Home computer wiring - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

s.kelly · 02-08-2010, 06:13 PM

I am computer challenged, but want to add some wiring in the house to do things like send to a printer in another room, and send a internet radio signal to another room where I put a mini banana plug jack for speakers.

Anyone know a good but not overly techie resource?
Just not sure the best ways to do this without getting in too deep.

And before someone says it, I am not really a wireless kinda guy, so I want to hard wire this.

Suggestions?

egads · 02-08-2010, 10:53 PM

Run Cat 5 everywhere. I'm old fashion myself in that I like having the printer actually plugged into the network. But the router can be anywhere.

There are new audio systems that have electronic amps built into the volume controls. In that case you run Cat 5 to the volume control location and then speaker wire to the speakers. the older systems used speaker wire to the volume control and cat 5 was used to control the main system from the remote location. You would not run amplified audio over cat5.

chenley · 02-09-2010, 12:44 AM

Hire the 13 year old down the street and pay him $10/hr.

tonyburkhart · 02-11-2010, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by egads

Run Cat 5 everywhere. I'm old fashion myself in that I like having the printer actually plugged into the network. But the router can be anywhere.

I am too, I agree with wiring to every point, as troubleshooting is more comfortable for me.

BUT

On the other end of that thought... wireless is becoming more and more robust for the home user, especially with the "N" standard.

A couple of suggestions for wireless.

1. Any Apple wireless solution, they are the best quality and customer service by far. At my home, I use Airport Extreme for my wireless printer and Airtunes for my wireless speaker feeds.

2. If you don't want to use Apple, there are a number of other 3rd party solutions. I would suggest looking into CNET's review section, as they have always been a reliable source : http://www.cnet.com/topic/wireless-speakers.html

egads · 02-11-2010, 01:36 AM

Indeed, in my household only the printer is wired. Everyone is using wireless laptops.

BryanMD · 02-11-2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chenley

Hire the 13 year old down the street and pay him $10/hr.

agreed.

and just to be *real** clear about it: YOU are gonna be his green helper doing the actual wire pulling while he directs what and where and then does the punch down/devicing when you are done.

Toronto Sparky · 02-11-2010, 03:07 PM

I like wired system better.. however I do have a wireless router plugged into a spare port on the wired router to allow Internet access to visitors (and my sons new laptop) as well as Ipods and play station. Just remember to set a password or you may find some dude sitting in a van downloading child **** using your IP address.
In plugging the router into the router , it allows Internet access without allowing access to the other computers on the wired router.

s.kelly · 02-11-2010, 05:14 PM

Thanks for the responses.

I thought about a kid or friend more techie than myself, but can't think of anyone. And hey kid wanna come to my house and help me at the local school just does not seem like a good plan.

I have some speakers now that plug into the bananna jack on the front of the laptop and have an integral amp. If I understand correctly I can find units with a cat 5 input?

If that is the case, the router and some cat 5 will accomplish it all.

I'll be sure to try that review link, cause otherwise I am at the mercy of the guy at the store.

Thanks again

chenley · 02-11-2010, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BryanMD

agreed.

and just to be *real** clear about it: YOU are gonna be his green helper doing the actual wire pulling while he directs what and where and then does the punch down/devicing when you are done.

Actually, that is kinda how it works for me

. My uncle gets the networking jobs through his computer shop his guy programs the router/switches and gives me a networking diagram and I go to town with it. Running cable, terminating, & verifying connectivity throughout the whole network.

s.kelly · 02-15-2010, 08:09 PM

Did some more looking and answered my own question.

I do mostly commercial and industrial work. So if there is any type of data work, we typically install pipe and maybe the wire. Someone else handles terminations and components etc.

That and not being real technical at home leaves me lacking. So I found the basics book I was looking for....
smart homes for dummies
gives me the background info I am looking for to get started and see options in lots of things. From there research is easy.

Thought I would pass this on, since I am sure there is someone else out there in similar shoes.

B4T · 02-15-2010, 08:18 PM

CAT 5 is now out dated.. run CAT 6 with hardware rated for it

LawnGuyLandSparky · 02-15-2010, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s.kelly

Did some more looking and answered my own question.

