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Ethernet Wired House

ShawnSproule
Helpful Neighbour

Hopefully I explain this well - if any additional clarification, please let me know.

 

The townhouse I'm in was pre-wired with CAT-5e throughout, but most of the jacks throughout go unused.  Currently the only ones that are used are behind the TV (where the modem and PVR reside) and a jack in the master bedroom for a second Optik box.  As far as I can tell, these are the only two jacks that are currently getting an internet signal through them.

 

I'm looking at moving a few things and converting one of the spare bedrooms to a bit of a gaming room.  Because it'd be used for online gaming, the ideal situation would be to have a hardwired connection, but I'm unsure of what I need to do here.  Here's where I hope the explanation is clear...

 

The ethernet jack that the modem is plugged into has two ports.  One comes into the modem from the wall, the other goes from one of the four modem ports back into the wall.  This port is the one that handles the TV upstairs.  I've tried looking through forums and such, but I haven't seen anything that looks quite the way this one is set up.

 

Looking in the panel, I have a POTS splitter, but I'm trying to figure out how exactly this is working.  It appears that the jack in the living room is what gets the signal, but then the modem sends it back to the panel which then reroutes it upstairs.

 

I guess the question is going to be - is there an easy way to get this routed to one of the other bedrooms, or am I just going to have to cave and get a tech out here to take a look at it?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

NFtoBC
Community Power User
Community Power User

Either choice is equally viable.

You could also  build jumpers between the 'other half' of each current pinout, and the new patch panel, or cut some short Ethernet cables in half, and connect between the 'other half' and the switch you would buy. 

 

Lots of options, but yes, you are on the right track.

 

 

NFtoBC
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21 REPLIES 21

ShawnSproule
Helpful Neighbour

Here's some photos of the panel if it's of any assistance.

 

20180918_020358419_iOS.jpg

 

20180918_020405075_iOS.jpg

 

20180918_020408415_iOS.jpg

 

Nighthawk
Community Power User
Community Power User

I wouldn't even know where to begin with that maze of wires. Without knowing how everything is wired, it's hard to offer specific advice other than possibly to seek some more professional hands on help with it. The POTS splitter in your panel is connected to a couple phone lines. The builder was nice enough to use the same color ethernet cable for voice and data lines in your panel. I'm suspecting many of those lines may just be phone lines specifically and only a couple may be ethernet. Are there no other ethernet outlets in or near the panel? The pair of ethernet outlets dead center, do you know what they're used for? The wire just runs from one to the other which I've never come across in the panels I've seen so far. What are the black ethernet looking lines on the other side of the panel used for / connected to?

 


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NFtoBC
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Edited, based on information about the alarm system.

The punch-down connectors seem to be paired, so here's my guess:

  1. The incoming phone / internet line is the one connected to the blue / white pair leading to the filter (Comtest)
  2. the now filtered line goes to the wall jack by your modem (as a phone connection) and is connected to your modem
  3. one LAN connection from the modem returns to the electrical box and terminates at one side of the ethernet jack you see in the photo.
  4. it is jumpered to the other ethernet jack, and thence to the bedroom.

You could put an ethernet switch in this panel connected to the line coming from the modem, and share the Internet to the six(?) rooms with ethernet ports placed in them.  You'd likely need the same tech as @Nighthawk recommends to sort it out for you, and install the necessary bits.

 

Do you have a landline? I can't figure the orange / orange-white pair at all, as they seem to end unterminated at the panel.

 

 

NFtoBC
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I used to have a landline, but no longer do.  

 

Not pictured is a breakdown of which module goes where, but there are no ports around the panel, aside from the one in the middle.  According to the breakdown that's included as to what goes where, each bedroom upstairs has two modules - would that be one for voice and one for data?

 

As for the black cords on the other side - those are actually coaxial, both cable and phone come into the same panel, but I don't have any of it hooked up, so there it sits.  I do know that the white line that comes in and has the red/green wires that connect to the panel is the cord that was installed with the alarm system - but that cord is essentially useless now as I no longer have a landline.

 

I was kind of thinking that I'd need a tech out to sort this all, but figured it was worth a question here first.  Since the work would be done at the panel, do you guys think this is something that'd be charged for as far as a visit goes?  I know the usual is that if the issue is inside then there's a charge, but this would be my demarc point, would it not?

If a switch was the answer at the panel, I'm assuming that I'd need to essentially disconnect the wire ends from the corresponding module and put a new end on the cable to plug it in - and that should still maintain the connection - is that right? Is that something that's overly difficult to do if that's the case?

Nighthawk
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Not pictured is a breakdown of which module goes where, but there are no ports around the panel, aside from the one in the middle.  According to the breakdown that's included as to what goes where, each bedroom upstairs has two modules - would that be one for voice and one for data?

Maybe. Depends on which wall plates are installed in the rooms. If only phone outlets, you likely will need to get them swapped for ethernet outlets.

