Wiring Cat 6 Ethernet Ports Through the Attic
Вставка
- Опубліковано 14 тра 2024
- A wired Ethernet cable is the best way to connect your computer at home. Today I will show you my process to add a new Cat 6 Ethernet port.
500 ft Cat 6: geni.us/500Cat6
Low Voltage Box: geni.us/LVOldWork
Cat 6 Keystone (Jack): geni.us/Cat6Keystone
Keystone Wall Plate: geni.us/WallPlate
Cat 6 Data Plug: geni.us/PassThroughPlug
Klein Crimper: geni.us/Crimper
Punch down tool: geni.us/PunchDown
SUBSCRIBE here, it's FREE! bit.ly/SubscribeTWB
Check out these products I use and have reviewed: www.amazon.com/shop/techwithb...
00:00 New Ethernet Location
00:45 Routing Cat 6
02:02 Investigate the Attic
02:53 Cat 6 Cable
04:10 Tools
04:43 Running the cable
06:49 Wall Box
08:41 Wiring Cat 6 Keystone
10:36 Making ethernet cable
13:44 Terminating at Router
14:23 Testing Cable
Tech With Brett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Connect with me: techwithbrett.com/links/ - Наука та технологія
My biggest tip with this is to double check you are in the right spot before drilling holes everywhere. Also, it might be way too hot to go up in the attic now, make a plan to do it this fall.
Any idea how to make my tpljnk access points faster there WiFi 6 and it was an extender but in access point mode now. Also how can I make my gigabit Internet faster on ethernet I got a cat 7 ran to outdoor conveted like in the garage in the mesh WiFi video
@@choosingmusic11488p If you only have Gb, anything better than CAT5 won't do a thing for you.
@@James_Knott oh ok
BINGO! He also needs to push his cables into the RJ45 ends more too, that blue jacket should be pushed in way deeper..
I really hope you used Solid copper not the CCA 'Copper Clad Aluminium' garbage.. Also real world testing has shown that cat5e can handle 10 gig connections someone got 8.5Gb/s with cat5e
EDIT: also those rj45 ends need to be re done on the switch.. the outside jacket shouldn't be that far back. You want the RG-45 tip to be locking the jacket in the tip.
To pinpoint where to drill in attic....
Drill a tiny hole in the ceiling, directly front of the wall where your cables are going to drop down and stick a wire hanger up through this hole into the attic. Up in the attic, locate the hanger (have someone move it around if not easily seen) and then drill into the wood joist/doubleplate directly behind the hanger. Fill tiny hole in ceiling with spackle or toothpaste. Works every time, no measuring needed.
Dude thats brilliant
Don’t you just love when everything works out perfectly.
I had been putting it off forever but couldn't believe it ended up being much easier than planned.
A few points:
1) When taping the cable to the coax, stagger the cables, so you don't have one big bump to catch on things as you pull the cable in.
2) For proper installation, always terminate solid cable on jacks and then use a patch cord. While there are plugs for solid wire, those came about only because people insisted on doing things the wrong way. Yes, that means a patch panel at the switch end.
3) Another useful tool is a length of "dog chain", which can be dropped down inside walls, etc..
4) You installed the jack in the wall upside down. The wires are supposed to be at the top, with the latch at the bottom. This keeps dust from collecting on the contacts. I would also mount the switch connectors down, for the same reason.
5) Do not use solid wire for patch cords. It's not meant for that purpose and movement of the cable may cause metal fatigue in the wires, which will cause a break. In fact, these days, I don't even bother making patch cords, as buying them costs a lot less than my time.
6) It's hard to tell, but it appears you didn't push the cable far enough into the connector. When you crimp the connector, a piece of the plastic is supposed to clamp the outer insulation.
BTW, on my 500/20 cable modem connection, I typically get around 935/31, according to speedtest. I've seen as high as 948 down. My LAN is 1 Gb, so there's not much room for improvement.
Thanks so much for all the tips! The upside down plate was just me being in a hurry and noticed it later. The Switch worked the best for me that way but I understand the need of going the other way, I just find it odd TP-Link doesn't have holes to mount it that way.
