I'm looking to redo the cabling for my home network (with school out
for the summer, you know what they say about idle hands and the
devil). Our current configuration is a computer in the family room
(along with the router [a WRT54G] and the cable box), with the running
a premade (and thus not nearly long enough) to my room (~175 ft), my
sister's room(~200 ft), and the den (6 ft). What I would really like
to do is invest in a decent hub (as opposed to a router), put Ubuntu
on an old computer and use it as a DHCP server, and put, at minimum, 1
wall jack in my room, my sister's room, my parent's room, the den, the
kitchen, and the living room (making a total of 6 rooms if I can still
count). I'd also like to have Wi-Fi for using my laptop. I'd then like
to switch from cable and get DSL (this is somethign we've (as in the
whole family, not just me) been wanting to for a year or two now, and
put the whole assembly (router, DSL box, Wi-Fi connection (whether I
keep the WRT54G, and presumably some type of patchbay) in either my
closet or the hall closet (they back up to each other - chosen due to
central location in house and because they're closer to me, and I'm
typically the one fixing whatever gets broken).

Now, all that said, I have a few questions:

1. If it makes any difference, I'm in Alabama. What kind of codes do I
need to be concerned about and what guidelines should I follow? What I
would love to do (if it meets code) is to put either 1/4" or 1/2" PVC
pipes in the walls in the interest of simplifying future
installations. Can anyone provide some guidance on that?

2. I know that I would need to get power into the closets if I am
going to run a hub, modem, etc. up there. I know enough to know that I
can't just run an extension cord through the wall, but is putting an
outlet up there legal in the first place? I'm not too fond of the
thought of having an electrician charge me just to say that it can't
be done legally.

3. As it stands now, the cables are simply lying on the floor of the
attic. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how the cables can be
organized and hung somehow in the attic without the fire and tripping
hazard they pose now?

4. What other cables do I need to think about running at this point?
I'm considering running the coax for cable TV to replace what we
currently have (which is a cable running along the perimeter of the
house just beneath the roof with more splitters than I've seen before
in my life). Only problem there is cost, but if I can I'm definitely
thinking that needs to be done. Are there any other connections I need
to be thinking about putting in for use either now or later?

5. What hardware for the hub and Wi-Fi transmitter would you
recommend? I like the WRT54G, but with only 4 connections, it is
somewhat limiting, and if I'm going to be replacing everything else,
then I might as well go for that as well and give me the ability to
monitor traffic from my computer. I'd also like recommendations on a
decent patchbay (probably not the correct term...) to connect the
cables coming from the wall to and then from there to the hub.

6. Where would you recommend I get my bulk cabling? I'm not really
fond of paying for it by the foot at Lowe's or buying a box of 1000'
and coughing up $100-something. Is there someplace cheaper, or is
Lowe's actually my best bet?

Feel free to throw anything out there that you think I should know.
Don't necessarily assume I know anything.

Thanks!

On Sat, 24 May 2008 09:20:27 -0700, jflash wrote:

I'm looking to redo the cabling for my home network
{snip}
1. If it makes any difference, I'm in Alabama. What kind of codes do I
need to be concerned about and what guidelines should I follow? What I
would love to do (if it meets code) is to put either 1/4" or 1/2" PVC
pipes in the walls in the interest of simplifying future installations.
Can anyone provide some guidance on that?

{snip}

The questions you ask a bit beyond the technical ability of this or any
newsgroup, IMHO, to respond to. Way too long replies are needed.

Maybe someone will offer suggestions on specific points, but WOW!! did
you ask for a lot of information to be typed and correctly communicated
to you. Small book on home improvement electricity from you library
would be a good starting point. Then ask at Lowes for specific on
extending electrical wiring from service panel up to Attic (or where-
ever) you decide to place your network gear.

Right now, copper is high priced. Expect to pay about double what CAT 5e
cable cost 6 years ago. Local Electrical supply house should sell CAT 5
cable at reasonable cost.

Your local building code overrides any knowledge I have. In Michigan it
is legal to have a 120VAC duplex outlet in the attic. Alabama I don't
know, it just might get hotter in the attic than in Michigan.

