Build out Your Network
Make both wired and wireless infrastructure plans
STEP 2: PULL CABLES Consider
pre-cutting your Cat5e cable,
so you can pull everything into
your attic or crawlspace at once
(give yourself plenty of slack; the
cable is cheap, and you want to
avoid redos). Go back to the home
run and label the cables at each
end. Bundle one end together
with electrical tape, secure the
bundle to the fi sh wire, and push
it into the hole in the wall. Now
go to your attic or crawlspace and
pull the wire and cable through.
Unbundle the cables and pull each one toward its destination according to your
map and the number on the cable. Attach the fi sh wire there to the cable and drop it
into the hole. Go back to each destination room and pull the wire to draw the cable
through the mud ring. Take care to make gentle turns with the cable, don’t bundle the
cable too tightly, and make sure the cable doesn’t chafe on any surfaces.How to Install Ethernet Cable
STEP 1: CUT HOLES Use a mud ring
instead of a junction box when installing
low-voltage cable such as Cat5e. You’ll still
need to cut a hole in your drywall if you’re
retrofi tting, but the mud ring makes it
much easier to pull cable without crimping
it (kinks in Ethernet cable will reduce the
cable’s data rate).
Place the mud ring against the wall
and use a torpedo level to make sure it’s
straight. Using a pencil and the inside of
the mud ring as a template, draw an outline
on the wall. Place the tip of a drywall saw
in the middle of the outline and hit the
handle with the heel of your hand to punch
a pilot hole. Carefully saw the drywall
and remove the excess material. Place themud ring inside the opening and fl ip the
fl anges out so they grasp the opposite side
of the drywall; tighten them down with a
screwdriver.
Next, drill holes from either the attic
or the crawlspace between the same studs
as your mud rings, as well as at the cor-
responding site of your home run. Using
a spade bit, drill a two-inch hole in the
footplate or ceiling joist. Drop fi sh tape
through the hole, go back to the mud ring in
the wall, and attach a length of wire to the
fi sh tape. Go back to where you drilled the
hole and pull the fi sh tape through—route
this through your attic or crawlspace to the
home run. Repeat this step for each run.Locate Your
Home Run
The best way to build a network is to create
a home run, a central location where all
your Ethernet, telephone, and coaxial (for
cable or satellite TV) cables originate—think
of a bicycle wheel with spokes emerging
from a central hub. Your broadband modem,
router, and switch will also be located here.
If you’re retrofi tting—as opposed to build-
ing a new home—you might wish to limit
your home run to your data network.
Your home run should be accessible
but out of sight—a closet or garage is a good
choice. Install a cabinet, such as Leviton’s
Structured Media Center ($35 to $110, de-
pending on size) to keep everything tidy.
Draw your home’s fl oor plan and
scout locations where you want to place
Ethernet jacks (make sure there’s a power
outlet nearby, but avoid running Ethernet
cable parallel to electrical cables—fi sh
them down the opposite side of the stud).
Use a stud fi nder to make sure there are
no obstacles such as water pipes, in-wall
insulation, or fi re-beaks that will prevent
you from pulling your cable. Explore your
crawlspace or attic to ensure there’s a clear
path from
the home
run to
each desti-
nation and
then num-
ber these
locations
on your
fl oor plan.40 | MAXIMUMPC | JUN 08 | http://www.maximumpc.com
Cameras and other devices described as “wireless” typically require
electrical power. If there’s not an electrical outlet near where you need to
place the device, and you don’t want to add one, consider buying a wired
model and running Cat5e cable to that location instead. Plug a power-
over-Ethernet (PoE) injector ($25) into your existing router or switch and
put a PoE splitter ($40) at the other end of the cable.Even at $65 per node, this approach will be cheaper than hiring an
electrician—at least for small deployments. If you’ll be setting up a lot of
low-power devices, consider buying hardware (including a switch) that
has PoE built in. If you have electrical power at all the desired locations
but don’t want to string Cat5e there, consider installing hardware that
uses power-line networking.Here’s an example of structured wiring, in
which all the home’s Ethernet, telephone,
and coaxial cables (for satellite TV in this
instance) are routed to a central location.THE^ DIGITAL
DOMICILE