http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1433
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:02 am
I was wonder what brand punch down tool you used for this project.
I am going to re-do the cable in my ethernet wall jack in my place, because the installer who did it originally left ~6″ of uninsulated and unbundled wire before terminating the end on the jack itself.
Great howto by the way, nicely illustrated and cleared up the process.
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:58 pm
> … the installer who did it originally left ~6″ of uninsulated and unbundled wire before terminating the end on the jack itself.
A long strand of untwisted wire like that can significantly impair the signal quality and lower your data rates. Rewiring it correctly is a very good idea.
> I was wonder what brand punch down tool you used for this project.
The punch down is the Economy Punch Down Tool – Catalog # 35-185 made by Ideal Industries, Inc.
I bought it at Home Depot for something like $10. I found it just fine for work around the house.
Thanks for reading,
Bob Jackson
March 1st, 2010 at 11:46 am
Hi there, I just had a quick question. Is there a reason you wired your own Jacks rather than just using a female/female coupler? Is the connection more reliable when you wire your own ports? Was it becuase it’s easier to fish out the bare cable? Thank you.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:53 pm
> Is there a reason you wired your own Jacks rather than just using a female/female coupler?
I wired my own jacks because it provided a standard RJ-45 wall jack data port and I’m able to make the Ethernet cable run any length to suit my needs. Had I used Ethernet patch cables with factory installed plugs, I can only buy standard lengths, e.g. 10ft, 25ft, 50ft, 100ft. Bulk cable is a cheaper way to go if you plan to do a lot of jacks.
> Is the connection more reliable when you wire your own ports?
Wiring your own Ethernet jacks is very reliable if you use quality materials (not all Ethernet cable is the same quality) and are careful in your work.
> Was it because it’s easier to fish out the bare cable?
Fishing bulk cable might be a little easier compared to fishing pre-wired Ethernet patch cable with a plug. My concern would be gumming up the plug on the patch cable when wrapped in duct tape to the fish wire. When I pull a run of bulk cable, I just cut off the last 6 inches or so that I wrapped in duct tape to the fish wire.
Thanks for reading,
Bob Jackson
March 16th, 2010 at 8:04 am
Thank you for your Blog. Very helpful. Done plenty of wiring, but never an ethernet. Will be doing mine this afternoon. Just wired a new wall for my surround sound, electric, phone and now my network.
Thanks
March 19th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
This is exactly what I have been looking for and hopefully my hubby will now be able to hook our house up so we can access the whole house. would I be able to use the phone jacks as I originally had 2 phone lines but don’t use one now. I am assuming I can change the phone jack on the bottom to a data plug.
March 20th, 2010 at 8:21 am
You will need to buy a new wall plate having an RJ-11 phone jack and an RJ-45 Ethernet jack. Many styles and configurations are available.
Thanks
April 11th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Does it matter if you do the A side instead of the B side.
April 12th, 2010 at 8:09 am
The A-side (T568A) will work fine, the important thing is to wire both terminations (jacks) using the same scheme, A-to-A or B-to-B; however A-to-B wiring will not work.
The T568B is newer and supersedes the T568A standard.
See this Category 5 cable Wiki article for more information.
Thanks,
Bob Jackson
May 7th, 2010 at 3:43 am
I hope you can help me, I moved into a new place and I have this box in the closet that contained a Netgear Ethernet Hub with eight ports. All the wiring seems to be done already and the jacks are all installed. There are four ethernet cables in the first four ports on the hub which I assume are to go to the four jacks but then there is a single ethernet cable hanging that goes into the wall somewhere. My internet got hooked up today and the tech did not know what to do. I can’t hook up the modem to the hub directly since there is no phone line around. Do I need a router then? I am sorry if this is a dumb question. If it helps, each jack has a ethernet, phone, and cable outlet.
May 7th, 2010 at 7:17 am
If I understand your description correctly, to summarize:
1) The 8-port Netgear Ethernet Hub is still there in the closet.
2) Four (4) Ethernet cables are plugged into the hub.
3) A fifth Ethernet cable is hanging loose and not plugged into the hub.
4) You have DSL service, the DSL modem is installed somewhere outside of the closet and away from the Netgear hub.
5) The DSL modem can’t be located in the closet next to the hub because there’s no phone line.
The problem is getting an Internet connection from the DSL modem to the Netgear hub.
Solution Description:
In general, the Internet connection will follow the format in this diagram – there needs to be a Cat5e Ethernet cable connection between the DSL modem and the NetGear hub:
First, you can use any of the Cat5 Ethernet jacks in the house to backfeed the DSL modem internet connection to the Netgear hub. You didn’t specify the Netgear model #, but it shouldn’t matter which port the DSL modem is plugged into on the Ethernet hub. You might use Port 1 on the hub just to make things easy to remember.
Second, that fifth Cat5e hanging cable might be the one that was used for the broadband service feed by the prior homeowner, or it might just feed another jack, or maybe not connected to anything. Experiment by plugging it into a spare port on the hub and seeing which jack it lights up by plugging your laptop into the jack and seeing if the connectivity LED lights up on your PC. You can do the same for the other four ports and jacks to trace the connectivity. Label each with a piece of masking tape as you trace it out.
