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HowtoInstallaDataNetworkatHomebyMLaurence
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TableofContents
1.Welcome2.EquipmentNeeded3.WheretoSituatethePatchPanel/Hub4.MovingtheRouter5.CablingtheNetwork6.ConnectingtheSockets7.PatchPanelorRJ45Plugs8.PatchPanelCabinet9.ScanningtheNetwork10.Signingoff
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1.Welcome
Hithereandthankyoufortakingalookatmyebook.
MyproblemwasthatIwastryingtouseaMacupstairsinmyhouse,alaptopinthelivingroomandalaptopinthegarage-butihadverySLOWBroadbandspeedthankstomyWi-Fibeingblockedbythickwalls.IwantedfastInternetbecauseIalsodovideoeditinganduploadfilesinmysparetime,ialsowantedapossiblelaptoppositioninthegarageasifixcars.UsingYoutubetoseehowsomethingistakenapartisextremelyusefulinthegarage.Wi-Fiwasterribleoutthere.
Wi-Fiisroughly50%slowerthanhard-wirednetworks.
WiredconnectionswithanEthernetcablerunat100mbps(megabitpersecond).
Unlessyouhavegigabithardware(NICs&Router)andgigabitapprovedcabling(Cat6A),
thenyouarelookingat1000mbps[1gbps].
WirelessconnectionsattheirMaximumspeedcanrunatthefollowing;
Gratedrouters-54mbpsMAX
Nratedrouters-300mbpsMAX
SoifspeedisimportanttousthenawirednetworkistheONLYoption.
Mysolutionwastoinstallahard-wirealocaldatanetworkinthehouseandgarageandbringitbacktoacentrallocationinthehouse-connectingittoahubandrouterandhavetotalfreedom.
Fast-forwardandnowtheworkiscompleteandIcanaccessthenetfromallmyroomsifneeded,guestscanevenlogon,andIcanusethelaptopinthegaragewhenworkingonacarandgettingInternet-basedinformationfast.
BeingaTelecommunicationsEngineerof15yearsmadethisarelativelyeasyjob,andI
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wantedtosharewithyouthemethodofdoingthis.Ifeltmyexperiencewouldbereallyusefultomanypeopleandthisledtomewritingthisbook.
Cablinginsideahousecanbeverytrickyduetoneatnessbeingofhighimportantplusthelocationofthenetworkpatchpanelandequipmentcanmakeallthedifferencebetweenaveryhardjobandarelativelyeasyjob.
IwantedtogivesomeoneasimpleHowtotoworkoutwheretositetheequipment,cabling,connecting,whethertouseapatchpanelorRJ45plugsandevenwhethertouseaCabinet.
Imgoingtothrowtheguffandtech-talkoutthewindowitllbeaneasytofollowguidewithnononsense.
LetsmaxoutthatsuperspeedfromyourInternetandgetcabling!
Martin
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2.EquipmentNeeded
Letsjumpstraightintotheequipmentyoullneedtocompletethework.Thisisthebestcasescenariosandimsureyoucanborrowtheoddtoolfromafriendoveraweekendtocompletethework.
BasicTools:
(availablefromanytoolcentre)
Cutters
Flat-bladeScrewdriver
Philips(cross-head)ScrewDriver
PunchDownToolconnectiontool(connectingthemodules)
BatteryDrill
Masonrydrillbit10mm
WoodDrillbit10mm
PowerDrill(SDSisusuallythebest)
MixofheavyMasonrydrillbits
Hammerandclips
Clip-gun
BlackTie-Wraps
ElectricalTape
Data
BackBoxes
FrontPlates
Modules
PatchPanel(Optional)
RJ45plugs(insteadofPatchPanel)
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RJ45Crimper
TestingEquipment:
LabelMachine
Cat5eScanner
Cable:
(Availablefromanelectricalwholesalers)
BothCat5eandCat6aretwistedpaircablesthatusecopperwires,4twistedpairsineachcable.ThespecificationforCat6featuresmorestringentspecificationsforcrosstalkandsystemnoise.
