Long ethernet cables

[ACAPULCO AL]

how long can ethernet cables be?


i had bt infinity 40mb broadband installed a couple of weeks ago. when i connect via ethernet to the router, i'm getting 38mb. however when i connect wirelessly i'm only getting about 22mb. sure, it's fast enough for anything i need but there's obviously some major interference going on somewhere.

what i want to do is connect the desktop pc in the lounge to the router with a wired connection so at least there's one computer in the house getting the full-fat 38mb. i'd need an ethernet cable about 7m long - are these avaialble? if so, can anybody recommend a decent brand/seller?

[braddersR]

What about these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...-rg2264-000-21

[WTFH]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

how long can ethernet cables be?

Roughly the same length as a piece of string, but in reality, Cat5 should be OK up to 100m.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/cat...d=0CJ8BEPMCMAM

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

when i connect wirelessly i'm only getting about 22mb. sure, it's fast enough for anything i need but there's obviously some major interference going on somewhere.

I'll guess at it being a PEBKAC issue.
What router are you using?
What wireless card is in your computer?

100m is probably as long as you'd want to go.

Well within the confines of your mansion.

Cat5 is Cat5 don't fall for any audiophile style cable mumbo-jumbo.


Try changing WiFi channels to improve speed?

[GhostyDog]

Al,

If you are connecting at anything less than Wireless N (5GHz) then your in a radio band (2.4 GHz) that has massive interference from Microwaves to other Wifi Networks, more info here

As WTFH mentioned 100m is generally a well known limit for Cat5 ethernet but you can boost further using ethernet extenders.

You can get flat cat5 cables for ease of hiding under carpets

CDL Micro - 20m FLAT Cat5e Ethernet/Patch Cable - Product Details



Sean

[ACAPULCO AL]

cheers for the advice gents.

the router is a brand new BT home hub 3. no idea what wireless cards my laptops have - how do i find that out?

how do i change wifi channels?

and ghersty mate that flat cable is just what i need - i shall be ordering a 10m one - £4.69 incl vat from that website. cheers

[100th_Idiot]

You could try powerline networking as an alternative. I use these for the more bandwidth intensive appliances. Certainly a step up in reliability from wireless but will not be as good as cat 5. Benefit being that your wires are already hidden.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-P...1038704&sr=8-1

[156Chris]

Originally Posted by 100th_Idiot

You could try powerline networking as an alternative. I use these for the more bandwidth intensive appliances. Certainly a step up in reliability from wireless but will not be as good as cat 5. Benefit being that your wires are already hidden.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-P...1038704&sr=8-1

I've got some power line stuff too, great for the laptop as you basically have an ethernet port anywhere in the house

[100th_Idiot]

I hook up my TV and streaming stereo in one room, PS3 in another and slingbox to kitchen via them. Laptop is wireless.

[CobolMan]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

cheers for the advice gents.

the router is a brand new BT home hub 3. no idea what wireless cards my laptops have - how do i find that out?

how do i change wifi channels?

Are you using Windows 7 Al? If so then you go into Control Panel | Hardware and Sound | Device Manager and then select Network adapters.

To change the channels have a decko here How do I change the wireless channel on my BT Home Hub 3?

[ACAPULCO AL]

coolio, i'll have a look at the hub later

sadly i'm not on 7, still on xp


the engineer mentioned something about running it via the ring main. i've got 2 of those plug things sitting in the box with all the bt vision kit which i haven't yet been bothered to install yet

might try them for t'internet - what do i do with them?

[156Chris]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

coolio, i'll have a look at the hub later

sadly i'm not on 7, still on xp


the engineer mentioned something about running it via the ring main. i've got 2 of those plug things sitting in the box with all the bt vision kit which i haven't yet been bothered to install yet

might try them for t'internet - what do i do with them?

Plug them in .... that's about it (although you should set up encryption)

[156Chris]

As for the wireless settings, you'll need to log on to the router (via your web browser) and set them like that, you'll need the username/password, however these will be the defaults that are in your documentation, or can be found with a quick google


I bet if you google "how to I change the wireless channel on my bt 3 wireless router" it will tell you everything you need to know

[ACAPULCO AL]

i've decided i'm not going to do it. i'm going to sit here drinking beer instead, and i'll ring a bloke i know who's a bt engineer and blag him into doing it for me

[Happy Man]

I'm on BT mate and I "borrowed" some cable and a crimping tool off the IT bods in work and made my own up and it works just fine.

If by them plug in things you mean the ADSL filter I'd be mostly plugging them in

[ronan]

I bought these for my son's Xbox 360 as his room is in the attic....they're as cheap as chips and never had any problem with internet lagging:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_fr...All-Categories

[GhostyDog]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

coolio, i'll have a look at the hub later

sadly i'm not on 7, still on xp


the engineer mentioned something about running it via the ring main. i've got 2 of those plug things sitting in the box with all the bt vision kit which i haven't yet been bothered to install yet

might try them for t'internet - what do i do with them?

Al, stick with the long flat cat5 cable, for your purposes it will be less problematic and is a fire and forget solution.

Sean