I need to wire our building for Ethernet. Since we need to do three storeys, it would help matters if we could simply run the cables outside rather than have to drill through floors. However, I don’t know if it’s possible for Ethernet cables to be outside. Do I need to order a special kind of cable that is weather-proof? I live in London so temperatures outside will generally range from -10°C in the winter to 35°C in the summer; there will doubtless be lots of rain.
Also, what’s the name of the tool that puts the jack on the cable? (I need to know its name in order to buy one.) And do you need to know how to connect the individual wires inside the cable to the appropriate connections on the jack, or does the tool do that automatically? Is there a corresponding tool that will connect the cables to sockets?
Making up a cable is easy enough, but there’s lots else to consider. You can’t simply drill a hole in the wall: what if there’s a power cable in there? Or utility pipe? Further, when you drill a hole, you must make sure that the hole is properly sealed - you don’t want rain or vermin getting in.
You also need to check building regulations. Is your building Listed? If you’re running wires internally, coving and the like are admirable covers.
I do the ethernet wiring for a fortune 500 company in the area here. You are probably way over your head. Although it isn’t hard to do once you’re shown, it is hard to explain in a post or two how to do it. You need several skills to run cable, especially on the outside of a building, and then routing them to the proper places once you get them inside. Since I’m an electrician, pulling and routing and working with this cable was a breeze compared to some of the suff I’ve done.
Couple of things;
You need a special cable to run outside, weatherproof it will be called and expensive it will be. Unless you’ll be pulling them through conduit, then you can use standard cable.
The tool you will need is called an RJ45 crimper, since the jacks are called RJ45 jacks. You also need to know if you’re going to use the A or B configuration, this your provider should be able to tell you. (Whoever your connecting to). Here’s a great site that shows how to make a connection/crimp.
You will need other tools to prep the cable before you crimp it. A stripper of some sort or a utility knife will do in a pinch. They will sell all these things wherever you buy the cable at.
You need a punch down tool to make the connections at a jack. This is a punch down tool. And here is a crimper.
You need to take care in how the cable is routed too. No sharp turns and no stress on the cable, although the cable does seem to be fairly robust, you should go easy on it when pulling and routing it. And keep away from other electrical lines, if you must you can cross electrical lines perpendicularily, but don’t run parallel with them.
Keep the runs under 100 meters, and always leave a service loop on both ends (about 3 feet of spare for a residence at each connection for future workability, usually tucked into the wall opening, if possible).
Your main interface in the basement or service closet will probably be something called a patch panel or an ethernet interface punch down (you’ll see these at the cable store too, let the sales person know what you’re trying to do and he’ll see you get the right parts). Here’s another site that walks you through an install. And here’s a site that goes through the basic terminology, with photos.
Now that you have some understanding of what nees to be done, you’ll have more questions, so ask away!
I’ll check in from time to time. If you can post some pics of the project so questions can be answered more directly that would be helpful too.
This does not compute.
You’re either one or the other in my experience.
Any electrician should have a basic understanding of ethernet cabling. I am suspicious of this character already.
I’m not hiring anyone. Our plumber has offered to do it for free. But if the consensus here is that a plumber with electrical training is not qualified to run Ethernet cables, then I’m happy to hire a cable contractor.
Sure, they may have a basic knowledge of what needs to be done, but usually I’ll hear “Sparky, the pumps installed, hook it up for me!” Or, “The heater’s in, how soon can we have power to it?”
If it’s a legitimate project (permits and regulations are being used/followed) then plumbers and elelctricians don’t do each others work. Although we could do some of each others work in a pinch, I would never call a plumber an electrician and I’ve never been close to being called a plumber. There are people that are proficient in both, I’m sure, but they are far and few between. The fact that this person is not familiar with punching down ethernet gives me pause, that’s all. He may indeed know everything but that. It would be unlikely though. We usually call a guy like this a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’.
Now, I don’t know this person from Adam, but I’m usually skeptical of these ‘types’ of tradesmen, just from past experiences and all, nothing personal.
It’s unlikely that a plumber could get through this project unscathed. I think you’d be troubleshooting quite a bit. I have no doubt that he could get the cables from point A to point B in a workmanlike fashion, but that’s just the tip of the iceburg.
Maybe he could to the brunt of the work and then have the cable guy come in and make the connections? If the plumber runs the cabling in a sound and professinal manner I don’t see a problem with this.
UV sunlight will degrade ordinary cat-5 cable. Ther exists outdoor rated versions that are UV resistant.
A better option in your case would be to install conduit on the exerior of the building to carry the multiple cables that will be required. EMT or PVC conduit would be acceptable.