Cat5eperformsupto1000mbps.
Cat6performupto10,000mbps.
SoyoucanuseCat5ewhichisperfectlyworkablefortheavaergeBroadbandspeedandInfinityetc,Cat6Agivesitalongerlifeandsomeaddedfutureproofing.
Thiscomesinboxesof300metressooneboxismorethanenoughforatypicalhouse.
Hardware:
(Availablefromanelectricalwholesalers)
Hub
YourBroadbandRouterplugsintoaHubwithaCat5orCat6PatchLeadandgivesyouadditionalcapacity.Mostcomeinsizes10,16,24.ItseemsoverkillbutIdprobablygoforaround16,althoughthedifferencesinpriceareminimal,andyouvegotstacksofcapacity.
PatchPanel
Thisisoptional,youcanuseoneofthesewhichyouwillterminatethecablestothebackof.
OR
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YouwillneedanRJ45crimpingtool,whichclampstheRJ45plugstotheendsofthecable.Thesewillplugstraightintothehub.
PatchPanelCabinet
Thisisthenextleveloftidiness.Youcanaunitthesizeofasetordrawersallthewaytoafloorstandingunitwhichyoucansituateallofyourequipment.
A6Upatchpanelcabinetcanmakeeverythingneatandtidybymountingthisonthewallorontopofasmallplatformintheroofandhavealltheequipmentinside.Theseusuallycomewiththenutsandboltsusedtofixthepatchpanelandhubintothecab.Somehavecoolerfansandyoucanbuypowertrainsthatfixinlikethepatchpanelforaddedneatness.
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3.WheretoSituatethePatchPanel/Hub
Howthisworksifyourenotfamiliar:
1. YouhaveyourBroadbandLinecomingintoyourhouse-thisconnectstoo2. WithaRJ45orRJ11(Whicheverisprovided)PatchLeadto3. YourRouter-thiscanhandleabout4computers-ifthisisntenoughyouconnect
too4. WithaRJ45PatchLeadto5. AHubwhichhas8,16,24portsandconnectsto6. WithaRJ45PatchLeadforEveryportto7. YourPatchPanelwhichisallyoursocketcablesterminated8. Thesegoouttotheroomsinyourhouse
AnengineerIworkedwithusedtotellmethatyoushouldspendanhourlookingaroundbeforeyouactuallydoanywork.
Adatanetworkiscabledindividuallytoeachsocketandgoesbacktothepatchpanel.Youcannotloopanythingon.Eachpointyouwantneedsaseparatecable.
Whilelookingaroundyourhouseyouarelookingforacentrallocationtositeyourdataequipment-theplacewhereallthecableswillcomebacktoandterminate.Somewherethatwillmakeyourlifeeasierwhencablingtothesockets.Areallthesocketsfavouringonesideofthehouse?Canyousitethekitonthatsideandrundownthewallsorintotheceilinganddropdown?
Youwillalsobecablingyourmainbroadbandlinetothispositiontoo.
Thekeypointhere,isyouwanttorunaslittlecableaspossibleintheneatestwaypossible.
Thingsthatwillhelp:
Canyousitethenetworkequipmentinthebasement?Doyouhaveaccesstoyourgroundfloorroomsthroughthebasement?
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Manyhousessiteeverythinginthebasementandsomehouseshavelargebasementssothatyoucanliterallydrillthroughthefloortowhereyouneedthesockets.
Attic:
Theatticisanothergoodlocation,againiftheroofspansthewholehouseyoucanusethisasyourmethodtocabletothevariousroomsanddropdownthroughtheevesanddowntheoutsideofthehouse.
Acupboard:
Ifthishasaccesstoanouterwallorroof/basementthisagaincanmakeagreatplacetosituatethenetwork.
Power:
Somethingtobearinmindisyouwillneedatleast2powersocketsforyourequipment.Thisistopowerupthehubandrouter.
Wherenottosituatetheequipment:
Placestoavoidarewhereheatandhumiditywillbeanissue.Anywherewhereitwillbe30DegreesCiscertainlysomewheretoavoidliketheairingcupboard,anythingnearheaters.
