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Ethernet to Coax

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12 replies

by gekins

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I have Verizon FIOS to the side of my house. They routed Cat 5e Ethernet to my first story room without charge. In order to route Ethernet to my 2nd story I would need to pay an electrician an arm and a leg to route and hide the wire. I'm currently using wireless-n but the signal is not very strong due to equipment in my office.

My question:
Is there a good Ethernet to coax solution? I have Coax TV cables at the Ethernet hub & also in my office.

12 replies

by oh smeg

Coax for Networking was always 50 Ohm not 75 Ohm as used for TV/Radio signals. Network Coax also used BNC connectors with T Pieces at every computer. I haven't seen any of the T Pieces around recently but then again I haven't been looking either.

If you have 50 Ohm Coax you can get an old Hub/Switch with both RJ45 & Coaxial connectors on it from a place like E-Bay or any other second hand Equipment Supplier. However this will be much slower than the current 100 T Base installations that use CAT5E cabling.

But if you only have one or a couple of terminals this will work but when it breaks you'll have to hunt around for more secondhand equipment.

For a better coverage from the WiFi you could use a Range Extender like this one

http://tinyurl.com/2yrapj

Or you could use one of the new Networking gizmo's that turn the Electrical Wiring into a Network Connection. Not sure who makes them but I do know that you need to stick to the same maker for all the bits or if you need to add another station.

While too slow for business I understand that they are OK for home use and much cheaper than installing CAT 5 Cables.

Col

by thechas

Before looking for an obscure solution, I recommend that you experiment with where your wireless access point is located.

Often, moving the router just a few feet can make a big difference in the signal level.

Near an interior wall away from major power lines, plumbing and heating ducts would be a good place to start.

Changing the angle of the antenna can make a difference when setting up a multi-floor system.

As to wired, it may cost less than you may think. Look for "easy" routes for the wire to take. Closets or interior walls that line up with each other between floors make for easy routing. Also, cold air ducts and plumbing runs provide options.

Chas

by gekins

Even after moving the wireless it still has a low signal. I've done some more searching and found two products, a VDSL modem that uses standard telephone lines and a Coax to Ethernet converter. Links to both are below:

http://www.versatek.com/products/cm-cm1036p.htm
http://www.versatek.com/Buy/store-vxveb165.htm

Any thoughts on these. For a desktop setting, would these be either of these be more reliable and faster than wireless G or N? Or would I be best served getting a range extender?
Thanks

by robo_dev

the VDSL modem would not work, but the coax-ethernet gizmo actually would sorta work.

But the catch is the cm0036p only has a data rate of 50Mbps, which is sorta like 'half-fast ethernet. I would not recommend this type of one-off product unless no other solution could be found.

I would do some serious exploration of where you could run a CAT5E cable. Through an air vent or return? Down a laundry chute? Heck, they make cat5e that's rated for outdoor use....run it inside a downspout outside the structure.

http://www.cat5ecableguy.com/outdoor_bulk_cable?b=1

Wireless would work, but it will be slower and more 'finicky' in my experience than a good old-fashioned wired connection.

by thechas

Either of the options you found are potential solutions.

With the cable method, you have to have a receiver at the other end of the cable. And, if you use the existing cable for cable TV, you will need to route the cable signal through the Versa modem or separate the cable run to the upstairs office from the other cable video runs.

For the VX-VEB165, how well that works will depend on the quality of the phone line you have and how it routes from one part of the house to another.

I was concentrating so much on the coax issue, that I forgot about home PNA. There are networking solutions that work over either power line or phone line.

Check out what they have to offer.

http://www.homepna.org/en/index.asp

Chas

by gekins

This might be a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyway.

Would wireless G or Wireless N w/ a range extender be faster than the Coax solution? I know the specs state 100Mbps, 300Mbps, and 50Mbps respectively but are they true? In my experience wireless has lag time for triggering a new page and refreshing where most of the wired (albeit Cat5) seems faster.

I appreciate your input.

BTW, I got a quote to run cat5 to the desired locate and the bill is over $1500. Unfortunately, that option is out.

by gekins

I originally tried this product and didn't have much success. The locations are on different circuit breakers and the speed was minimal.

What are your thoughts on Coax vs. Wireless N w/ Range extender - specifically the refreshing and triggering of a new web page?

Thank you.

by robo_dev

http://review.zdnet.com/adapters-nics/trendnet-wireless-n-draft/4505-3380_16-31950484.html

"In the short-range maximum-throughput test, the pair posted a score of 83.3Mbps. In the mixed-mode test, with 11g and 11b adapters in the mix, they scored 57.1Mbps, just behind the offerings from D-Link and Buffalo. Finally, in the long-range throughput test (at 200 feet), the Trendnet pair won again, scoring 54.1Mbps. While these numbers are impressive, they still fall well short of the promised speed improvements of 802.11n. The theoretical maximum for 802.11n is 300Mbps. We don't expect to see even next year's finalized 11n gear reach 300Mbps, since that is the maximum burst speed and not a maintainable rate. Still, we'd like to see throughput numbers higher than where they are now."

by robo_dev

Typically the latency (delay) will be pretty low, although the throughput may not be quite as fast as advertised.

So normal web pages will be fine, but those YouTube videos may have to buffer a bit every once in a while.

Not to beat a dead horse, but one of my network-dependent friends just has CAT6 cables running up and down the stairways from 3rd floor to basement (taped down, of course).

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