Hope this helps,
Bob Jackson
May 14th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
What did you use to cut the hole out of the wall plate. Last time I did a project like this is was for my DirecTV coaxials and I thought I could just pull the old wall plate out. Can’t believe I missed those two mounting screws behind it that pulled out a chunk of my drywall with the plate (wife still not over the damage to her unrepairable faux finish wall). Also, I had planned to run many of my wires from the various rooms up to the attic, plug them into a 5-8 port switch and then wire the switch back downstairs into a wireless router. Do you see any issues with this configuration? Do you know if most switches (even the $10 – $20 ones) can handle the connection to the router without a crossover cable?
May 14th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
> What did you use to cut the hole out of the wall plate.
Begin by marking the outline of the outlet box as illustrated in Part 3. Drill a 3/8″ or 1/2″ diameter hole in a corner of the outline just inside the lines marked for the outlet box. The purpose of the hole is to get the keyhole saw started without tearing the drywall. Cut along the inside of the marked lines using the keyhole saw.
> I missed those two mounting screws behind it that pulled out a chunk of my drywall with the plate…
Yeah, that’s an “old work” outlet box with the “wings” that extend as the mounting screws are tightened. Nifty invention.
> Do you see any issues with this configuration?
That will work. My WiFi router feeds my Ethernet switch.
> Do you know if most switches (even the $10 – $20 ones) can handle the connection to the router without a crossover cable?
Do yourself a favor and buy a quality 8-port 10/100 (or 10/100/1000) Ethernet switch for $50 to $75. A crossover cable isn’t needed because your making LAN connections through one (or more) Ethernet switches.
May 18th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Trying to run a single cat5 cable from an office in the middle floor of our home to an upstairs office on the 3rd floor. I have searched all possible options to fish it up there, current phone outlets, and cold air return ducts. The cold air returns do not go to the lower level and they contain electrical conduit piping. I was told not to run cat5 along side electrical wiring, only across it. The phone line runs up to the attic. I found where the phone line comes in through the stud down to the room but have not investigated it more to find out where it is leading from (I assume outside). I can get the cable from the lower level office to the garage (there is a common wall between the two), then I can run it up into the garage roof attic but then it would require me to start to cut wholes in my drywall to feed it through the master bedroom closet and up into the master closet roof attic. I am not crazy about the idea of cutting about 4 holes in my drywall to do this. There has got to be a better, more professional way.
If an electrician were to come in and run a cat5 cable what would be the route they would take?
May 18th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Continued from previous question….I might mention that there is a basement in our home, so all of our heating and cooling is down there not in the attic. If we ran the cable through the attic spaces do we need to use a weather protected cable?
May 19th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
An electrician would go through your thinking process looking for a simple direct route and use a combination of fish tape, nylon fish rods and/or string. It’s common to cut several small holes in the drywall when there’s no other way to get access. Notice that long flexible drill bit I used to drill through the horizontal brace between the 2×4 studs. That drill bit comes with an L-shaped tool to bend and guide the drill bit between the drywall cavity to drill a hole through the sole or top plate of a wall. I used this exact technique on another project pull wire for a clothes dryer hookup and it works well. It’s not always easy and perseverance will pay off.
May 19th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Standard Cat5e is fine in the attic – tuck it under the insulation if you live in a really hot region like Phoenix. Your phone wiring and house electrical wiring are probably up there too with no problems. See this website for temperature rating info.
July 13th, 2010 at 2:14 am
nice post!
i keep reffering to it. anyways i need to run some ethernet cables throughout my home. one to the living room, and two, to my brothers room. the main network is in my room (dsl router, cable modem)…
also in my room the techs ran my tv cable through a hole in the ceiling of my closet. i personally dont like it, especially when i have a hole in my wall by my tv and network that seems to be okay to use as a path to run the cables. i need to run the cable cord, a phone line cord, as well as the 3 ethernet cords i will need.
i went in the attic and i couldnt find where i needed to drill to make the whole. how can i come about finding the right spot, when you cant see if from the attic?
July 13th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
> i went in the attic and i couldn’t find where i needed to drill to make the hole. how can i go
> about finding the right spot, when you cant see if from the attic?
There are several techniques for locating where to drill the hole in the top plate of the 2×4 wall to route a new wire or cable: 1) Measure the relative distance to the wall from a ceiling air vent and do the same from the air vent in the attic. Clear away the insulation to see where the drywall meets the 2×4 top plate of the wall. 2) Follow the electrical wiring in the attic to see where it routes down the top plate in the wall. Notice the nail pattern to locate the studs and drill your hole for the ethernet cable between the next set of studs. Do not route ethernet or phone wiring along the 120VAC wiring to avoid interference. 3) If you don’t have “landmarks”, drive a finishing nail in the ceiling directly above where you want to install the ethernet outlet, 2 or 3 inches away from the wall. The nail should pop through the drywall after 1/2 inch or so. If you hit something hard – e.g. ceiling joist or truss – pull the nail out and retry 3 inches to one side or another to avoid the joist. Go into the attic and look for the finishing nail. Now you know where to drill a hole between the wall studs. The finishing nail makes a tiny hole that is easy to fill with a dab of spackle. I used a similar technique to locate a new air vent in this project: http://www.handymanhowto.com/2010/07/05/speedi-boot-part-2/