I do mostly commercial and industrial work. So if there is any type of data work, we typically install pipe and maybe the wire. Someone else handles terminations and components etc.

That and not being real technical at home leaves me lacking. So I found the basics book I was looking for....
smart homes for dummies
gives me the background info I am looking for to get started and see options in lots of things. From there research is easy.

Thought I would pass this on, since I am sure there is someone else out there in similar shoes.

You bet!

I ran smurf tube from multiple locations to one central "data" (and vaccuum cleaner) closet... Now I plug in the iPod in one room and listen to it in others...

I put Cat5 jacks all over, but ended up going mostly wireless so that was a waste.

electron_theory · 02-15-2010, 09:01 PM

I went wireless from day one and never looked back. If time is money, then you will save a ton just by installing a router and setting up a network. Literally, takes less than an hour to have everything set up and running, I have as many as 5 or 6 wifi devices running off of it at any one time. listen to music, stream movies to the tv, share files. wireless is the only way to go.

tonyburkhart · 02-15-2010, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LawnGuyLandSparky

You bet!

I ran smurf tube from multiple locations to one central "data" (and vaccuum cleaner) closet... Now I plug in the iPod in one room and listen to it in others...

I put Cat5 jacks all over, but ended up going mostly wireless so that was a waste.

I have 3 unused Cat5e home runs in my house right now, so I understand!

Wireless technology has come leaps and bounds in the last 5 years, so unless you're doing HUGE file transfer at home... there is almost no need, especially with the "N" standard and above.

Not to mention WiFi enabled TV's!

LawnGuyLandSparky · 02-15-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyburkhart

I have 3 unused Cat5e home runs in my house right now, so I understand!

Wireless technology has come leaps and bounds in the last 5 years, so unless you're doing HUGE file transfer at home... there is almost no need, especially with the "N" standard and above.

Not to mention WiFi enabled TV's!

I know...

F me...

JackBoot · 02-15-2010, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyburkhart

I am too, I agree with wiring to every point, as troubleshooting is more comfortable for me.

BUT

On the other end of that thought... wireless is becoming more and more robust for the home user, especially with the "N" standard.

A couple of suggestions for wireless.

1. Any Apple wireless solution, they are the best quality and customer service by far. At my home, I use Airport Extreme for my wireless printer and Airtunes for my wireless speaker feeds.

[IMG]http://bonoboslr.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/airport_extreme_49ba71794ecc2.jpg[/MG]

2. If you don't want to use Apple, there are a number of other 3rd party solutions. I would suggest looking into CNET's review section, as they have always been a reliable source : http://www.cnet.com/topic/wireless-speakers.html

That's nice, but for $179 it's pretty expensive. I don't know if that'll give me any benefit over a Linksys.

tonyburkhart · 02-15-2010, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackBoot

That's nice, but for $179 it's pretty expensive. I don't know if that'll give me any benefit over a Linksys.

Plug and play any USB HDD in for a NAS along with an automatically recognized printer with driver update.

MacOSX is the best

Besides, the LinksysWRT54G + N series are great routers, but you'll spend at least $100 for a quality, comparable N Linksys router, without any plug and play USB attachment.

JackBoot · 02-15-2010, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonyburkhart

Plug and play any USB HDD in for a NAS along with an automatically recognized printer with driver update.

MacOSX is the best

Besides, the LinksysWRT54G + N series are great routers, but you'll spend at least $100 for a quality, comparable N Linksys router, without any plug and play USB attachment.

I don't need any USB. I have the WRT54G right now that I got for $50. I was looking to upgrade to an N router.

I have an iMac and love it, but I'm not sure if the Mac router will be worth so much more money to me.

tonyburkhart · 02-15-2010, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackBoot

I don't need any USB. I have the WRT54G right now that I got for $50. I was looking to upgrade to an N router.

I have an iMac and love it, but I'm not sure if the Mac router will be worth so much more money to me.

If you don't need USB <-> network connectivity, then by all means a WRT160N is the way to go. I would be happy take that 54G off your hands too. I like having them for mini Linux installs.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=WRT160N

Which version do you have?

JackBoot · 02-15-2010, 10:03 PM

I have the older looking model, version 6.

What did you mean before when you said "LinksysWRT54G + N"? They make a 54G that also does N?