 

Something like this patch panel may be helpful if you plan to put a switch at the panel. It's similar to what I have in my smart panel. Just make sure the wall jacks in the other rooms in the house that you plan to use also have ethernet plates on them rather than phone jacks. Those are the harder parts to find. Just make sure that the phone line that runs to the modem isn't disconnected.

 

If a tech (Telus or other) is out to do wiring work, there would likely be some sort of charge. The panel may or may not be the demarc point depending on how the townhouse complex is wired. In my place the demarc is outside my unit in a central wiring room.


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NFtoBC
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@Nighthawk wrote:

The panel may or may not be the demarc point depending on how the townhouse complex is wired. In my place the demarc is outside my unit in a central wiring room.


Usually the point of demarcation is outside the dwelling in a place accessible without your permission.

 

Given the white wire is from your alarm installation, the incoming wire from the demarcation point would be the one connected to “line” on the filter. Hire your choice of installer to make the changes, as Telus really has no responsibility beyond the modem / router, and other suppliers may be a better deal.

 

NFtoBC
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Fair enough.  I did double check the wall jack in the room - and it's a double jack, so both voice and data.  Which would make sense with the breakdown of the modules in the panel in the basement.  The wiring is there then, it's just a matter of figuring out the connection to actually get the data to the room I want.

 

I'm definitely thinking that the box in the middle of my panel is just a jumper to connect the feed coming back through the modem up to the bedroom that currently has a TV box in it.  There are two modules that don't have wires connected to them any longer and that would make sense that the original TELUS installer removed them, wired one to each jack on the middle box and attached with a jumper.

So in theory, if I was able to correctly identify which module currently connects to the room I now want to have hardwired, I should be able to remove the wires from that module, add a cable end and use that to send data to that bedroom, correct?  I would just have to figure out which end of the jumper cable is which, then go end from modem into a switch, then plug one cable to go from switch to currently wired bedroom and another from switch to newly added cable end for bedroom number two.  Do I have that reasonably correct?

Side note, if I was to invest in a patch panel as Nighthawk linked to, how would that work?  Would that replace the modules that are currently in my panel, or am I missing something more?  How difficult would it be to do this work myself should I be inclined?

NFtoBC
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Community Power User

The patch panel would replace the current modules.

You’d need to figure out which are phone and which are Ethernet. A review of the cover plate at the wall to see colour pins, and a jumper for the wall jack and a continuity tester at the patch panel will quickly sort that.

You’ll need a punch-down tool to install the wires on the new jumper panel.

A bit of time spent online will provide instruction as to installing the wires correctly.

 

I ran Ethernet around my house without difficulty, it just takes a bit of preparation. If you can install a light fixture or wall switch, you can run Ethernet.

NFtoBC
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So just to be sure that I've got this figured out in my head...

 

I'd replace the current modules with the patch panel, get an Ethernet switch to put in between the box in the middle of my panel and use that to distribute the data signal to various other jacks, correct?

 

Or would I be better off taking out that jumper setup that's currently in the middle of my panel (and re-hooking that up to the patch panel) to distribute things?  I guess it would essentially do the same thing, would it not?

NFtoBC
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Community Power User

Either choice is equally viable.

You could also  build jumpers between the 'other half' of each current pinout, and the new patch panel, or cut some short Ethernet cables in half, and connect between the 'other half' and the switch you would buy. 

 

Lots of options, but yes, you are on the right track.

 

 

NFtoBC
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Awesome, thank you so much for the help with all of this.  Looks like it's a relatively simple swap over, I'm fairly confident in my ability to handle the work myself Smiley Happy

Hey guys, I'm hoping to get a little more insight here...

 

Here's a couple of photos of the panel and the listing of which connection goes where in the house.

 

IMG_0084.pngIMG_0085.png

 

So the question that I've got with regards to swapping over to a patch panel - I'm assuming that I just leave the POTS splitter as it currently sits - as in I wouldn't need to do anything at all with it, correct?  The part of the module that's labelled as the 'FEED' isn't actually connected to anything.  There's a brown pair connected to it, but the other end goes nowhere.

 

Would the 'FEED' cable in this case be removed from the module and actually be connected to the POTS splitter?

 

What I'm assuming that I'd need to do is leave the splitter as it is, don't mess with any of those connections and basically just swap over one module at a time to the patch panel, including the two lines that are currently connected by a jumper cable at the jack in the middle.

 

On a side note, would I need to actually wire up the two modules that are listed as 'JUMPER'?  It seems that it's a cable connecting the bottom module on one to the feed slot on the next - so I'm assuming I could just omit that in the patch panel situation.

I hope that all makes sense.  If there's anything I can try and further clarify, let me know.

NFtoBC
Community Power User
Community Power User

Where do you want to place your modem / router? In the cabinet, or leave it where it is?

If you want to leave it in its current location, you need to buy a switch. If you move it, you would have only one (maybe two) connection(s) at its current location.

