# What is this and where do I get it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-and-where-do-i-get-it/179800 "2003-06-05T12:21:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-and-where-do-i-get-it/179800/1 "2003-06-05T12:21:29Z")
I saw some small diameter white plastic conduit for small wires the other day, but have been unable to find it either in stores or online. It can be placed against molding and is barely visible, much more doable for me than fishing wire thru walls and ceilings. Also, where should I go to pick up some type of ceiling speaker mounts for small, surround sound type speakers? ---
**Author:** ![Tarantula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e274bd/32.png) [@Tarantula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarantula)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-and-where-do-i-get-it/179800/2 "2003-06-05T12:29:15Z")
Is it essentially a square plastic tube, with a clip-on front that can be cut to different lengths ? ---
**Author:** ![dono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-and-where-do-i-get-it/179800/3 "2003-06-05T13:12:03Z")
I used that recently to run the wires for my home network. Yes, it’s much easier than fishing through walls (and I’m too cheap to go wireless!) The stuff I used was round, but I suppose somebody out there makes square conduit as well. They also sell connectors to string the pieces together, ells to go around corners, etc. I bought it at the local Ace hardware store. It was in the electrical supplies section. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-and-where-do-i-get-it/179800/4 "2003-06-05T13:18:27Z")
Dauerbach said, “Also, where should I go to pick up some type of ceiling speaker mounts for small, surround sound type speakers?” We used macrame holders attached to hooks screwed into the ceiling. We’re old hippies, so the macrame thing might not be your cup of tea, but leather strips would work, too. One would think twice before doing this with a rambunctious kitty in the house. She dumped a speaker on my sleeping husband and nearly killed him. Well, not nearly…but the speaker hurt his arm. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-and-where-do-i-get-it/179800/5 "2003-06-05T13:26:00Z")
You mean something [similar to this](http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/productdetail.jsp?xi=xi&ItemId=1611602882)? There are better ones available, with “ribs” instead of solid walls so that you can have the cables or wires exiting/entering whereever you want. I have something like what I’m describing under my countertop desk for all my computer cables and so on. It _really_ cleans up the cable clutter from the 10 billion+ things you’re liable to accumulate with multiple computers. We usually call these “raceways” by the way, but sometimes you’ll hear people call them “conduits” although strictly speaking that’s something else. The one I have I picked up from an old job, but you typically see them inside of electrical cabinets, especially those for industrial controls. Things like PLC’s and contactor banks use a heck of a lot of wiring, and it’d be bad to have them just hanging randomly. If you have a Grainger around you, they’re a good industrial supply house, and they’re definitely open to the public. Otherwise [grainger.com](http://grainger.com) can get it to you via online. Maybe a dedicated electrical supply house carries them; if you have any industrial supply houses you may have even better luck.