Hi guys, I've just moved into a new house (rented student property - i.e. drilling lotsa holes is a no-no) and I need to get wired internet connections into all the bedrooms. We have taken our internet through Virgin media, and they have installed the modem downstairs into the living room, I require internet connections in: - Living room - Downstairs bedroom - 3 upstairs bedrooms My plan was this: - Router in living room connected to modem - Plug 2 ethernet cables from router into one of these (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250336552219&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT) so that I only have to run one ethernet cable out of the living room. - Outside of the livingroom, I would use another splitter to split back into 2 cables, one going into the downstairs bedroom, and one running upstairs when I can place a switch (there is easy access to a plug socket) Ive just gone about installing this and am finding the ethernet splitters just dont work, has anyone used these before, and could tell me where im going wrong (need a special type of cable, they arn't used for what I want to use them for etc) Thanks, Scott

Those aren't ethernet splitters. They're RJ-45 splitters. They're useful for RJ-45 applications where using splitters is possible. You will never ever get them to work with Ethernet. If you need to split Ethernet, use a hub. Remember to use a crossover cable when connecting two hubs that don't support auto-sensing (automatic MDIX).

Wireless is definitely not an option then?

Quote: Original post by Sneftel
Those aren't ethernet splitters. They're RJ-45 splitters. They're useful for RJ-45 applications where using splitters is possible. You will never ever get them to work with Ethernet. If you need to split Ethernet, use a hub. Remember to use a crossover cable when connecting two hubs that don't support auto-sensing (automatic MDIX).

This is false I'm afraid. Couplers allow you to use all 8 wires in a Cat5e cable to provide 2 RJ-45 sockets. However, this is not possible for Gigabit ethernet as it requires all 8 wires within the cable.

I have used splitters before in the exact situation you are trying to do. Ensure that all 8 wires are connected in your ethernet cable (it should be marked Cat5e) and you are NOT using crossover cables (you can tell this by looking at the connectors from each end and checking that the wires are all in the same order)

Using wireless for laptops and stuff, but each room in the house is going to want dev PC's and XBox's connected up (and at the same time for XNA stuff) and those wireless XBox adapters dont come cheap =[

Quote:
This is false I'm afraid. Couplers allow you to use all 8 wires in a Cat5e cable to provide 2 RJ-45 sockets. However, this is not possible for Gigabit ethernet as it requires all 8 wires within the cable.

I have used splitters before in the exact situation you are trying to do. Ensure that all 8 wires are connected in your ethernet cable (it should be marked Cat5e) and you are NOT using crossover cables (you can tell this by looking at the connectors from each end and checking that the wires are all in the same order)

This is what I have read when I was researching what im gonna need, I'll have t double check the cables are the correct type, and maybe pop open the splitters, see if they have a loose wire inside or something.

Thanks for the help guys. Ill let you know how I get along

It's possible to use Wireless routers to provide wired 'access-points' in rooms. You can pick up some fairly cheap devices that will connect to your wireless, and then provide a switch that you can plug your wired devices into.

I picked up some Zyxel ones for £20 a pop from eBuyer.

This means you don't have to run cables all over the house, instead you just have one of these devices in each room, and a wireless router plugged into your modem.

I might be heading up to Manchester in a couple of weeks. If you need someone to come over and sort it out for you I'd be happy to come over and sort it out.

If megabit is fast enough, there's really quick solution. Ethernet-over-power.

The look like 3-pin plugs with an ethernet port in the back. They will encrypt the connections so you can pick which plugs can see the network. You can even go house-to-house with them, but the houses need to be on the same phase; there's encryption so people can't eavesdrop.

We use this to get the signal from our wifi upstairs to the ADSL modem downstairs; the "uplink" from the wifi switch goes to the power socket. The power socket near the incoming ADSL plugs into the main router/firewall, the ADSL goes into it as well. Wireless network anywhere in the house, wired anywhere there's a 3pin socket.

You just plug a machine or a switch into one end, the other goes into the a switch as normal, it's like running a cable but without the cable :-)

You can pick sets up pretty cheap from Maplin -- they'll run at rates like 56Mb. Depending on your connection (we see about 8Mb on ours) you can get away with the dirt cheap 10Mb ones; they're still faster than the world link.

Quote: Original post by AndyEsser
It's possible to use Wireless routers to provide wired 'access-points' in rooms. You can pick up some fairly cheap devices that will connect to your wireless, and then provide a switch that you can plug your wired devices into.

A cheaper alternative is to stick a cheap USB WiFi adaptor into the desktop, a crossover Ethernet cable from the desktop to the game console, and set up Internet Connection Sharing on the desktop. I use this with my PS2 and it works a treat. [smile]

Why bother with WiFi (slooow especially with lots of devices)? Get a few of these Ethernet over power adapters.

No ethernet wires to worry about!