House wired with CAT5, looking to utilise it

3DataModem

Setup:

1. Virgin Media router on ground floor. Can't be moved.

2. Second floor utility room has what appears to be an endpoint for each of the seven in-room endpoints (i.e. a little patchboard).

I want to get best internet quality in one of the 1st floor rooms, and in one of the 2nd floor rooms.

Help?

theteal

You need a switch in the utility room patched to each "endpoint" and another link down to VM router. Are there any of these endpoints located close to the VM router downstairs by any chance?

3DataModem

theteal wrote: »

You need a switch in the utility room patched to each "endpoint" and another link down to VM router. Are there any of these endpoints located close to the VM router downstairs by any chance?

There's one in the same room, but on the opposite side across a fireplace.

Any value in using a signal repeater in the room and wirelessly connect it to the router, and physically connect it to the endpoint?

I know it increases ping and reduces stability, but in theory?

(longer term I might properly wire it, but this would at least get the endpoints hot, right?)

theteal

Wireless repeater? I don't expect it'd be worth it.

A homeplug setup would be better i.e. over the electrical circuit. (How good are homeplugs these days? would they get sufficient bandwidth to the utility room?) Is the house all on one circuit - could you overlook the utility room completely and just have homeplug "receivers" in each room?

Best solution is going to be to get that cabled connection from the VM router up to the utility room - that's the only obstacle really. Once you connect a switch in there, you've got the whole house connected.

degsie

Can you pull out the fireplace a bit and get some cable behind it. Wired is ALWAYS better.

3DataModem

theteal wrote: »

Wireless repeater? I don't expect it'd be worth it.

A homeplug setup would be better i.e. over the electrical circuit. (How good are homeplugs these days? would they get sufficient bandwidth to the utility room?) Is the house all on one circuit - could you overlook the utility room completely and just have homeplug "receivers" in each room?

Best solution is going to be to get that cabled connection from the VM router up to the utility room - that's the only obstacle really. Once you connect a switch in there, you've got the whole house connected.

I have a couple of homeplugs, my experience with them has been excellent (Eir installed them to bring signal from hall to living room... TV and broadband quality was superb). Great idea, I'll give it a try.

3DataModem

degsie wrote: »

Can you pull out the fireplace a bit and get some cable behind it. Wired is ALWAYS better.

Of course, agreed. There's a few options which I will look at longer term.

Cuddlesworth

Or move the modem if you have another TV point in the house.

3DataModem

I used a powerbridge to get across the living room (the powerbridges are the older ones provided by Eir, but they worked great in my last house to transmit fully loaded TV and internet).

Worked like a charm. Hardwire from router to powerbridge 1. Hardwire from powerbridge 2 to network endpoint.

8 point passive switch in the utility (see pic) covering all seven endpoints. Cost of switch and cables = £30.

Boom. All six endpoints go hot. I stuck an Airport in the second floor office to give me a second (stronger) WiFi network.

Job done. At some point I will hardwire the router directly to the endpoint in the living room but the powerbridge doesn’t cost much in terms of ping or speed.

Thanks for advice all,