Alsoyouwanttoavoidthefuseboard/powerboard/mainspowerwhichcaninterferewiththedateequipment.
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4.MovingtheRouter
YouwillneedtogetyourBroadbandconnectiontowhereyouresituatingthenetworkequipment.
Thelinejacksthatcomeintoyourhousewilllooklikethis:
ThisistheoldstyleofBTmainlinebox.Soyouwillneedtorunalengthofcablefromthissockettoyournewlocationwhereyourdataequipmentisgoing.Youareparallelingthelinetothenewplace.Thatmeansthissocketwillcontinuetowork.
OncecabledunscrewthatfrontplateontheBTjackandconnectyournewpairofwirestotherear.IwouldusetheBLUEpair.Thereare2connections5and2andyouwillconnecttothose.Youareineffectloopingonthissocketandwiringanewsocketinparallel.
Alineismadeupofonly2wires,sowhileyoucanuseabiggercable,youareonlyconnecting2wires.YoucanusetelephonecableortheCat5e.Soyouwillneedanotherlinejacktoconnecttotheotherendandagainyouwillconnectto2and5.BelowistheBroadbandSplitterthatyouwillusetoconnectyourroutertooandyoushouldalreadyhavethis.
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Thisisthenewerstylebox:
ThisisthenewerstyleboxandactuallydoesntneedaBroadbandSplitter.Thefrontplatedoesitforyouandsoyoualreadyhaveyourspeechanddatasplit.Thisisactuallyeasier.Theportwewantisontheleftwiththelittleimageofacomputerscreen.
WewillbeusingourCat5eorCat6whicheveroneyouareusingandarecablingfromheretoournewnetworkequipmentandpatchpanel.
WewillneedanRJ45plugandaRJ45Crimpertoattachaplugtotheendofthecableandtoplugitin.
TheotherendofthiscableplugsintoyourRouterwhichinturnwillplugintoyournewhub.
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Soyouneedtofollowthesameapproachtocablethisascablingthedatasocketswhichiwillcometoo.
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5.CablingtheNetwork
Sofromwherealltheequipmentislocated,wehaveapatchpanelwhereallthedatacablesterminate-theyrunoutseparatelytoeachsocketinyourhouse.
WhenIwenttoaclientshousetoinstallmorephoneornetworksocketsneatnesswasofparamountimportance.Noonewantstoseecablestram-liningskirtingboards.Infactinmanycasestheydidntwanttoseeanycables.Youobviouslycantmagiccablesinsidewallsbuttheresmanytrickstohelpconcealandhidecablesandusethehousetoyouradvantage.
Insteadofmegoingthrougheverypossiblescenarioandhowtoovercomeit,Imgoingtobreakitdownintosimplesituations.Iwillassumeyouhaveordonthaveaccesstotheroof,samewiththebasementandoutsidewall.Theoutsidewallbeingthelastresort,ifthatisallyouhavethenyouwillhavetousethat.Theotheroptionissurfacecablingandreallynoonewantstodothat.Butifyouliveinaflatwhereyouhavenoattic,nobasement,andnowallsthenthereisstillanoption.Sowithoutfurtheradoletsgetstarted.
Iwillstartwiththebest-casescenariosandfinishwiththeworst!
SituatedintheBasement
Thisisthebest-casescenarioYousituatethewholePatchPanelcabinetdownhere.Thebestthingaboutthisplaceiswehaveaccesstoallofthegroundfloororatleastmostofit.SoIwoulddrilldownfromwhereyouwantyoursocketonthegroundfloorthroughthefloorintothebasement.Iwouldthendropthecabledowntheholeratherthanpokingitup.Youwillbedrillingthroughwoodmostlikelysowillneedawooddrillbit(availablefromahardwareshop)andabatterydrill.Trytoavoiddrillingintoabeamastheseareusuallyverythick.