7) when you cut out your low voltage box in the drywall, test the location to verify there is not a stud in your path.
I am just going to address a few things in this comment, as there is some misinformation.
1.) Sure, but it clearly worked, and it is only 2 lines. He isn't pulling a 12 line bundle.
2.) Patch panels are not necessary in this type of environment. They are useful in many ways, but for in-home use, re-terminating a broken line is not the end of the world.
3.) Fish tape or rods are a much better option due to rigidity. Use in conjunction with poly pull line for any needed flexibility.
4.) Keystone was installed "correctly" as the text should be right-side up, and the clip down. However, even when installed inverted, there are no adverse effects with the cover installed.
5.) I agree, solid core for patch cables is not the best option due to possible mechanical fatigue, but still viable in a home environment.
6.) Yes, the insulation should be pushed in as far as possible.
7.) Absolutely, but there is no evidence he didn't. Secondly, the box for the electrical outlet is most likely attached to a stud so as long as he has it 1.5 inches away, safe bet in modern construction.
Source: It is literally my job.
My only advise, and again you may have done this, is to leave a service loop, which is just a loop of extra cable, near each termination in the event you need to re-terminate in the future. Thank you for the video!
@@w0nd3rb0y 1) It worked in this case; the point of the comment was that, in general, it's a good idea to stagger the wires since you don't know what it might run into when fishing the line.
2) Patch panels aren't "necessary," but they're neater, they make organization and labeling easier, and they look more professional, which will be a sticking point when it comes time to sell the house. Nobody wants a mess of random wires hanging from holes in the ceiling. If it's literally your job and I'm paying you to run ethernet through my house, then you damn well better be installing a patch panel.
4) He filmed two different jacks for this video. One has the power outlet to the left, and is installed upside-down. The other doesn't and wasn't. If I were looking to buy a house that had upside-down keystones (or even worse, inconsistent from one jack to another), I'd assume all the other work done to it was half-assed as well. Also, the cover is not covering the wires inside the jack, so it appears you missed the point of the comment you're responding to.
@@rars0n You missed the point of my response. None of his bullet points matter in a simple home network. There are no wires inside the jack. I assume you are referring to the contacts. If someone is going to speak as an "expert", the terminology is important. Dust will not collect on the contacts inside the jack, upside down or not. For reference, many switches have alternating ports. They are designed to be installed horizontally. I don't find dust in the ports with the contacts on the bottom. It is not a concern.
I’m so fascinated about your switch setup. Looks so clean and easy to understand.
Brett, great video with good pacing, just enough detail, very well done. I ran most of the cabling for a new home so was able to do so before the drywall was on so that was super nice! I bought a patch panel to really do it "right", but as it is coming down to it, I may just terminate those into the switch....
If you already have the patch panel, use it. Otherwise, you'll be fine. Just leave a bit of extra cable in a loop in the even you need to re-terminate in the future.
Great video 👍 really good info here. Best time to do this project is fall or spring because attics during summer can reach 150f.
I actually recorded this a few months ago and it was nice and cool up there. Went up yesterday for a split second and I was sweating bullets!
Tip when stripping the cable the String is in there for a reason to help strip the jacket back, Its best practice to strip using the tool and then use the string to strip the jacket back further and use that fresh pulled back wire for termination. When using a stripper its possible to nick the wires and have them break when terminating or even worse in a few months time with movement and temp expansion cause intermittent problems.
A good, informative video. Thanks!
When running the cable be sure not to lay it next to power wires. It can and will pick up static from the current causing errors. Be sure to shove the wire sleeve up into the RJ45 giving the plug more support before crimping it down.
Yeah I was going to say that it looks like the socket is a bit too close to the power outlet.
If you have an oscillating tool you can get a special saw attachment that cleanly cuts a perfect rectangular hole in dry wall. Although for some reason it works better with some oscillating tools than others.
THIS IS the video I needed
Thanks Brett 🙂.
Sending this to my Son who is an Electrician.
JaneLee - in Suburban Philadelphia
6/26/22
15:46 is my favorite part of the video!
came to the comments looking for this. Ha ha ha
When crimping an rj45 plug please push your cable in as far as you can so it also grips on the outer sleeve, the way you did yours they will eventually break.
