Wiring house for telephone, ethernet and TV...

di11on

Hi folks,

I'm want to do some rewiring of the house so I have a TV point, telephone and ethernet connection in a number of different rooms. I'm looking for a modular system so I can have a RJ45 ethernet connection, RJ11 telephone connection and an TV ariel connection using the one faceplace.

The only thing I've found so far is here on the radionics website.
But this is ridiculously priced... it would add up to €50 for the faceplate and 3 modules for one outlet... and I'd be looking at doing 2 or 3 rooms.

Does anyone know of an alternative system and/or source where I could get something like this? Tony O'Reilly's?

Thanks in advance folks,

Di11on

Spocker

Maybe try some of the Clipsal stuff here..? Your Radionics link is bad BTW

di11on

Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks a million!

di11on

That system is beautiful.. it's the best I've found, but the only problem is, there doesn't seem to be an RJ11 (telephone) module available which is a terrible pity. I suppose I could use an RJ45 module instead and get an adaptor, but that's not elegant!

Anyone any other ideas?

cormac_byrne

Lets Automate also do Leviton stuff

http://www.letsautomate.com/11657.cfm?
&
http://www.letsautomate.com/walloutlet.cfm?

they have more audio and video connectors plus RJ11 which I don't think the Clipsal stuff has.

I went with the Leviton range because I was also doing speaker wiring (used the 12 output faceplate for sending stereo to 3 rooms)

Don't worry about the lack of RJ11 in the Clipsal line. A standard phone plug (RJ11) can be inserted into a Cat5 (RJ45) socket. Just remember that pins 2 and 3 that the RJ11 uses now match 4 and 5 in the RJ45.

You could even wire Ethernet to the same socket without problems as it only uses 1, 2, 3 & 6.

I went with Leviton because of the 12 output USA stye faceplate, the audio binding posts and an RJ11 option. On the negative side I didn't like the look of their TV output socket, it's not recessed and has an F Connector at the back which is a pain to wire.

The Clipsal TV outlet definitely looks neater and would be easier to wire.

HTH

Wigster

di11on


Clipsal do have a slot in RJ11. Just bought a box of them last week. Part Number 30RJ64M

johnnyrotten

Apparently there is a new system which converts a signal on a Cat5 via a rj45 to a tv signal.

cormac_byrne

"converts a signal on a Cat5 via a rj45 to a tv signal."

google for "video balun"

di11on

Yeah, I saw those Video over Cat5 devices... but they are quite expensive. Would set you back at least €120 for double set (which will only get you one video link).

Looks very nice though.

bushy...

Maybe change your phones over to rj45 plugs ?

Xennon

yip yip
remember one cat5 can do ethernet and phone...ethernet takes 4 cores and leaves 4 ...enough for two phone lines

antoinolachtnai

you can (or at least should be able to) put an rj11 plug into an rj45 socket.

Alun

An RJ-11 plug will fit into an RJ-45 socket, and will work.

The only concern with doing this is whether the 'shoulders', i.e. the plastic either side of the contacts, of the RJ-11 plug will push the outer contacts of the RJ-45 socket too far in, and in the course of time deform them so that they no longer have enough spring in them to make good contact with an RJ-45 plug should you decide to use it for that sometime in the future. I've not actually heard of it happen, just heard some people express the concern that it might. It might also depend on the exact physical characteristics of the RJ-11 plug itself.

If in doubt, you can get RJ-11 to RJ-45 adapters.

TKK

You could also put an rj-45 connector onto the phoneline.

zing

B&Q also do a range of modular wall plates (by Masterplug iirc). Not quite as pretty as the clipsal stuff but I went for them anyway as they were going to be hidden behind sideboards. I went with RJ11, F-connectors & coax sockets but they also do RJ45 + various other connectors (speakers, etc..)

Going to need to get some more soon - primarily for a projector in a new extension and reckon I've no choice but to go with US sized plates as they're the only HDMI modular connectors I've come across so far.

air

Definitely forget about RJ11 & put RJ45 plugs on the phone handsets. RJ11 plugs are flimsy finicky little things & no point having two different standards when one will do.
If you're only planning on using 100Mb over the ethernet you could even patch them up so that a phone or pc would work straight off the bat regardless of what socket you plugged into.

di11on

B&Q have stuff... hmmm.. interesting.

Thanks for the info folks.

I have another question... I'm trying to route cat 5 cabling down through my partition walls. Is there any way of getting it through the horizontal studs other than removing a square of plaster board, drilling and then patching up?

The wife is going to have a heart attack when she sees me sawing up our living room wall! Luckily we have some of the wall paint left so it should be possible to cover up adequately.

And another question... what's the best type of wire to use for speakers. The longest span will be about 10m. Would cat 5 work for this?

Thanks again folks,

Di11on

antoinolachtnai

Don't see any way around the partition problem! other than that to be as neat as possible and keep the holes as small as possible to make patching up easier.

One thing that might work for you is to run the cable behind the skirting board. To do this, you need to remove the skirting, put in a thin strip of wood at the top and bottom of the skirting to space it out from the wall, and then run the cable in the gap that's left. Whether this will work for you will depend on whether it is easy to remove the skirting and whether you have somewhere that you can bring the bundle of cables down easily.