SituatedintheAttic
Thisisanothergreatplacetolocatethenetwork,solongasitdoesntgettoohotupthere.Sotheproblemheretohowtodropthecablesfromtheroof.Dependingonhowhighyourroofis1or2floorsyouwillneedaladder/step-ladderandsomeonetoholditforyou.
Soyouneedtoworkoutwhichroomsneedanetworkpointandthenlookatroutestocableacrosstheroofvoidandthenoutthroughtheeves.Belowisaroutecomingoutoftheeves.
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Youcancomearoundtheevesclippingitundertherooftilesusingthehammerandclipsandthendownthesideofthehousetotheroomyouwanttoinstallthesocket.
Acablebeingclippeddownthewallcanbealittleunsightlysothebestplacetocomedownisbehindadrain-pipe.Soifyoucandrillintotheevesbehindthedrain-pipethenthatwillbeevenneater.Youcanuseblacktie-wrapstoholdthecablestothedrain-pipeandconcealthembehindit.
Thenyourelookingtodrillfromtheinsideoftheroomtotheoutsidewall.Ideallyyouwanttodrillabovetheskirtingandsitethebackboxcoveringtheholeyouhavedrilled.Thenyoucanbringthecabledownbehindthedrain-pipeanduseahammerandclipstocabletotheholeinthewall.
WireCoat-hangersthatarecutandbentstraightmakegreatrodstopokethroughadrillhole.Youcanuseelectricaltapeandtapethecabletoit.
Trick:
Ihaveusedafakedrain-pipetoconcealcableswhentheroutinghasbeenreallyawkwardandthisworksatreatifyoureallydontwanttoseecablesatall.
UsingbothRoutes:
Alsosometimesyoumayendupusingboththeatticandbasementtogettoawkwardpositions.Ifyourcablingfromthebasementleftcornerandthereareacoupleofpointsneededonthesecondflooroftherightcorneritmaybeeasiertoriseupbehindadrain-pipeandgetintotheroofvoidgoacrosstheroofatticanddropdown.Ifthisisthecase,Iwouldcabletherooffirstanddropdownsoyourenotfightinggravity.
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NoaccesstorooforBasement:
Thisisrelativelyfrequentandmeansyoureintodrillingonanoutsidewallandsurfacecablingeitheratlowlevelorhighlevel.Onceyoucanthidecablesyourereallyintosurfacecabling.Ideallyyouwanttogetuphightotheevesandcablealongthewood.Ifallthepointsareonthegroundfloorthenitmaymakesensetodrilloutandcablealonglowlevel.Youcantie-wrapthecablestogethersotheyformatightbundle.
UsingtheCarpet:
Ifnoneoftheseareoptionsareavailablethentheotherpossibilityisusingthecarpettohidecables.Whenyoupullacarpetupthereisasmallgapbetweenthegripperandthewall.Thisisagreatplacetohide1orsometimes2cablesatapush.Youcanalsopullupthegripperandhammeritdowngivingyourselfsomeextraroom.
Forthisworkyouwillneedachiseltotakenotchesoutofdoorframesjusttogiveyousomeextraspaceforthedoortoclose.Youneedtotakespecialcarethatyouhaveallowedenoughroomforthecarpettogobackandthedoorcanopenandcloseproperlywithoutpinchingordamagingthecable.
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6.ConnectingtheSockets
Onceyouhavemountedthebackboxesonthewallwithadrill,2plugsand2screwsyouwillneedtoconnecttothemodulesthemselves.
Themodulesyouconnecttocancomeinvariousforms,butessentiallyyoureconnectingall8ofthecablewires.Youwillneedapunchdowntool.
Hereisthetoolyouwillneedwhichagaincomesinvariousforms:
Hereisthebackofthemodulewhichyouwillneedtoconnectto.Thewirescomeinpairs,blue,orange,greenandbrown.Thehaveawhitelegandacolouredleg.Thesehavetobeintheexactorderthatthecoloursdesignateonthemodule.
Finallythisiswhatthesocketshouldlooklike.