 

 

 

 

NFtoBC
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I plan on leaving it where it is.  I did pick up a switch as well, so that's no problem.

NFtoBC
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First off, I'm a bit confused by your list, as I expected the blocks to be paired, i.e. one  goes to a room, and the other  is bare. For instance I do not see any wires on Module 1 blocks 3 & 6, and you have indicated block 0 and block 4 are dead ended.

Mod 1

0 - dead wire

1 - Bed 2

 

2 - Bed 2

3 - empty

 

4 - dead wire (formerly alarm)

5 - Master bedroom

 

6 - empty

7 - Bed 1

 

8 - Bed 1

9 - jumper to ethernet plug in cabinet

 

Mod 2

0 - jumper to ethernet plug in cabinet

1 - under stairs 

 

2 - under stairs

 

Wire from filter connects to block ????? or does it go directly to Living room?

 

My current understanding of your setup is:

  1. Telephone line comes into the cabinet
  2. connects to LINE plug on filter
  3. Internet connection  on filter goes to block ???? on Mod 1 or directly to Living room
  4. comes out in Living room where the phone jack is connected to modem / router
  5. Ethernet port of Router connected to TV PVR, etrc
  6. Ethernet port of router connected to other jack on wall
  7. returns to cabinet
  8. jumpered to ethernet plug in cabinet
  9. jumper to Bedroom 1
  10. connects to second TV

 

 

Ok, Here's my suggestions:

  1. do a cleanup by removing the dead end wires 
  2. install switch
  3. connect both ethernet connections to switch
  4. test to make sure internet still works as current
  5. make a jumper to each other room from the switch
  6. Done.

 

NFtoBC
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For the modules that don't have anything connected to them (either the cable that used to connect to block 3 or 4, and block 6) are the ones that go to the dual jacks in the middle of the cabinet.  What I'm gathering is the tech that did the initial installation of internet & TV connected one to each end of that dual jack and connected by jumper to route a hardwired connection from the gateway to the master bedroom (where the second TV is connected).

 

When I zoom in on the picture, it seems that the wire going from slot 0 (labelled 'feed') used to run into the POTS splitter.  I don't know if a later tech removed that as it wasn't needed anymore or what, but it's not going anywhere now, so I could pull those two wires.

 

Each of the rooms has a dual jack installed, which is why I'm thinking there's pairs listed on the 'cheat sheet'.  That cardboard list is as included when we bought the house, so I'm assuming one block was intended each for voice and data to each room.

 

As far as I can tell, the jumper at block 9 on module 1 is connected to block 0 on module 2 to connect the two modules together.

I'm thinking about things a bit more - mostly with regards to the POTS splitter.

 

Would it make sense that the original installation tech would have pulled the wires from block 0 and block 3 (which would appear to be the phone jack portion of the dual jack in the living room) to connect to the splitter and then run the now dead pair back from the splitter to block 0 so that it would have distributed voice to the rest of the blocks?

 

It seems to make sense in my head, but not sure if that's a 'thing' or not.

NFtoBC
Community Power User
Community Power User

@ShawnSproule wrote:

I'm thinking about things a bit more - mostly with regards to the POTS splitter.

 

Would it make sense that the original installation tech would have pulled the wires from block 0 and block 3 (which would appear to be the phone jack portion of the dual jack in the living room) to connect to the splitter and then run the now dead pair back from the splitter to block 0 so that it would have distributed voice to the rest of the blocks?

 

It seems to make sense in my head, but not sure if that's a 'thing' or not.


Yes, that makes sense. The challenge of the picture is not being able to follow the wires.

 

Based on the info you have provided, and a bit more research on my part here are some more thoughts:

The Leviton PWB 58141-02 are indeed Telephone panel,  with all connectors wired together. This explains the connection between module 1 block 9 and module 2 block 0.

 

The Ethernet side of the wiring should not have been connected to this panel.

 

You can still remove the ethernet cable and connect both ethernet receptacles  to the switch with cat 5 cables and check that your internet still works as expected.

 

The next step is to learn which cables are connected to the cat5 receptacle in each room, and remove that cable from the patch panel. This becomes a convoluted process which may be worth getting professional help. You would need to disconnect wires from the panel to check each cable. You could make an Ethernet plug with one wire pair (say orange / orange/white) twisted together, and plug it in in one room. Then test for continuity on each of the pairs at the cabinet. Rinse & repeat. You could then put an ethernet plug on each cable and attach to your switch.

 

Sorry about the earlier confusion.

 

NFtoBC
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Thanks so much for all the help with this.  I know it's been a long, drawn out process.

 

The information has certainly been a big help as I try to sort this all out in my head.  I think I might give it a go with one module to one of the other bedrooms as a test first, just to see.  Worst case, I suppose, if I don't get things to work with my test, I can put the cable back into the block and call in a pro to help if need be... haha.