Extending Ethernet through wall without too many boxes - Xpost

If you don't mind 100Mbit, you could split the cat5e into two groups of two pairs. 100M will work over two pairs while gigabit needs four.

There are 'in wall APs' which also have a switch:

TP-Link has the EAPxxx-Wall series which are larger than a single socket box:

Maybe one of these would also work as your external AP, ie no need for the extra ethernet? You could use a double cable run outside, eg take one cable from behind your internal ethernet socket, run it outside, plug into the AP, take second cable and run it back from the outdoor AP to connect to the faceplate of the internal socket. The AP is outside (needs to be protected from the rain as it's not exterior grade) and the internal socket is now downstream of it.

Also, some outdoor APs may have a second ethernet port. You can do the same idea with one of those, looping back the second ethernet port to provide a port on your socket.

Theo

Ok.... so lets here more about that...

I am perplexed. Is this a socket inside an outside wall or outside an outside wall?

What work surface?

Sure. solder a new cable onto the old, replace the double socket with a single, and Robert is a relative

I think you are overthinking this

Cat 5e is simply an array of low grade twisted pairs. It isn't massively fussy about being extended with chocolate blocks and solder/heat shrink is way better. That's how I extended mine to get a socket in the kitchen.

What you can't do is multiply the *number* of sockets without a *switch*. But switches are very cheap If you have or can cobble up power over Ethernet a one to two port switch is peanuts and could be buried in the wall...

A standard punch down CAT5 junction box should do the trick, like:

(If you need the internal socket, then select an AP with more than one ethernet port on it, and bring a second CAT5 back from the AP, to terminate on the socket)

Presuming that works, why not just twist the cables together, strand by strand, with a shrink tube around each strand.

Thanks. Interesting stuff. However my current wall socket is a double box with a modular face plate.

There are three connections:

Ethernet RJ45

Satellite F-plug (not currently connected

TV F-plug connected

So there is little scope for replacing the current faceplate.

The outside area is under a wrap around car port so is protected from any direct rain

You said: "eg take one cable from behind your internal ethernet socket, run it outside, plug into the AP, take second cable and run it back from the outdoor AP to connect to the faceplate of the internal socket."

This is my immediate issue - to get enough cable length to take the lead outside. After that, running a cable back to the original socket on the internal box is relatively trivial.

The location would not be good for an AP as I want it around the back of the house up high under the plastic roof to give the best signal path down the garden, and good signal to people sitting out on the deck.

Some very useful links there, though.

Cheers

Dave R

In which case use a punchdown coupler as suggested. Here's one with a better pic of the innards:

Theo

Use the proper box for the sake of a couple of quid? Ethernet is high speed signalling, so the signal integrity does matter. Gigabit isn't as fussy as other high speed protocols, and you probably aren't pushing the length limits, but even so it's better to use fittings designed for the job, not bodging it. If you bodged it and it's marginal it may *work* but see lots of packet errors which reduce your speed - like being on dodgy wifi.

If you're so space constrained that the proper fittings won't fit, then there are ways to do it while preserving the best signal integrity you can (keep pairs together, minimise intra-pair gaps). But much better not to have to do that, and the boxes reduce the variability.

Theo

If you can do without the internal RJ45 I would replace any network switch with a POE enabled one then all you need to do is run Ethernet to a POE enabled AP which could be done by splicing the wires in your existing box. Alternatively get a POE injector plug it into the network socket run your cable from outside and plug it into the injector and plug the injector into any convenient 13A socket.

Thanks to all so far.

I will check, but a double back box already accommodating two Coax cables and a Cat5E cable may not have enough spare space for a punch down connector.

Hmmm...more space than I expected. Might be able to get a punch down connector in there. However I seem to have left plenty of spare cable up inside the cavity (always a good idea) so I might just have enough to got through the wall.

The work was done 12 years ago so my memory is a bit rusty.

Anyway it is a plasterboard box so should be reasonably easy to get the box out of the wall for further investigation.

Looks like I will be using external Ethernet cabling.

Are there any issues with using normal indoor Cat5E punch down connectors? I assume you just have to strip back to the external sleeve as you would with an internal cable. Will the cable outer still fit into connectors (RJ45 plug) or do you need a different plug?

The planned run to the shed would have a socket at either end, but running cables outside from a router would require plugs.

Cheers

Dave R

Thanks. I want to retain the internal RJ45 connector as it is part of the sat/TV/ Ethernet point where (should we no longer be able to use upstairs) we can install a big TV in our new living area.

Cheers

Dave R

"avoid a box on the work surface"

Could you put some kit *under* the work surface ?

As long as nothing else will run into it under there, you might be able to do a less-obvious install.

Paul

As TNP has already said network switches can be daisy chained as long as you do not go overboard. As your existing socket is mounted on a plasterboard back box I presume it is either a stud wall or dot and dab. Temporarily removing the box may in a stud wall enable you to put a small two port network switch enabled for POE in the cavity and wire in your existing Ethernet to it and then back to the existing network point and the exterior AP. At some point further back on the existing Cat5e use a POE injector or replace your network switch with a POE type. For dot & dab you may have to do a bit of chiselling out to make more room which might be easier if you are prepared to take out and afterwards replace and fill a section of PB.

Me???? Do a proper job :-).

But thinking about it, you are right, the cables need to be twisted pair. An untwisted stretch > 2cm could be problematic.

That does work, but its corrosion liable., Solder them as well

Then you will need a powered switch *of some sort*

Depending on your exact layout, the simplest thing might be to go from the existing Ethernet to a powered switch and then take a lead from that outside to a socket or wireless AP.

Any TVS that would have used tie existing port can hook up to the switch instead

Wall mounting seems best. If you want to also create a wifi AP, ther are a few units that also do that.

It most certainly isn't at 100Mbps.

And I warrant at Gbps too. The power levels used in Ethernet are

The twisted pair part of Ethernet is as much stopping it radiating interference as it is rejecting outside interference, and the termination impedance at both ends is enough to swamp reflections from 'bad' connections'

When you think about it, a soldered or twisted together line is a lot less s***ty than a punch down pair of forks...in a rack...

Ethernet is designed to be installed by 'unskilled' personnel

Room for something like this?

Fitting 'RJ45' plugs and using a coupler might eat less space ...

There's a weird picture on that webpage (5th from the left) which has a hand pointing at the Ethernet ports. Either they employed a Lilliputian, or that Access Port is massive.