Did you see the black ones? Those didn't even make it into the plug!
May* eventually break. If there is no movement, they will suffice. Additionally, if we are giving advise, please use correct terminology. It is jacket, not sleeve.
How do i find the top of the wall so i can put the wire ? Any tios thank you
@@giancarlotorres6795 Looks like he measured it with a tape measure from the end of the wall to the spot he wanted the jack.
He then went into the attic and used the tape measure again to find the spot to drill.
Doing attic work by yourself is the worst lol. You are a hero.
Also, don't do this in the summer!
15:45 - "Why is daddy talking to himself? I'm scared..."
Thank you for this valuable guide, I’m in the middle of setting up my smart home network room where I’ll be setting up all my hubs, I’m also trying to hardwire each room in our home. I’m using Netgear Wi-Fi 6E and I have 5 Ethernet satellites again great video thank you so much!!
That's quite the project! I need to organize mine a bit better but it is finally labeled now and easy to access.
Not as scary as I thought it would be making my own cables! Now I can run my own cable to my mancave! Can't wait!
Great video thank you!
Great video! Would’ve liked you to touch more on the unfortunate use of A & B “standard” of wiring the RJ 45 connectors.
I have done a lot of network installs and I think it would be a good idea to re-crimp those RJ 45 ends and push the jackets way further inside so that it crimps properly.
I always add the blue boots on the ends as well.
That is a good idea, I realized I should have pushed them all the way in through the pass-thru end to have a better end. I actually did some others today like that and they look great. Thanks for the tip!
You should re terminate those RJ on the patch and in the switch end, it works but it is a possible point of failure. 100% agree with Anthony.
I'd highly recommend finding yourself a set of RJ45 plugs with a load bar too. They make things much easier and it results in the exposed conductor length being as minimal as possible.
It would an even better idea to use a patch panel instead of crimping RJ45 ends.
Thank you so much for putting this video together. Running additional ethernet cables has been on my bucket list for awhile. This video really helped me understand what all is involved and the tools required.
If it is not practical or possible to run an ethernet cable to a particular room, would you recommend using a power line ethernet adapter?
No!
Nice sometime next year were gonna get our electrician to install networking into our house and ethernet jacks. Since ATT Fiber might be coming to our area in a year or 2 and for when we have wifi issues. :)
Lol. Network snobs critiquing. 😂 I loved the video. Thanks, dude.
First lovely vid amazing idea
I have a question how do you use your old smart phone as Google assistant like the Google nest hub but it's on your phone and the display will be the same with Google nest hub
ALWAYS spray foam the penetrations (above and below the living space.) That's the only way to effectively keep your conditioned air in the conditioned space.
As to the RJ45 crimping, push the jacket (blue in this case) far enough into the RJ to allow the crimp to contact the jacket.
Yes!
A bit difficult to see but it looked like the plug didn’t crimp on to the outer sleeve. Tends to put strain on the connections into the signal wires. Also there are 2 types of cables, stranded and solid core. Stranded is for use from a socket to a device as it can flex easier, but it has a higher attenuation so shouldn’t be used for more that 10 meters. Solid core is the stuff you do between socket and patch panel. Better attenuation but not designed to be flexed. The maximum distance you can run that is 90meters. This gives you the maximum 100 meter rating. If you flex solid core it starts to crack the conductors and it eventually fails.
If you punch down in sockets and patch panels then they have a guarantee of 20+ years, so it’s a fit and forget. Patch leads are throw away items.
Remember the specs are usually built with some over engineering and are, if followed, able to guarantee it will work to spec so when you put your cable certifier on the line it passes all the tests. Then the installer gives the 20 year guarantee backed up by the cable manufacturer. I’ve done 10’s of thousands of cables and only ever seen one fail cert tests for anything other than miss wiring.
Don’t sweat the advice here though, let’s face it your not going to be moving the switch connections about much so it’s not likely to have a problem that end and the other end is a socket. The patch cable breaking will just be a case of throwing it away and terminating another.
Good on ya for jumping in and getting it done.
