homeplug

[peterb]

If you are back at uni, and your brother is at home (and it seems to be his problem) let him sort it out on his own - with or without the jhelp from his mate in Holland. Cat 5 would seem to be a better/more reliable solution if it can be laid discretely.

[MarcLister]

Yes that is my thinking peterb. My brother can get quite angry and acidic towards me on MSN and really winds me up. So he shoots himself in the foot because he demands I help him and when it takes me a while to try and think of something he just goes uber-aggressive and upsets me so I cba to help him anymore. I did push him in the week before I came back to Uni to do the tests but he didn't and so when it all goes belly up AFTER I'm back up at Uni then he goes mental. Well tough luck bruv!

Something tells me that the whole thing will be a writeoff until I'm home for Xmas. I don't think my brother can do the whole Cat 5 on his own, or rather I wish he wouldn't. So when I get home in mid-December I'll order the Cat 5 then and find some cable tacks and hammer them in then.

Any ideas for online shops? I know you said B&Q I thought I'd found a shop that sold the right cable tacks for Cat 5 but I can't find it for the life of me! Teaches me to bookmark things like that.

I think my Mum would be much happier about having Cat 5 running around the place if she didn't have to drive me to Milton Keynes after work one day in December to get just a pack of cable tacks. This is my Mum who hates traffic jams and Xmas shopping + traffic jams + my Mum = ANGRY MUMMY!

[roddines]

You can try http://www.netshop.co.uk/ for some of the best prices. But the minimum order is 305M of grey solid cable @ £52.82 (inc VAT).
http://www.netshop.co.uk/productcate...ialoffer=False

WTS08LWC WHITE Cat5e UTP Solid 305m Box @ £65.15 (inc VAT) - White is good for indoor runs to hide against light coloured walls (mum will be happier).

Ebuyer.com do most bits at cheap prices here with free 5 day delivery for more than £50 if you can wait:
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/store/4/cat/Cables-and-Tools

20M cable http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...ProductID=1864
30M cable http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/16471
Join 1 or more cables together with these:
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/124026/rb/0
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...ProductID=1795
if possible or if you need longer without joins (ie cant have join in floor or wall cavity) then use:
50M of cable http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...roductID=41029
100M of cable http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...roductID=41028
300M box cable http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/searc...true&intPage=3
http://www.netshop.co.uk/productcate...ialoffer=False

I usually use the solid (as it is more self supporting which makes it easier to run through cavities as well as easier to terminate) rather than stranded cable but if you have tight corners it may be safer to use stranded (as kinks and sharp bends can damage solid sometimes - note the 30M patch cables above will be stranded). Solid is usually used for in wall or between room installations and stranded for making patch cables.

Single and dual faceplates (you need these if terminating bulk cable lengths) and fixing bits in these sections
http://www.scan.co.uk/search/search....work+faceplate
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/searc...true&intPage=2

Scan have a cheap but good cable stapler http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=533033

If your are using faceplates you will need an IDC/IPC Punch down terminating tool
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=150697
http://www.netshop.co.uk/productcate...tegoryid=51838
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...10339&doy=25m9
or a budget one
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...uct_uid=129621

When laying Cat 5 cable try to make sure it does not follow along side a power cable without some spacing of at least 7 to 10 cm. And where possible it should only cross over power cables at a 90 degree angle (ie perpendicular) to minimise noise interference from mains cables.

Also my rule is to always run a pair of cables rather than just one. Because you will always need another one someday and it is just as easy usually to run 2 now rather than a second one later (and the cables aren't usually the expensive part of the job its the labour/time).

You might also try http://www.maplin.co.uk for bits but they are more expensive. But they also usually have a shop nearby!
Network cables section - > http://www.maplin.co.uk/family.aspx?menu=1596&doy=25m9

[MarcLister]

Thanks for that mega post roddines. That stapler from Scan looks cool. Might just get that and some 8010 staples.

We weren't planning on using faceplates. Will we need them? The idea is to run a cable from my router down to his room. Its 37m we reckon so we'll get a 40m cable so we have some slack at both ends.

[roddines]

You only need faceplates if you use the raw cable ie 50M/100M or 300M above. But you could just use 2 x 20M cables with one of the inline couplers I mentioned above.

But it would be a shame if you actually need more than 40M. I would buy two or three couplers then you could add shorter patch leads on the ends if needed.

Some staples for the gun!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cable-Tacker-S...QQcmdZViewItem

[MarcLister]

True we could get three cables. One from my router to the door and a coupler on the skirting board in my room. Then main cable from there into brother's room. Then another coupler there and a shorter cable.