Wired Networks

The only guaranteed way of ensuring every part of your house has access to the full 1Gb/s B4RN internet connection is to use physical cabling. Although you could use fibre optic cables the most practical  and cost effective technology for home use is based upon copper wiring. 

Ethernet is the name of a  widely used communication standard  used to allow different devices to share data and control over a physical connection. The term ethernet is often used interchangeably with the cabling its is generally delivered over. The cable has come in various physical forms in the past but most systems now use various grades of 8 wire cables, organised as a set of 4 twisted pairs of wire, called “Cat” (short for “Category”) followed by a number. In very simple terms, the bigger the number, the faster speed the cable will support. In practice, you do not need anything above Cat5E or Cat6 for a domestic installation. Installing Cat5E or Cat6 ethernet cable is the recommended approach for new systems. 

CAT5E/6 cables are normally terminated in an RJ45 Plug or in an RJ45 compatible socket.  Standard length cables can be bought pre-made with the RJ45 plugs in bonded in place, or they can be made by hand by using an RJ45 Crimping tool and new plug. To terminate the cable inside a socket, then simple punch down tool is used. The Bug volunteers have a small stock of RJ45 sockets which can be connected to an Ethernet cable without any tools. Please ask if you'd like some.

There is an alternative cable type that can be used for carrying ethernet and it is coax cable, just like that used for video distribution. Many houses have been wired for Satellite video distribution and have wired wall plates in place. To convert the ethernet into a compatible format a special adapter is required, a "media converter". Often referred to as Multimedia over CoAx, MoCA  devices convert the ethernet signals into a format that doesn't interfere with the video and audio signals carried over the coax.  

Cat5E/6 cables will allow a modern ethernet device to communicate at speeds of 1Gb/s over distances of up to 100metres and sometimes a little more. If you are a moderate DIY’er, it’s a simple task to install (drill holes, use cable clips, etc., bearing in mind that Ethernet cable has a minimum bend radius and should not be stapled down) and to terminate, or put RJ45 plugs/sockets on to the ends. It is also possible for the Ethernet to be taken out of the house using special “exterior grade” cable. One approach might be out through a wall or window, and then taken back into the other end of the house rather than disrupt indoor decorations. If DIY isn’t your thing then perhaps you could ask a friend or neighbour to help or perhaps employ a contractor.  Once installed, ethernet cable provides a consistent method for accessing the Internet. An ethernet connection is the best option for supplying fixed position devices, e.g. TV’s or desktop PCs with the fastest connection, but it’s also really useful for providing the physical connection point for WiFi Access Points that in turn allow wireless connection to mobile or hand-held devices.

The diagram above shows a typical house with the router located on a ground floor wall, a simple point to point cabling approach is shown. In the house, three out of the four available ports on the router have been wired directly to 3 wall sockets around the house. A device called an 8 Way ethernet switch can use one wall socket connection and make 7 additional sockets (properly called “ports”) ideal for connecting a TV, Streaming box, gaming console etc. It is possible to further extend and increase the number of connections in a wired network by using additional switches (they can be “daisy-chained”). The smallest switches have 4 ports, but 8, 12 and 16-way are common.

In more complex domestic layouts an intermediate patch panel and primary network switch would be connected between the router and household wiring.

If you do not want the disturbance of running dedicated ethernet cables around your home, there is an alternative. Network Powerline adapters (aka “Ethernet over power”, NOT “power over ethernet”, which is something completely different!) use the existing household electrical wiring rather than dedicated ethernet cabling, but typical speeds will be <5-15% of those achievable on Cat5E cabling; that may be adequate for your needs though.  The adapters plug into a mains socket and an ethernet lead connects the router and destination devices to their adapter.    An example of how a pair of power line adapters could be used is shown below   

Power Line Adapters come in many forms, simpler ones just provide a point to point connection, e.g. From the router to a SmartTV with short ethernet cables providing the data connection at either end.  Power Line Adapters can also have built-in 3 Pin through sockets so  you can plug other mains powered devices into them. There are also PLA that have WiFI hotspots built into them so that they can supply a Wirelesss connection as well as an ethernet connection.