wireless networking question [Archive]

PhantomOG

02-18-2009, 01:08 PM

Can someone recommend a wireless device to hook up home theater equipment to my existing wireless network?

I'm looking to hookup my DVR and PS3 to a device like this:

http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-DAP1522-GigaBit-Selectable-Wireless/dp/B001769K3O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1234975612&sr=8-1

Is this the best thing out there? I was hopeful to find something cheaper, but I can't seem to find any products like it (with multiple ports). I currently have a wireless Linksys G router in the computer room for the network. Upgrading it to wireless N in the future is a possibility so I don't mind buying something N compatible.

bruss

02-18-2009, 01:29 PM

linksys wrt54g with custom firmware.. http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv3/.. Im sure everyone has their own firmware recomendations.. but the concept is there. Turning the wrt54g into a bridge.

why do you need to plug your ps3 into that? just go straight to your wifi..

PhantomOG

02-18-2009, 01:35 PM

bobman1235

02-18-2009, 01:43 PM

I agree with bruss : just do a WRT54G with custom firmware.

If you really don't want to do that you can try one of these for about half the price of the unit you're looking at :

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124012&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Network+-+Wireless+AP/Bridge-_-Linksys-_-33124012

polktiger

02-18-2009, 01:51 PM

I never could get adequate wireless streaming for my PS3 using its internal device. I tried a variety of wireless routers both G and even N. The line of sight was even pretty clear about 20 ft with only 1 interior wall. I did not try the WRT54G becuase I heard that newer models had mixed results with changing firmware. I eventually caved, returned all the routers and pulled the wire. Good luck, it seems to be a mixed bag with wireless streaming.

bruss

02-18-2009, 01:53 PM

well, I already need the device for the DVR which has no wireless, so I figured it would help to hook up the PS3 as well since I seem to lose connection periodically. I know a wired connection is best, but wouldn't a bridge offer better performance (for streaming video etc) than the built in wireless in the PS3?

Maybe.You would just have to try it. but its still a wireless shot from the bridge to your wifi router. It may be a better radio in the bridge..

No room for a wire huh?

PhantomOG

02-18-2009, 02:06 PM

To run wire I'd have to go up the wall in the computer room, through the attic, and down the wall in the living room.

I'd love to do it, but I'm not very "handy". :(

bruss

02-18-2009, 02:11 PM

all the work looks like attic work.. wouldnt be to hard.. but i understand.

Lorthos

02-18-2009, 02:57 PM

PhantomOG

02-18-2009, 03:05 PM

only one port though right?

PhantomOG

02-18-2009, 03:07 PM

Lorthos

02-18-2009, 09:21 PM

I'm even considering this:

http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-PLK300-PowerLine-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B001J2ZSL4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1234983964&sr=8-3#

Since it has 4 ports. Although I wonder how well the powerline stuff works.

I had the netgear powerline kit for my 360 when we we're living in our trailer house. Worked very well although I could never really check to see what the speeds were....

Once in awhile I had to unplug it and plug it back in to reset it...

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 12:28 PM

Ok, I think I'm going to try to run wire myself. Could use some help. I've never done it before but I just can't imagine it being that complicated. I want to fix up the wall plates behind my tv with a better speaker terminal wall plate like this (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042503&p_id=3642&seq=1&format=2).

While I'm back that I might as well cut a hole in the wall and try to run some wire. I'm assuming I'll need this:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10517&cs_id=1051703&p_id=1101&seq=1&format=2#description
and and 4 of these:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10513&cs_id=1051302&p_id=1087&seq=1&format=2

Do I need to actually get a light switch type box to go behind the wall plate? If not, will the wall plate be secure just to drywall?

I don't know how to cut/crimp ethernet cable so I'm just going to buy a few of these:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10208&cs_id=1020812&p_id=2162&seq=1&format=2

Any other tips, tricks? Best tool for cutting a hole in the wall?

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 12:35 PM

or should I go for cat6 cable? what's the difference?

CaligulaPolk

03-10-2009, 12:50 PM

I have wirless d link router, that will help u being wireless.

am selling it. Its like brand new, dont need it anymore since i got wireless modem with verizon.

unc2701

03-10-2009, 01:03 PM

Get an "old work" low voltage box. should be less than a dollar, orange and have an open back. Cat 6 is probably overkill, but might as well.

