Learn me hard line networking

So I have a need to run 6 to 8 hard Ethernet lines around the house. My modem/router has 4 ports. 

I have forgotten my terminology.

3 bedrooms upstairs each need a port to plug into, 2 of the bedrooms could realistically use 2 ports each, smart TV and gaming console in each.

The printer is already connected to the router, but could go wireless if need be.

Then I need 3 more hard lines down stairs, PC smart TV and gaming console. 

What should I be searching for to split one cable into a couple?

2 of the bedrooms are close enough I could piggyback them together if I had to, but I'd prefer direct lines to each room. 

Am I looking for a network switch? Some kind of a splitter? 

"Just use Wi-Fi" isn't applicable, we're already running Wi-Fi and I need more stable connections at higher speeds than it can provide. And that the microwave won't interfere with, never had this problem before but it does happen here. 

I have the tool to put on ends to a big spool but have never successfully done it, cables are cheap enough now I can just buy the length I need ready to go. I have easy access to each room from below and across drop ceiling downstairs, so actually running the cable is easy. 

I just don't know what I need to be shopping for. 

So better than this, then?  Best I can come up with.

Yes you need a switch.  And decent quality cable.

My solution to the problem would be a patch panel to terminate all the runs at your switch, and keystone rj45 jacks at the other end, and buy a punch down tool to do the terminations with. 
 

I may not do it terribly neat, but I've done it a lot. 
 

Also, especially if don't have or can't borrow a cable tester, every place you think you could use one cable, run two. 

Also, I believe I have a used 8 port gigabit switch I'd be happy to send you for the cost of shipping.  Or an unopened 5 port 10/100 switch. 

 

Get the CAT5 tool and tester, with ends, on amazon for like free (almost).  Practice making working cables.  Run your cables, put the ends on, test, fix the bad ones, test again.

Good news!  Switches are cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S98YLHM?tag=duckduckgo-ffnt-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

Hot damn they are cheap! 

Got a 16 port switch in my cart, going hunting for wall jacks now. I even found a spot I can move all the networking hardware out of sight out of mind to as well. 

Make sure you get the network cabling that's suitable for wall installation. The patch cable type has thin strands of copper making up each cable, the one for in wall installs has a solid wire in each. Oh, and make sure to get the copper one.

I'd run cat 6 instead of cat 5/5e cabling if you ever want to upgrade past 1 gigabit networking. 

In the immediate term, try switching your router to only use N band if all your devices support it and that should shift it out of interference from the microwave and give you a better/higher speed connection than b/g.  It doesn't work with older devices that are only b/g, however... 

I ran Cat6 all over the house a few years ago. My rule is, if it doesn't move (ie, a phone, laptop, tablet, etc), it gets plugged in. Wifi is great, but ethernet will always be faster and more reliable.

I bought everything from Monoprice. 1000' roll of Cat6, connectors, crimping tool, keystone jacks and plates, etc. I got some "low voltage" boxes at Lowes Depot to mount them.

These:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06XZYXN63/

are great for making cables.  I wouldn't even try to make one without that tool.  Then get a good quality crimper and a stripper tool and pick a standard.  I use 568B. Note that you can buy all the tools and a bag of ends on amazon cheaper than a bag of ends at Lowe's.

I punched down my first lines just last month when we were sending people home for remote work. We had the crimping tool and some ends sitting around from years gone by and it's not bad at all. On one of them I was in a rush to make a 60' to send home with a lady and I didn't even bother to do it the "right" order -- just consistent from end to end -- and it worked fine.

You'll need some fish tape too or those flexible poles

Buy the fiberglass poles for pushing cables up and down walls.  HF has them, but you could probably add them to your Amazon cart.

Leveraging existing cable/satellite boxes and cable runs can work pretty well where possible.

There are solutions where you can even use coax for networking runs (MoCa adapters) or even using electrical receptacles (PowerLine adapters).

I'd still use regular Cat6 where possible since you'll have new cable and less chance of some installer coming along later and messing it all up.

Not a threadjack because Rev could be interested in the answer as well.  I've got a mix of cat 5e and cat 6 running all over the house.  Right now, I'm good with the four ports on the back of our wireless router.  However, we could have a couple extra devices coming in and I'd like to wire them with a small switch.  I would use one of the router's wired ports to run signal to the switch.  My question:  Is there a "priority" (ie speed difference) in the network given to anything run out of the original router, rather than what comes out of the switch?  The router has one wire per port while the multi-port switch receives its signal from one single router wire.

BTW Rev, I've made literally hundreds of terminations both male and female with the proper tools and not one has ever tested bad.  So if you use the same level of care with this as with a tricky assembly on a car, you'll be fine.

Jerry - Not at any scale you're doing.  Technically, every time you switch it will incur a processing slowdown (a switch intelligently knows that a packet sent on Port 1 is going to Port 3 (and only port 3)) so that has a bit of overhead.  Every switch you add throws another millisecond or two on.

For all practical purposes for the amount of devices and bandwidth you'll have at home, no, there is no slowdown.

Just plug your switch into any of the 4 ports on your router.

Awesome. 

I looked at Lowes when I was there today and my jaw hit the floor when I saw $50 for a punchdown tool. To amazonia!!

500ft of cable(solid copper, they almost got me with the CCA at half the price until I read the reviews), 16 port netgear gigabit switch, 3 triple 2 single and a 4 wall plate, a 20 pack of punchdown keystones, a cable tester, and punchdown tool for less than $240.

That's enough cable to do 3 LONG runs to each bedroom, the 4 ports in the basement living room, and a run to the small shop and the attached garage because why not right? and still have cable and keystones left over for the future.

From mine and my buddies past lives as alarm techs, we've got a surplus of LV boxes already, and probably do have a puncher somewhere too, as well as wire molding, pull sticks and tapes, and all the little bullE36 M3 that drives costs up. 

I'm not making this order until I get some money coming in again, but it's ready to go. 

RevRico said:

That's enough cable to do 3 LONG runs to each bedroom, the 4 ports in the basement living room, and a run to the small shop and the attached garage because why not right? and still have cable and keystones left over for the future.

I ran a single to my garage as well but it's just sitting there for like three years.

Wifi has gotten too good for that much cable running to be necessary. Running cables through walls is miserable enough. Add cat6 connectors into the equation and you're at a whole nother level of suck. Spend a couple hundred bucks on WiFi and be done. 

There's a big difference in wifi today vs wifi a few years ago. 5ghz AC is really impressive. 

In reply to lnlogauge :

I've got a top-line Netgear gigabit router.  I've also got a big bugger of a brick and masonry fireplace blocking propagation to the back bedroom.  I also want all the speed.  There's a crawl space under the house so wire routing isn't all that bad.  I've got a line running to the Oppo DVD player which also carries our internet TV services since we don't have a smart TV.  I networked the printer so it doesn't buffer.  There are other reasons for hard wiring like gamers interconnecting with a managed switch.