I do it the old fashion way of producing the patch cables, without a passthrough rj-45. I'm jealous.
But at least I have 8 network ports through conduit in my office connected to one of my two 24 port gigabit switches.
i like cat 6 ethernet ports : )
The crimping of connectors still needs to be improved. The insulation of cable should go deeper into the RJ45 connector.
As an RCDD for 30 nearly years. I recommend buying your station cables rather than using the Cat-6 solid conductor cable which is used for your horizontal path cable.
"recommend buying your station cables"
what?
@@PatrickSmith87 Station cables are meant to be flexible and the pins of an RJ-45 plug are meant to pierce the jacket and make contact with stranded conductors. These systems are meant to work in this manner because the actual transmission of the signal works best to this matched ecosystem. Solid conductor cable is meant to be typically stationary after installation and station cables and patch cords are meant to be moved, or twisted and bend in more flexible manners. The next best reason is making your own station cables is costly and time consuming. 0.5 to 5 meter standard station cables can be bought very inexpensively, and these cable are usually quality tested and come with 25 year warranties as part of a structured cabling system.
Mistake 1- u attached coax to Ethernet cables -- attract a pull string or 2 for future…
If no coax pull I have before have pushed up from 1st floor pvc pipe to drop the cables thru…. PVC 1 inch or 3/4 or 1/2 pipe 10 ft stock length easily to get into the 8 foot tall 1st floor and the stiffness punches thru any obstacles in its way after cables and string pushed down pipe. Then you pull pipe out from the first floor
Awesome video!
I recently got a Firewalla to use as my edge router. Was able to get a lot better network speeds rather than using my WiFi router as my main router. Might help you out to get a different router instead of using the Google router.
so those cables on copper pipe..so if they sweat or get hot?
Hi Brett, 3 years ago you made a video about ace 2. Can it show how many calories are burnt? Thanks
In my opinion, going through the attic is always the best option as it is easy to hide away all the cables, and easy to drill into walls and drop the cables down inside the walls
It worked really well. The only time I wouldn't is if I had a crawl space but no attic to crawl through.
@@TechWithBrett Crawl space is great, but here where i'm from (Norway), they almost does not exist. The exception is really old houses
Pretty good with the basics. Only thing I might add is you really shouldn’t use solid core riser cable from the wall to the computer. Every time you move it your risking bending and breaking it. Stranded cabling is better. Also I would have put stain relief boots on the cable.
Thanks, I'll have to look into those.
Great video! Quick question, how come your Cat6 cable didn't have a pair separator between each pair?
Noise Reducing Cross Separator .. it depends on the vendor that manufactures the bulk cable.. for home use, its perfectly fine without it... for businesses that's where you want. VoIP phones, printers, computers and other wired connections want to reduce crosstalk and any interference on the data lines
Most cat6 cable these days doesn't have a pair separator, they figured out how to make cable that meets cat6 specs without it. Progress.
Just my two cents: the information printed on the cable not only tells you it is Cat 6, it also has the foot measurement of the cable. I believe it's in two foot increments. No need to guess how long the cable is or when to cut, just look at the cable and it will let you know how many feet you have pulled.
Love me a good hard line
hi i am in a new built home with network points in diffrent rooms ,but i dont see any patch pannel in my home anyone have any idea .there is no basment is it possible in the attic thanks .
There are snap in connectors better than punch down use regular rf45 ends
0:39 if you cut a box for both rooms in the same stud bay, you'll get more noise transmission between the rooms. You may not want that.
Your operation is very detailed, which helps me a lot, but the insulation of cable should go deeper into the RJ45 connector.
Indeed
7:15 *_do not use sprayfoam insulation if the hole is too big_* , you will hate yourself later on.
Just use some tape if you are worried about the cords wiggling or stuff some excess loose insulation in the hole.
Tech with Brett I have ea problem smth happened to my email so I woke up and it said my account would be deleted in 29 days I'm trying to save the stuff by it gets deleted but idk what to do exactly please help
just an fyi, cat6 only does 10Gbps at up to about 50 meters, you need cat6a for 10Gbps up to 100 meters
If you put in ethernet cables throughout your house, then I would suggest using a patch panel instead of directly installing ethernet crimps.
why was the speed test with the laptop vs the computer different? Should a drop in speed be expected when connected to ethernet?
