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Internet to shed

Eugene

Eugene

Identity crisis...
Just to add to the growing number of “shed threads”, and to pick the brains of those who’ve been down this path already...

We’re in the throes of building an office/shed/studio/craft-room* at the end of the garden and want it to have reliable internet access. We have a Netgear Orbi mesh setup in the house, which is great (base + 1 satellite) but coverage at the end of the (not huge) garden is flaky and it’ll be a pain for anything fancy like video calls or VoIP.

My plan is to run shielded/weatherproof CAT6 from the house router, into either another mesh access point or a switch. My (possibly dumb) question is does the incoming cable need to go into an RJ45 wallplate, or would terminating into an RJ45 plug be a workable option?



* depending on whether you speak to me or Mrs R
 
Ed Rogerson said:
My (possibly dumb) question is does the incoming cable need to go into an RJ45 wallplate, or would terminating into an RJ45 plug be a workable option?
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Makes no difference as far as the equipment is concerned. It's more a practical matter. The outdoor cable will probably be rather stiff, so terminating it and using a more flexible patch cable inside may be preferable.
 
I use a point to point wireless solution to get internet access to my garden office. This is the one I use: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07Z4R827X/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

It's supposed to be able to do about 1km or so, so doesn't struggle with the 25 metres or so I needed (even with both endpoints indoors).

I use a Netgear wireless access point (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LWUJU8H/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21) to get wireless in the office.

I was going to run a cable but this was easier (plug and play in fact) and in practice is working really well.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Ed Rogerson said:
My plan is to run shielded/weatherproof CAT6 from the house router, into either another mesh access point or a switch. My (possibly dumb) question is does the incoming cable need to go into an RJ45 wallplate, or would terminating into an RJ45 plug be a workable option?
Click to expand...

If you use a switch then can't see much point in not just using a lead already terminated at both ends ... mesh set up might be a different kettle of fish ....
 
You can get pre terminated Cat6 armoured cable for direct burial, £30 ish per 50M - Amazon etc supply.

You can get a WiFi “sender” “receiver” kit called a Point to Point but I always cable jobs if possible - under about 100M.
 
Ed Rogerson said:
My (possibly dumb) question is does the incoming cable need to go into an RJ45 wallplate, or would terminating into an RJ45 plug be a workable option?
Click to expand...

I can't see any huge benefit from putting it into a wall plate. Possibly neater I guess - means you can buy a long/short patch cable depending on where you put your switch without having any excess coiled up.

Note that if you're using solid core it's not really designed for being regularly patched and unpatched - but you're unlikely to be doing this.

If you're going to that trouble though I'd be inclined to run in two or three cables in case one goes shonky.
 
To pass through a drilled 8mm hole in wall use just cable. As you then wouldn’t have a plug on the end a wall plate would be the choice. Arsing around with fiddly plugs is more fiddly than connecting to a wall plate. Walk plate looks neater finished than a cable dangling out etc.
 
Thanks for all the replies - it sounds like it's a question of aesthetics more than anything else, although it's a good shout on the (I'm)practicalities of using solid core as a flying patch lead! But are folk really running multiple cables for domestic setups? The cable will be fastened to concrete gravel boards under the fence so I won't be hacking at it with a spade - what other risks am I missing?

I hadn't realised that domestic point-to-point wireless had such an impressive range, but would I have to create a new network/SSID for the shed or could I use it to extend the house wifi without interference?

Pics to follow when I get chance...!
 
Ed Rogerson said:
I hadn't realised that domestic point-to-point wireless had such an impressive range, but would I have to create a new network/SSID for the shed or could I use it to extend the house wifi without interference?
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The way I have my point to point set-up then it does mean that there is a different wi-fi network/SSID for the garden office - rather than being like a mesh system where it's the same SSID. It might be possible to do it differently (as the point-to-point bit is really just doing the same job as a cable would) but I haven't looked into that.
 
andrew said:
I use those network plugs that use mains wiring as the network. Cheap and no bother.
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I've used those successfully for other applications however my home office is set-up with it's own consumer unit which meant that those adaptors using the mains wiring don't work well. I am using them in the cottage itself though, as the thick walls cause a lot of issues with wi-fi.
 
mansr said:
Rodents.
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Good point! The existing garden electrics have escaped so far but I realise I've just jinxed everything...

andrew said:
I use those network plugs that use mains wiring as the network. Cheap and no bother.
Click to expand...
I've had mixed success with these in the past - worked when I lived in a flat but not when I tried in Shed mk1 (due to separate Consumer Unit?) so have written them off.

SteveG said:
The way I have my point to point set-up then it does mean that there is a different wi-fi network/SSID for the garden office - rather than being like a mesh system where it's the same SSID. It might be possible to do it differently (as the point-to-point bit is really just doing the same job as a cable would) but I haven't looked into that.
Click to expand...
I think I need to read-up some more...
 
Ed Rogerson said:
The cable will be fastened to concrete gravel boards under the fence so I won't be hacking at it with a spade - what other risks am I missing?
Click to expand...

mansr said:
Rodents.
Click to expand...

Yup, the first (unarmoured) ethernet cable I laid out to the shed was at ground level on the fence - badgers got it in no time.

Now fixed further up the fence...maybe it'll strangle a cat one of these days...
 
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