Networking House...Help Needed!! (1 Viewer)

[AndyVX]

Hello all,
In the next week or so, I will be taking on the task of setting up a network in my house. 1st to share the cable internet connection, and 2nd to just have a network.
I've decided on getting the SMC Barricade 8-port Cable/DSL router. (although, I'm having quite a lot of trouble finding this product in stores or online) My reason for choosing this is two-fold. (1) It has a printer port on it, so that I can share my printer via the network, and (2) I've read good reviews for this product.
Anyways, enough about that. There are a few things I need to ask.
1. I need to run 4 CAT5 cables up the outside wall of the house to the top floor. They will be inside a plastic pipe that was used for a 220V electrical line. Will the CAT5 cable be safe in there during the winter time/summer time?
2. What stores would sell a spool of CAT5 ethernet cable? I took a quick look in Future Shop one day, but didn't find any. (same with RJ45 ends and the crimping tool for them)
Retail or Online
Hmm, I know I had more to ask, but I can't seem to remember what it was right now Oh well, I'll edit this message once I remember.
Well, thanks for any help anyone here can offer me. I greatly appreciate it!
Andrew
------------------
ICQ# - 119869807

 

[Arthur Legardo]

How many computers are you networking? The reason I ask is that Futureshop and SMC have a promotion going on right now for the SMC 4 port router, the 7004ABR. Right now it's $129.99 plus a $40 mail in rebate from SMC, that's $89.99! FWIW, I'm using this router right now and it's great.

What stores would sell a spool of CAT5 ethernet cable?

You'd have to go to places like Logic Computer Warehouse or Computers and Peripherals for those items (the cable, crimpers and ends).

 

[DonRoeber]

I was kicking around the idea of running CAT5 from my office on the 2nd floor of my house down to my living room. To do this, I'd have to run CAT5 up to the attic and then back down, skirting around the chimney. It'd be a lot of work, or expensive to hire someone to do it. Earlier this week, I bought a wireless base station and wireless card for my laptop. I have full signal strength whereever I am in my house, and the speed is just fine for web surfing, downloading stuff, etc (just got 150k on a download from a heavily loaded site). The base station (Apple's Airport) only has a 10mbit connection, and I have it going into a Netgear RT-314 router. The router handles the cable modem connection for me, as well as handling DHCP and NAT on the internal network. Most everything on the LAN is at 100mbit (even my printer!), but since the cable modem is my bandwith bottleneck, I don't mind the 10mbit on the base station. Instead of wiring the house now,I'm going to buy a wireless-to-ethernet converter, plug it into a switch, and leave that downstairs to hook other computers up to. The other system downstairs will be an ethernet-hacked Tivo and a few of the next-gen gaming consoles that support ethernet. Not exactly bandwith demanding applications.
Check out wireless to see if its an option for you. Could make your life a whole lot easier.
------------------
--
Donald Roeber
Generating 2048 bits of randomness...

 

[AndyVX]

Thanks Arthur for the reply.
As of right now, there are 5 computers that need to be networked. But there will be 2 more added very soon. I saw that deal with the 4 port SMC, but with 7 computers the 4 port just wont do. I would need to add a hub to it, thus compromising the full 100mbps switched network on 4 of the computers.
I will surely check out C&P for the cable + connectors. I don't know where Logic is though.
Once again, thanks.
Andrew
------------------
ICQ# - 119869807

 

[AndyVX]

Don,
I was considering wireless, but the hardware is expensive. I also will be hosting Lan parties on this network (gaming), so I don't know if a wireless network would work well enough.
Plus, I don't have any funky wiring to do like you would have had to do, so that isn't a problem. Add to that, my cousin is an electrician, so I'll probably invite him over for "dinner" the weekend I do this.

Thanks for the suggestions though.
Andrew
------------------
ICQ# - 119869807

 

[Arthur Legardo]

quote: ...thus compromising the full 100mbps switched network on 4 of the computers.[/quote]
With the money you save with the mail in rebate, buy yourself a 4 or 8 port 10/100 switch. I had to to that with my home network as my machine, router and cable modem are in the basement and the other two computers are in the upper floors; the two computers are connected to Netgear 10/100 switch but my total home network connection runs at 100Mbps. The switch won't compromise the throughput of the network in any way.
Logic Computer Warehouse is on Woodbine and Denison (north of Steeles) or on Dundas east of Dixie.
[Edited last by Arthur Legardo on October 25, 2001 at 09:46 PM]
[Edited last by Arthur Legardo on October 25, 2001 at 09:50 PM]

 

[AndyVX]

Arthur,
So what you are saying is to buy the 4port router, and then buy a seperate 10/100switch to connect the remaining computers to?
How do I connect the switch to the router? port 4 on the router to the uplink port on the switch?
Thanks.
Andrew
------------------
ICQ# - 119869807

 

[DonRoeber]

Andrew
Yes, any port on the router to the uplink port on the switch. If for some reason the switch doesn't have an uplink port, use a crossover ethernet cable.
------------------
--
Donald Roeber
Generating 2048 bits of randomness...

 

[Arthur Legardo]

How do I connect the switch to the router? port 4 on the router to the uplink port on the switch?

What DonRoeber wrote holds true, however, with the SMC Barricade routers you won't need a crossover cable as all of their front ports are "auto-MDIX/MDI" ports; meaning that they'll do the "crossing over" themselves.
BTW, if you want some information on making your own cables, go Link Removed .
Good luck!