Speed tests are not always accurate, and conditions between tests also may be different. Try to run a speed test yourself right now, 5 minutes apart, and you may notice they are not identical.
Did you pull the black cable out first and then fish through that hole? so two cables in one small hole?
Yes I did two cables through one hole. You could also run a pull string through so you can pull another cable through with it.
You need to fix those cable crimps man. You crimped the wires more than the sleeve. Oof
Seems like CAT6 is the go-to-way in the US these days.
In Germany you can hardly find any CAT6 cables. The standard here is CAT7, these days often CAT7A, some people even use CAT8.2 (but I doubt the latter one makes any sense as 10GBase-T already consumes multiple times the power a 1GBase-T connection does, I guess 40GBase-T would run extremely hot and be even more power hungry)
I guess anything above CAT7 does not really make sense, for anything faster than 2.5 Gigabit at home I'd rather use Fiber, preferably multimode. Consumes a lot less power and can even do 25, 40 or 100 Gbit/s.
Very nice work, but my house has a fire block in the wall, so it's a bit hard to run the wire all the way down straight. 😐
Oh bummer, outside walls are required and I was lucky my inside walls didn't have them.
What was that switch and is it connected to the router Ethernet port or wired in directly
It is a TP Link 16 port switch. I have the Fiber Modem, plugged into the Router that is plugged into the switch. More details here: ua-cam.com/video/wQQt9Qv6xDY/v-deo.html
Bro I been wanting to wire this house with ethernet forever now. The only ports in the rooms are phone line jacks. I'm just worried Cat 6 won't be enough for long distances so I might have to go Linus Tech Tips style. I'm this close to just hiring an electrician. Also I've never been in my attic before.
It certainly is quite the undertaking! If you have plenty of room in your attic it makes it pretty easy to move around. Maybe in the fall take a look up there and if possible.
Should have ran a string with it and pulled coax back up for future
Any idea how to make my tpljnk access points faster there WiFi 6 and it was an extender but in access point mode now. Also how can I make my gigabit Internet faster on ethernet I got a cat 7 ran to outdoor conveted like in the garage in the mesh WiFi video
Why not 6A? 6 only 10Gbps to 55 meters?
Wow
Everyone else has critqued this but I'm curious about one thing. Why do you have the switch mounted with the ports facing up (or was that just a trick of the camera)? I would think you would want them facing down, so dirt and other debris doesn't get into them.
That's is actually how the mounting slots were oriented. It seemed odd to me but it kind of worked better for some of the wiring or my devices.
Glad you didn’t hit any fire blocks in your walls.
I know it’s overkill, but I would have used CAT8 cable to future proof.
And yes that coax is for an attic mounted antenna, a lot of new builds have that. I guess you won’t be putting one up there now. 😊
Please stop at Cat6A. If you're going to use cat8, just take a quick tutorial on how to run back to back switches with fiber.
CAT8 is overkill for a home netowrk.. Cat5e or Cat6 is more than enough. but to each their own on how much they want to spend on cabling
Any tips on working around them? would all wall studs have them?
You're supposed to push the sleeve of the cable up inside the connector
FYI, you can get more than 1000Mb on cat5e. Most houses are short runs and there's not hundreds of cables like a business would have so no cross talk
Not all cables follow that pattern with pre-made as long as both ends are the same
that's a bigist idea
I wish I had ethernet ports in my house
Um actually... Cat6 supports 10Gbps for 55m. 😊 Otherwise, great vid.
For the love of god, push the jacket of the cable into the RJ-45 connector and while at it, don't use fixed installation cables that are solid-core for patch leads.
Yaaloo
You can use COAX as Ethernet.
I should try that sometime. I already removed the coax from all the rooms though...
I've been reading up on it. COAX can do much more than just provide a TV signal.
The way to do that is with media converters. These convert twisted pair Ethernet to coax and can also provide power over Ethernet. The ones I've worked with do 100 Mb and were intended to be used when converting analog security video to digital.