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7.PatchPanelorRJ45Plugs
Sowehavethesocketsalldone,nowwearebasedatthePatchPanelend.TherestwowaystoconnectyourCat5e.ThefirstwayisthecheapestandrequiresyoutoconnectRJ45plugsusingaCrimpingdevicetotheendsofthecable.Thisisalittletrickyasyouhavetotrimthecasingoffandslideall8wiresintotheRJ45plug.ThenusingtheCrimperbelowcrunchallthecablesintotheplug.
Itsagoodideatouseapatchleadtocopythewiringcolourorder.Iveattachedadiagrambelow.Thingstowatchforarethatthecrimperhasproperlycrushedthewires,sogiveitthreegoodsqueezes.
ThiswithyourRJ45plugwiththepinstop-sideandtheplugfacingawayfromyou-slidethewiresinasshownbelow:
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Onceyouhaveconnectedalltheplugsyourereadytoscanthenetwork.
PatchPanel
Thisisthesecondwayintothebackonapatchpanel.Youconnecttheallthecablestothebackofapatchpanel.Againlikethemodulethereisacolourcodethatyouhavetofollowandyouuseasametoolthepunchdowntool.
Ifwelookcloserattheconnections:
Againtheyareallcolouredcodedandyouuseyourpunchdowntoolforthis.
Thisisamuchneatermethodandyouwouldthenuse0.5metrepatchleadstoplugfrom
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yourHubtothispatchpanel.
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8.PatchPanelCabinet
Thisisgoingtothenextlevelofneatness.Thisisa6Upatchpanelcabinetandyoucanmakeeverythingneatandtidy.Bymountingthisonthewallorontopofasmallplatformintheroofyoucansitealltheequipmentinside.includingtheBroadbandsocket,Router,thePatchPanelandHubwouldscrewintothefromofitallowingpatchingbetweenthetwo.
Theseusuallycomewiththenutsandboltsusedtofixthepatchpanelandhubintothecab.Somehavecoolerfansandyoucanbuypowertrainsthatfixinlikethepatchpanelforaddedneatness.
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9.ScanningtheNetwork
Sonowwehaveeverythinginstalledwecometothefinaltestandwewanttobesurewehaveall8wiresineverycablegoingthroughfromPatchPaneltoModule.Thatwaywecanbe100%surethatthenetworkisfine.Ifsomethingisntworkingforwhateverreason,wecansaythenetworkhasbeenscannedandisworking.
Ifyoucanborrowascannerfromafriendgreat,ifnot,thenyoucanbuyverysimpleLEDscannerfromaround6/$10.Theycomeintwoparts,oneisthesenderandonethereceiverandyouplugthesethingsineachend.Thereceiverhas2setsof8sendingandreceivingLEDsandislookingtomatchall8lightsup.Ifyouhavewirescrossed/notcomingup,simplyre-terminateeachendmakingsurethecoloursarecorrect.
Iwouldthenusethelabelmachineandlabelthesocketsupcorrespondingwiththepatchpanelnumber.Thiswaywhenyoupatchsomethingoutyouwillknowexactlywhereyourepatchingtoo.
Nowyourereadytopatchout.
SoifyouhaveusedRJ45endsyousimplyplugtheseintotheHuborRouterifyourenotusingaHub.Ifyouhaveapatchpanelyouwillneedasmany0.5metrepatchleadsasyouneedsockets.
Atthesocketendyouwillneed2-3metrepatchleadstoplugintoyourcomputer/laptop.
Yourealldone!
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10.Signingoff
Wehavereachedtheendofinstallationsocongratulations!IhopetheinformationihaveprovidedwillbeofuseandsolveyourInternetspeedproblems.IfyouhaventgotanyproblemsatleastyouwillbeusingyourBroadbandtoitsmaximumpotential.
Thanksandgoodbye!
Martin
1. Welcome...2. Equipment Needed3. Where to Situate the Patch Panel/Hub4. Moving the Router5. Cabling the Network6. Connecting the Sockets7. Patch Panel or RJ45 Plugs8. Patch Panel Cabinet9. Scanning the Network10. Signing off...