Trace around the box w/ a box cutter- make sure it goes all the way through the paper part of the drywall, then you can just smack it with a hammer. If you're not comfortable w/ that, do the thing w/ the box cutter, then use a drywall saw (cut just inside your outline- cutting through the paper first will give you clean edges.

unc2701

03-10-2009, 01:05 PM

Oh, before you cut any holes, get a stud detector and make sure that there isn't any horizontal blocking in the wall. That really sucks. and that keystone jack you linked is wrong. you want an rj-45, not rj-11.

You won't need to crimp anything- the rj-45 jack should come with a disposable punch down and you can just cut it w/ a box cutter. just follow the same color coding on each end and you'll be fine.

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 01:15 PM

does the voltage box need to attach to a vertical stud?

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 01:20 PM

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10513&cs_id=1051303&p_id=1044&seq=1&format=2#description

So that one? So I do have to cut the ends of the cable? sounds complicated... How do I know which wire attaches to which post?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10513&cs_id=1051303&p_id=1044&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 01:39 PM

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10513&cs_id=1051301&p_id=1089&seq=1&format=2

Looks like that one might have a little wiring diagram.

Will cat6 cable connect to a cat5 jack? are cat5/6 jacks the same? just the wire is different, right?

unc2701

03-10-2009, 01:43 PM

"Old work" boxes have two fins that pop out and hold it in place when you screw it in. Just don't cut the hole too big or it'll fall into the wall (here's a high voltage one) (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=201705-223-BH118R&lpage=none)

The high voltage boxes are harder to work with, but I couldn't find a low voltage one on the lowes webpage... they're orange and will be fine for this job.

That last link has the right jack. That one doesn't even need a punchdown- just match the colors and you're set. Look at the larger picture- sold orange goes to the orange square; orange/white striped goes to the orange triangle; green solid goes to the green square... etc.

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 01:47 PM

I see the color diagram. How does the wire attach? Do I need to strip each wire? Can't really see a binding post.

unc2701

03-10-2009, 01:47 PM

Yes, cat5, cat5e and cat6 are interchangeable in a mechanical sense. If you were doing full duplex gigabit over a long distance, I'd tell you to use cat6 everywhere, but as it stands, cat5e will more than suffice.

unc2701

03-10-2009, 01:50 PM

don't strip- you'll just pull the wires through the slots, then the top clamps everything down. the slot is sharp, so it cuts the jacket of the internal wires and makes the connection. You will need to cut off some of the outer jacket to get to the inner wires. Try to cut off as little as possible and untwist the inner wires as little as possible.

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 01:53 PM

thanks a ton. doesn't sound too bad. Here's hoping I don't step through my ceiling or screw up my walls too bad.

unc2701

03-10-2009, 02:02 PM

Yeah- that's the part you need to be worried about, NOT the punch down.

PhantomOG

03-10-2009, 06:43 PM

What about the cables in the attic? Are there any building codes I need to be aware of? Do the cables need to be secured to studs in the ceilings in a certain fashion?

unc2701

03-10-2009, 07:45 PM

There's nothing really to watch out for in the NEC- local codes may require it. The only thing that you typically see for low voltage wiring is that in business installs you have to use plenum wire if it's going through a drop ceiling which has air circulating through it, but that wouldn't apply to you. If the wire is going to hang more than 20 feet vertically, you need to use "riser rated" but that's not a code thing. Keep it away from florescent lights and avoid running it over power cables and you'll be fine.

CaligulaPolk

03-10-2009, 07:51 PM

what happened to wireless plan? seems itd save you time and trouble.

PhantomOG

03-11-2009, 11:48 AM

what happened to wireless plan? seems itd save you time and trouble.

I'm also going to get my home alarm system monitored by nextalarm, so I want to run an ethernet cable from the home office to the closet where the alarm panel is located. Since its an alarm system I don't want a wireless adapter for reliability reasons. I'm going to be up in the attic anyways, I figured I might as well run a couple more wires to the living room as well.

Yeah it is more time consuming, but it will probably save me some money. I should get much much better streaming performance on the PS3 with the cat6 run directly connected to my router.

PhantomOG

03-11-2009, 11:52 AM

Ok, one more question.