BTW: Several Internet PC places (PC Connection, CDW, and so forth) offer
good buys on patch panels and punch down blocks. Again, tools you need
and how to use them are a very short learning curve, but this news group
media stands in the way. YouTube?? Search for "punch down" tool or
"RJ-45 jack connectors" is my guess.

My experience: Always make long runs with solid wire cables (CAT 5e, or
14-2 Romex) make the connections to jacks in an electrical box (w/ cover)
and run flex cables with plugs from the jacks to the device you are
connecting to. Know the wire color code standard for what you are
connecting to. If you don't know the color code standard, don't mess
around, learn it. (hint: the bad guy wears a black hat with Romex and
rumor has it, when he gets "hooked-up" his "prong" be on the thin and
narrow size.)

Best of luck.

Phil

On May 24, 6:21 pm, Phil Again wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2008 09:20:27 -0700, jflash wrote:
I'm looking to redo the cabling for my home network
{snip}
1. If it makes any difference, I'm in Alabama. What kind of codes do I
need to be concerned about and what guidelines should I follow? What I
would love to do (if it meets code) is to put either 1/4" or 1/2" PVC
pipes in the walls in the interest of simplifying future installations.
Can anyone provide some guidance on that?

{snip}

The questions you ask a bit beyond the technical ability of this or any
newsgroup, IMHO, to respond to. Way too long replies are needed.

Maybe someone will offer suggestions on specific points, but WOW!! did
you ask for a lot of information to be typed and correctly communicated
to you. Small book on home improvement electricity from you library
would be a good starting point. Then ask at Lowes for specific on
extending electrical wiring from service panel up to Attic (or where-
ever) you decide to place your network gear.

Right now, copper is high priced. Expect to pay about double what CAT 5e
cable cost 6 years ago. Local Electrical supply house should sell CAT 5
cable at reasonable cost.

Your local building code overrides any knowledge I have. In Michigan it
is legal to have a 120VAC duplex outlet in the attic. Alabama I don't
know, it just might get hotter in the attic than in Michigan.

BTW: Several Internet PC places (PC Connection, CDW, and so forth) offer
good buys on patch panels and punch down blocks. Again, tools you need
and how to use them are a very short learning curve, but this news group
media stands in the way. YouTube?? Search for "punch down" tool or
"RJ-45 jack connectors" is my guess.

My experience: Always make long runs with solid wire cables (CAT 5e, or
14-2 Romex) make the connections to jacks in an electrical box (w/ cover)
and run flex cables with plugs from the jacks to the device you are
connecting to. Know the wire color code standard for what you are
connecting to. If you don't know the color code standard, don't mess
around, learn it. (hint: the bad guy wears a black hat with Romex and
rumor has it, when he gets "hooked-up" his "prong" be on the thin and
narrow size.)

Best of luck.

Phil

I think I may have miscommunicated what I was asking. Really all I am
worried about at this point is whether it is legal to put PVC or
similar piping in the walls and run the cables through that. The gear
itself would be housed in the main house, most likely in a closet (or
I might just put a cabinet in my room by the phone jack and power
outlet to avoid the hassle of getting power and phone for DSL into the
top of a closet).

On May 24, 10:09 pm, wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2008 17:00:46 -0700 (PDT), jflash
wrote:

I think I may have miscommunicated what I was asking. Really all I am
worried about at this point is whether it is legal to put PVC or
similar piping in the walls and run the cables through that. The gear
itself would be housed in the main house, most likely in a closet (or
I might just put a cabinet in my room by the phone jack and power
outlet to avoid the hassle of getting power and phone for DSL into the
top of a closet).

You can use rigid grey PVC or the blue flex stuff (type ENT) both are
legal exposed or concealed in a home. They also sell an orange ENT but
it is a ripoff. It is an inferor product for the same (or more) money.
There is no code that requires orange low voltage raceways

That tells me what I needed to know. I may very well get started on
this Monday when dad is home to help, and I figured that Lowe's will
probably be open when the local building inspector's office won't be.