Speaker wire is definitely not my specialty area. However I wouldn't use cat 5. I have heard electrical cable, 2.5 square recommended, but I'm not sure.

If you're tearing open the wall anyway, I would consider pulling down coax as well.

Hoagy

[QUOTE=di11on

I have another question... I'm trying to route cat 5 cabling down through my partition walls. Is there any way of getting it through the horizontal studs other than removing a square of plaster board, drilling and then patching up?

Di11on[/QUOTE]

If you just cut a track through the plasterboard where the bridger is you can run the cable around it. This will be much easier to patch up than removing a piece of slab to drill the timber.

For speakers you should use twin figure eight speaker cable available in elecrical wholesalers.

antoinolachtnai

for speaker cable, read this (although I am no expert)

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

It's basically all about the resistance (and therefore the gauge) of the cable and the length of the run. Admittedly, 2.5 square is probably overkill ...

zing

di11on wrote:

I have another question... I'm trying to route cat 5 cabling down through my partition walls. Is there any way of getting it through the horizontal studs other than removing a square of plaster board, drilling and then patching up?

A couple of other suggestions posted by others already but heres another that could minimise the size of the holes you need to cut ... Rather than cutting a hole above/below the noggins large enough to get a drill/drill bit/dremel/whatever through how about cutting the holes directly on the noggins and just recessing out a small C section from the noggin and running the cables down through that ? In theory that should allow for quite neat & narrow holes and also gives you the added advantage of having something to fill against.

Just an idea ..

di11on

zing wrote:

A couple of other suggestions posted by others already but heres another that could minimise the size of the holes you need to cut ... Rather than cutting a hole above/below the noggins large enough to get a drill/drill bit/dremel/whatever through how about cutting the holes directly on the noggins and just recessing out a small C section from the noggin and running the cables down through that ? In theory that should allow for quite neat & narrow holes and also gives you the added advantage of having something to fill against.

Just an idea ..

Now there is a fine suggestion.

Man, these forums are such an invaluable resource. The quality of the advice given here is excellent. Thank you all so much for your suggestions!

TKK

zing wrote:

B&Q also do a range of modular wall plates (by Masterplug iirc). Not quite as pretty as the clipsal stuff but I went for them anyway as they were going to be hidden behind sideboards. I went with RJ11, F-connectors & coax sockets but they also do RJ45 + various other connectors (speakers, etc..)

Going to need to get some more soon - primarily for a projector in a new extension and reckon I've no choice but to go with US sized plates as they're the only HDMI modular connectors I've come across so far.

Which B&Q? I've been in Liffey Valley and Naas and I've only seen modular faceplates/inserts for rj-45 connectors.

FYI I checked Maplin's in Blanchardstown and they don't have anything.

zing

TKK wrote:

Which B&Q? I've been in Liffey Valley and Naas and I've only seen modular faceplates/inserts for rj-45 connectors.

I bought in the Liffey Valley branch. Find the isle with light switches/sockets/etc.. All the switches/sockets are on the right hand side of the isle and the other side has the likes of A/V cables, PC cables, phone cables, door bells and other bits n' pieces. The modular connectors are down towards the end with the A/v cables - in clear plastic cases with a predominantly green insert card iirc. (although it sounds like you found the right area if you found rj-45 modules)

From what I can remember they had RJ-45, RJ-11, BT UK style phone sockets, coax, f-connectors and a couple of types of speaker/phono connectors.

TKK

I'll have another look today. They may have been out of them at the time.

neanderthal

Just a note, having done enough house surgery over the years I can share a tip.
To repair the holes in the walls:
1 - Maybe use a holesaw to make a hole big enough to get your hand into the cavity.

2 - Keep the circular cutout

3 - When repairing the hole use small pieces of wood or plaster board and insert them longways through the hole with dabs of glue already on them and pull them back so the dabs of glue adhere to the reverse surface of the plasterboard you are repairing. If the pieces are heavy on the fresh glue use a screw to hold them squeezed forward with another piece of wood on the outside until the glue sets.

Things like wooden rulers work great.

4 - Now with some filler as glue replace the exact same circular cutout as you previously removed. Wipe off the excess and you might not even need to paint it.

5 - Boards are great!

6 - Now can someone tell me the general protocol for colour codes and polarity regarding phone wires in houses?

neanderthal

Just a note, having done enough house surgery over the years I can share a tip.
To repair the holes in the walls:
1 - Maybe use a holesaw to make a hole big enough to get your hand into the cavity.

2 - Keep the circular cutout

3 - When repairing the hole use small pieces of wood or plaster board and insert them longways through the hole with dabs of glue already on them and pull them back so the dabs of glue adhere to the reverse surface of the plasterboard you are repairing. If the pieces are heavy on the fresh glue use a screw to hold them squeezed forward with another piece of wood on the outside until the glue sets.

Things like wooden rulers work great.

4 - Now with some filler as glue replace the exact same circular cutout as you previously removed. Wipe off the excess and you might not even need to paint it.

5 - Boards are great!

6 - Now can someone tell me the general protocol for colour codes and polarity regarding phone wires in houses?