I took a look behind my entertainment center last night and there is already a 3-gang box that is not being used. There are some speaker wires in there (I assume they go to the front left/right ceiling mounts), however, I have towers so I don't use them.

Would it be impossible to just re-purpose that 3 gang box? The current plate is completely solid.

I was looking at this last night:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=261-120&ctab=1#Tabs

and hoping I could use it with 3 of these:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=261-444

The big question is whether I can feed the cat6 cables into the existing 3-gang blue box. It looks like I would have to take a pair of pliers and try to rip open the top of the box more. It looks like there are these punch down type tabs, a couple are already down for the existing speaker wires.

Will those components work together?

unc2701

03-11-2009, 12:54 PM

This would be cheaper and easier:
https://www.showmecables.com/viewItem.asp?idProduct=3257

Anyhow, you can totally use that box, but you've already spotted the problem- getting the wires in there. Since it's all Low voltage, you can cut as big a hole as you want in that box, but it still might be hard getting the wires to go into it.

The other option is to find a "old work" box that's the same size, then pry off the old one, pull the wires and put them into the new box. Look for the end that's against the stud and jam a prybar between it and the stud and just work it off (or if you have a sawzall you can cut the nails, but that's dicey). Don't bother trying to get the old one out of the wall- the nails can make this a pain- you can just let it drop down into the wall.

PhantomOG

03-11-2009, 01:04 PM

Thanks for the link. I spent a long time googling last night and couldn't find that. Do you have any experience with that vendor? Resellerratings has no reviews of them.

I really doubt my ability to pull out the existing box without doing alot of damage to the surrounding drywall. I really want to just feed the new wires into that existing box. Are there any tips/tricks for feeding wire down walls from attics? All the walls I'm dealing with are interior so I assume there won't be any insulation to deal with.

CaligulaPolk

03-11-2009, 01:08 PM

I stream my ps3 fine with wireless. I was surprised i had better connection / signal while playing video game online and many people had played with me because I had better connection no lag.

If you have verizon acct, ask for wireless modem. Works excellent for me and ps3. Well, good luck with wiring in attic, dont fall down! :D

PhantomOG

03-11-2009, 01:12 PM

I was thinking about somehow using the exisitng speaker wire already run down to the box. Assuming its not attached to the studs, I was thinking about tying some string and the new cat6 cable to the loosened end already in the attic, then pulling the speaker wire down from the gang box until I got the cat6 fed, and then after securing the cat6, going back to the attic to pull the string and speaker wire back up.

unc2701

03-11-2009, 02:50 PM

The speaker wire is probably stapled to the studs- but what you describe would work, if it isn't.

I had to sneak wires into my new house (the electrical contractors get pissed when you do your own)... the places that would have been too obvious, I just loosened up the staples on the CATV wires then went back and did something like you describe.

It should be do-able with two people and a fish tape- you can get one at any hardware store. It's just a wire with enough flex that you can work it into the walls and keep it on a reel, but stiff enough to control and push wires along. just drop it down from the attic, and have someone feeling for it through a hole in the box. Twist it around and you should hit close enough eventually that they'll be able to snag it and pull it into the box, then you attach your cat6 and pull it on up.

never used that vendor for the wallplate before- just managed to find it via google.

PhantomOG

03-12-2009, 11:58 AM

Holy crap did I underestimate how hard getting around the attic would be. I decided to go poke around up there this morning before I ordered all the parts. Now I'm second guessing myself again.

Growing up I always remembered insulation being that pink fiberglass stuff attached to the brown paper backing in big rolls, and the strips were laid down nicely inbetween the studs.

In my house now, the insulation is this loose filler stuff that looks like it was just sprayed everywhere. I can't even see the horizontal ceiling studs in most places its so thick. I think I know where they should be from the angled joists(?) down from the roof. And in one part of the house the insulation is seriously 3 to 4 feet high from the ceiling. On top of that I forgot how big and in the way all the AC/heating ducts are.

My biggest concern is how to even tell where the damn walls are?? I guess I'll just have to dig around in the insulation and hope to find existing wiring going down into the walls. If it wasn't for the fact that I really want the alarm system hard wired to my router I would abandon this. But I just don't trust a wireless adapter for that purpose.