Old house & Internet?

STANG302

I will be moving into my house/land that I purchased from my grandparents a few years ago. I'm sure I'll be posting up a few different questions in the next few weeks.

The first is I'm getting internet hooked up this week. But after looking at the old style wire/telephone jack i'm worried that the old wire will restrict internet speed compared to CAT5 cable.

Will the old style wire handle the same loads that CAT5 can? Is it worth rewireing with CAT5?

Jim Port

Older phone wiring was done A-B-C-D etc. All the connections depended on the connections upstream in order to work. Todays wiring is from a common point out to each jack. your older wiring might not even be twisted to avoid interference like new wiring.

I would run all new cables.

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Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

STANG302

That is what I was leaning towards. What all will be needed? Cat5 cable and a new jack?

AandPDan

What are you trying to do? Are you getting DSL or Cable with VOIP?

If DSL, the signal comes over the regular phone line to a DSL modem. From there you connect CAT5 to either your computer or a router. There are usually 2 or 3 connectors on a DSL modem, a modular phone jack, an ethernet connection, and sometimes a USB port. In this case you don't "have" to do anything to the existing wiring but you will need to put "filters" at each phone jack.

If Cable with VOIP, the signal comes over RG-6 to a Cable Modem. It will have a modular phone jack on it but it's an "output." You need to disconnect your existing phone jacks from the NID (telco box) and then you can plug it in anywhere and it will feed your regular phones. It will also have an ethernet port for your computer or router.

Saying all this, I'm with Jim. Run new cables. Even though DSL should work, you'd have reduced interference and possibly higher speeds with Cat5.

STANG302

Going with DSL. I'm going to take a look tonight and see how much work it will take to route a new line.

AandPDan

Excellent. Running a new line is the best option. Depending upon the age of the phone system and whether or not it has been updated, the phone company may have to update the NID, the box the phone line come in to on the outside of the house.

If you leave the wire long enough you can connect directly into this box.

I would suggest you look at a DSL Splitter as opposed to using the filters that come with the kit.

Using the splitter you run a dedicated line to the DSL modem. You can then run dedicated lines to your phone(s). You won't then need to put filters on the phones and you're also likely to have better performance.

Check this link it'll give you some ideas:

http://homephonewiring.com/materials.shtml

Jim Port

My DSL line was on a different pair than my phone line.

__________________
Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

AandPDan

I've not heard of that.

This is the 4th house in which I've had, or installed, DSL. It each case it came over the same pair as the phone and I needed those darn filters, until I found the splitter.

You'd think they'd do that by default. Maybe it's a Verizon thing.

STANG302

How exactly are the splitters wired up? Look like there will be 2-3 seperate cat5 cables coming from the NID.

AandPDan

One comes from the NID, that's the feed.

One goes out, right to the DSL modem.

The other goes out to your regular phones.

a7ecorsair

Have you had a talk with your internet service provider and asked them how much they plan to do for setting up the DSL service and what equipment and connect devices they suggest? DSL runs over standard phone lines and most NID's just use RJ-11 connections from there to the DLS modem. Will you be using wireless technology inside the house or are you running cable? This is where you would use Cat 5.

STANG302

Will be setting up a wireless modem. As far as dealing with the provider they have been vague on whats going on. So far it sounds like all they need is to set it up on there end and send me the modem to hook up.

a7ecorsair

This doesn't make sense if they are just going to send you the DSL modem.
You say the wiring is old so where are you coming up with this saying the NID has cat 5 connections?

Leah Frances

I'm in an old house (16 inch thick brick walls) and we use wireless for our internet. I've been very happy with it. I've got service even on our front porch and in the driveway.

Just make sure you set up a secure network.

And..... I wish I'd given mine a funny name.... like "pretty fly for a wifi", "I can see you naked", "DEA wiretapping", "Communist Party Headquarters".....

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

STANG302

Wiring is very old. I would need to upgrade the wires from the NID to the phone jacks to CAT5. I'm not sure what Centurylink is doing on there end.