No they make rj45 passthru keystones. No need to punch down wires. Just put connectors on both sides.
What if you need multiple wires in that room but you only have one outlet?
You can buy face plates that have multiple ports on them. Just make sure you label your cables on both ends.
I know this is old but for others that just ran across this tutorial like I have this is an excellent guide in WHAT NOT TO DO!
Data cable should be kept away from electrical wires as much as possible.
The cable in the attic and wall cavity should be stapled.
Twists in the cable pairs should be maintained as close as possible to the terminations in the keystone
The outer jacket of the cable needs to be well past the strain relief.
The cables coming into the room with all the network gear should be on a patch panel.
Don’t make your own station cables buy pre-terminated ones. If you insist on making your own use stranded wire rather than solid core. I know the heads on many pass-thru brands say they work with solid core but they have a high failure rate.
CAT6 will run 10GB at 55 meters. You’ll probably connect at greater lengths but will likely have hire loss rates. 2.5 GB is possible at 100 meters.
Always looking to learn. Thanks.
Just so you know you can say 1 gigabit instead of 1000mbps since 1000mbps is 1 gigabit.
No fire block in that wall?
This was an internal wall so it didn't have one.
Your plan works if existing wiring isnt secured to inside framing and there are no fire breaks.
Little lady came in to check on you 15:47
While outdoor ethernet cable is available, I would never use it as copper on the outside of the house is susceptible to lighting strikes and can not just fry your network but all devices that are hard wired to it.
As if some siding and sheathing is going to stop lightning.
Cat5E will also carry 10gig at 100 meters, actually up to 140 meters that I've personally tested
Wow that insulation looks awful and messy, do you guys have Rockwool there in the US?
Should be using Cat7 to future proof....
If I needed to go better than CAT6, I'd go with fibre.
I might move soon so I didn't want to put in the extra cost...
@@TechWithBrett There is a huge differrence between cables... cat6 and cat6a etc etc. Its vital to do proper research when it comes to these types of cables... not to mention hdmi and displayport cables... its easy to buy inferior cables, that doesnt even support f.ex 4k 120 hz.. if you just assume things.
@@James_Knott Even if you got fiber, that cable only goes as far as into your router... from there you need regular cables to your tv, pc etc... and you dont want to use your old cat6 or cat6a cables... ditch them all and get cat7a or higher.
@@wojtek-33 fool....
Did you paint that smoke detector yellow?! Not allowed!
No, it just hasn't been replaced since 1993, lol. It has been changed now.
@@TechWithBrett Also important to change every 10 years or so. 😲
Brother. how much do you weigh? 🤔 Will my attic stand if I climb it. i weigh 224 pounds 😬😁 Thanks for video 💯
Like 250. Don't step on the sheetrock only the rafters.
You might want to check that yellowed smoke detector. They only have a certain lifespan before they expire.
Good eye! I already have a new one, just need to find the time to install.
@@TechWithBrett The joys of the never ending projects haha, great video btw thanks
You use Google WIFI as your primary router? braveman!
Always install the faceplate with the pins on top, you have it upside down.
Cat 6 will not support 10gb for 100 meters
You should probably change that smoke detector, it's fully changed colors, bet it's 15 years old.
Lol, I did when we moved.
30 years of networking and i have never seen a crimp in reverse order..
Looking at your smoke detectors appear to be beyond their 10 life limit, replace them with combination photoelectric/CO talking detectors!
@Brett is that a Mi Watch at 08:24
It is a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. I added a new band since I made a video about it.
i tried for 3 hrs to use them pass through plugs i couldnt get them wires to pass through for nothing
They are a bit challenging. Once I have the pairs unwound, and then smoothed out the end I make a clean cut so they are all lined up. Then I slowly thread it in and just wiggle a little bit to get it to go through and keep them aligned.
I didn't find any cat here
This stuff is way to complicated for me i wish you could just come do it for me
Haha, I'd love to if you're in Utah.
Cat5e with 350mhz? Thats even more than cat6
You're got the jack upside down
Just making sure you were paying attention.
My internet connection sucks it is 6.4mbps
What if you dont have an attic?
!
Do you have a crawlspace under the house?