Network cable - what to buy?

[Snow and Rocks]

I have an electrician fitting some lights and sockets to a new covered porch area and would also like to extend the wifi network out there.

This isn't something I know much about but I plan to get him to run some network cable from the current router location out to somewhere in the rafters so I can fit a wireless access point.

Assuming that seems like a sensible plan, any recommendations for the cable? The cable run will be something like 12 or 13 metres from a quick estimate. Are the terminations straightforward or am I easier buying pre-terminated cable?

[dhutch]

Termination is fairly easy, the same as hardwired phone connections, other than an increase in the number of connections.

Cat5e UTP is likely sufficient for your needs, but there would be no hard in running Cat6 assuming you don't have mege tight bend radi you want to link it round.

Daniel

[buggalugs]

It’s hard to pull pre-terminated cable and you need big holes. Get the ceiling mounted AP now - low end ubiquiti or higher end tp link - and the electrician can put the mount plate on with the hole in the right place and wire dangling out ready.

[Captain_Morgan]

Cat 5e is fine, if the sparks is sourcing it make sure to tell him not to use cca (copper clad aluminium) cable.

If you are going with a ceiling mount accesspoint then it will most likely use poe (power over ethernet) which shouldn’t be used with cca cable.

If he’s any good he should be aware of this already.

[Mr Pointy]

Don't bother trying to terminate a cable if you are just running one, buy a pre-made patch cord. It sounds like you need either a 15m or 20m cable which you can get from Amazon. CAT5e is perfectly adequate but CAT6 won't hurt. Key things to look out for when picking a cable; don't go for a flat cable & look very carefully for the letters CCA & (copper clad aluminium) & avoid any that mention this & stick to copper cables.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cat5e+patch+cord+20m&...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cat5e+patch+cord+15m&...

Wrap some tape around the end when pulling the cable in so you don't break the tab off.

[dhutch]

Captain_Morgan said:

If he’s any good he should be aware of this already.

In my experience, lots of sparks (along with their customers) have little or interest in network cables.

[craigjm]

If it’s to extend a wifi network why bother? Why not just get a powered wifi extender and use that like the BT discs or whatever is appropriate for your router?

[somouk]

craigjm said:

If it’s to extend a wifi network why bother? Why not just get a powered wifi extender and use that like the BT discs or whatever is appropriate for your router?

Can't run those outside generally.

The best approach is to run CAT 6, especially with a sparky running it where they will likely run it alongside the power. As already mentioned, consider an access point that runs from POE if it's going to be mounted outside to make powering it easier.

[craigjm]

somouk said:

craigjm said:

If it’s to extend a wifi network why bother? Why not just get a powered wifi extender and use that like the BT discs or whatever is appropriate for your router?

Can't run those outside generally.

The best approach is to run CAT 6, especially with a sparky running it where they will likely run it alongside the power. As already mentioned, consider an access point that runs from POE if it's going to be mounted outside to make powering it easier.

The OP isnt talking about putting it outside

[Snow and Rocks]

craigjm said:

The OP isnt talking about putting it outside

It's a covered porch so although there is a roof it's still subject to damp, blown snow etc so externally rated seems sensible.

As an aside, hopefully it covers a reasonable amount of the garden too, is there an optimal place to mount it?

[Captain_Morgan]

Snow and Rocks said:

It's a covered porch so although there is a roof it's still subject to damp, blown snow etc so externally rated seems sensible.

As an aside, hopefully it covers a reasonable amount of the garden too, is there an optimal place to mount it?

In that situation assuming standard domestic use, rather that a power it user. You could do much worse than a tp-link eap225 Outdoor.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/oma...


I’d likely put it against the gable end.

[buggalugs]

craigjm said:

If it’s to extend a wifi network why bother? Why not just get a powered wifi extender and use that like the BT discs or whatever is appropriate for your router?

Because they're gash compared to running cable & proper AP's if you are able

[Mr Pointy]

Amazon have a few external grade options:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=outdoor+external+patc...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/kenable-Outdoor-Network-G...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outdoor-Ethernet-Shielded...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eaglefly-Network-Ethernet...

They are probably a little chunky but that's no bad thing.

[Jakg]

Mr Pointy said:

Don't bother trying to terminate a cable if you are just running one, buy a pre-made patch cord. It sounds like you need either a 15m or 20m cable which you can get from Amazon. CAT5e is perfectly adequate but CAT6 won't hurt. Key things to look out for when picking a cable; don't go for a flat cable & look very carefully for the letters CCA & (copper clad aluminium) & avoid any that mention this & stick to copper cables.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cat5e+patch+cord+20m&...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cat5e+patch+cord+15m&...

Wrap some tape around the end when pulling the cable in so you don't break the tab off.

If it's the electrician running it, you'd assume they'd have no problem terminating the cable. And proper cable made off into a faceplate is likely to be more reliable, because the patch cord connected is going to take all the damage and can be replaced easily.

But use copper (not CCA) cables. And run at least 2 cables.

https://www.kenable.co.uk/en/networking/network-ca...

[dhutch]

Jakg said:

And run at least 2 cables.

This also, might come in for a doorbell cam etc You never know.

[Mr Pointy]

Jakg said:

If it's the electrician running it, you'd assume they'd have no problem terminating the cable. And proper cable made off into a faceplate is likely to be more reliable, because the patch cord connected is going to take all the damage and can be replaced easily.

But use copper (not CCA) cables. And run at least 2 cables.

https://www.kenable.co.uk/en/networking/network-ca...

if it's being run into a faceplate it should be solid core cable, not stranded so now the OP needs two back boxes, two faceplates (dual is a good idea) a reel of cable & two patchcords. It's way simpler to run in two patchcords, although I agree it's less correct.

I wouldn't trust most electricians to know how to make off a CAT5e cable properly. We had broadcast wiring teams making them off & even they weren't as consistent as bought in premade patchcords.

[buggalugs]

Most AP's can be connected from behind rather than having a socket next them with a short patch lead, much neater and a no brainer if outside

[Captain_Morgan]

buggalugs said:

Most AP's can be connected from behind rather than having a socket next them with a short patch lead, much neater and a no brainer if outside

Yep perfectly acceptable to run a solid core cable directly to a access point.

[Snow and Rocks]

Captain_Morgan said:

In that situation assuming standard domestic use, rather that a power it user. You could do much worse than a tp-link eap225 Outdoor.
https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/oma...

I’d likely put it against the gable end.

Thanks everyone, that looks good, think i'll go with that and a couple of pre-terminated cables.

The electrician is retirement age and very old school so maybe not the best guy for this kind of stuff but he is reasonably priced and meticulously tidy. Pretty rural so getting someone else in isn't always easy either.

[Snow and Rocks]

Out of interest - will I be able to roam seamlessly from the existing router supplied wifi network onto the new access point or am I better just giving it a different ssid and treating it separately?