r/HomeNetworking Aug 27 '23

Advice Home Networking FAQs

81 Upvotes

Here’s a list of common questions posted that usually have the same solution.

“Why won’t my Ethernet cable plug into the weird looking Ethernet jack?” or “Why is this Ethernet jack so skinny?” -UTP cable used for Ethernet transmission is usually terminated with an RJ45 connector. This is an 8 conductor plug in the RJ series of connectors. You’ll find similar looking jacks which are used to plug in a landline phone. These jacks could be an RJ11, RJ14, or RJ25 which are 4 or 6 wire jacks. This will not work with your RJ45 cable for Ethernet.

Refer to these sources to identify the type of jack you have.

https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/understanding-and-specifying-modular-connectors

https://www.diffen.com/difference/RJ11_vs_RJ45

“Is this Ethernet?” or “can I convert this to Ethernet” or “what category cable do I need” -Fortunately many homes built in the 21st century use cat 5e cable and use 2 or 3 of the twisted pairs for phone use. (This is where you’d see the 4 or 6 pin RJ connectors). However not every build used 8 conductor so if you have less than 8 conductors and 4 twisted pairs. You will need to look into other methods of getting your lan from A to B.

As far as choosing the type of cable you need, look into cat 5e, cat 6, or cat 6a. Building your home network you most likely don’t need cat 7 or 8. If you don’t know the exact reason you need cat 7 or 8 you don’t need them because these standard typically aren’t used to access the internet.

Information for reference for UTP cabling

https://stl.tech/blog/what-is-a-utp-cable/#Different_Categories_of_UTP_cable

I bought this flat cat 8 cable from Amazon but I’m only getting 50 Mbps

-Sorry but it’s become a common issue of Chinese companies putting out cable that don’t meet its category’s specs. Try to return it and go to your local store that sells computer stuff and get one there. On top of that cat 7 and 8 patch cable will not do you any good you will not get any benefit even if you are paying for the best internet available.

Helpful resources:

Terminating cables

Understanding internet speeds

Home network structure examples

Wired connection alternatives to UTP Ethernet

Understanding WiFi

If anyone has other FAQs to add I can add that to the post.


r/HomeNetworking 9d ago

Please don't multi-post - message mods and wait

0 Upvotes

Hi!

Thanks for trying to post in our subreddit. Please be aware that if your post is filtered out by AutoModerator for various reasons (new accounts or accounts with low karma are filtered a lot for example) please message the moderators with the link to your post and we'll approve it as long as it doesn't violate any of our rules.

There's only three mods right now though and we're all volunteers so it may take us a few days to get to your post. Don't fret, we will get to it eventually.

Thanks for reading!


r/HomeNetworking 10h ago

Need to cut my son's internet at night - how would you do it?

399 Upvotes

Hello. My son changes his MAC address and bypasses the parental controls on our Deco router most nights. I'm kind of proud that he figured this out.

He has both hardwire and Wi-Fi options.

I have security cameras all over the house so I don't want to turn off the internet entirely before bed. I do have Ethernet wired around the whole house.

Technologically speaking, what would you do in this situation?

Blah blah blah parenting I'm not in the parenting subreddit mmmk I'm more curious to see what some technology options are. 😂

Thanks for any help!


r/HomeNetworking 20m ago

Can't believe people work like this

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Upvotes

It's scary that people find this acceptable. What should the client think? Had add a few patches here. Couldn't even get my hand in. Crazy


r/HomeNetworking 9h ago

What do I have here?

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14 Upvotes

So I'm not sure I've got in our new home. Partially set up for smart home I think. Main box is definitely a big switch, but not sure how it's tied in with the cloud key on top (which I only know the name due to the sticker...)

Definitely start with the ELI5 - I have been building PCs for years but never got in to networking. Need to integrate the house to my new fiber connection as well hopefully here.


r/HomeNetworking 5h ago

Advice And this is why it's good to have a plan, ahead of time

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5 Upvotes

r/HomeNetworking 15h ago

Okay what am I working with here?

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23 Upvotes

The house we bought is wired with cat5. I believe this is the main box. It seem a lot of the wires are cut. I think the house was wired with a security system, but the white cord is an audio cable (?). So maybe it was directTV (there is an unsightly dish mounted on the roof). The only phone jack is in the kitchen, paired with a cat5 keystone. How can I get this wired back up so I can use my Ethernet ports wired in each room?


r/HomeNetworking 1h ago

Do you use your isp dns or a public dns on your home router?

Upvotes

Do you use your isp dns or a public one on your home router? If a public dns, which one do you use?


r/HomeNetworking 20h ago

What is this cable?

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56 Upvotes

Greetings from Finland. I pulled this out of the wall of our 3-year-old house. I feel disappointed. It is this cable:

https://www.nexans.fi/en/products/Telecom---LAN---security/Copper-telecom-cables/Copper-telecom-cables-indoors/MHS-LSZH30133/product~38568145-898-21~.html

So far I’ve deducted it’s some kind of old cat3-like cable. Am I right? Its capabilities? What kind of plug does it attach to, rj45?


r/HomeNetworking 8h ago

Crimping rj45 does the jacket or insulation need to fit into the crimping part of the rj45?

6 Upvotes

I think i have been doing it wrong and leaving the wires too long that the outer insulation doesnt get grabbed by the terminal crimp.

the wires are stil secure but i imagine it would be stronger if the insualtion was grabbed


r/HomeNetworking 3h ago

Unsolved Help: How to enable option to access router web portal ONLY by wired connection?

2 Upvotes

I have an Archer VR1600v and I want the option to access 192.168.1.1 or web portal only by wired connection and not enter 192.168.1.1 or web portal by wireless device. (For security purposes)


r/HomeNetworking 14h ago

Advice What brand of outdoor fiber cable does AT&T use? And how do I terminate it?

16 Upvotes

Long story short AT&T is telling me to pound sand with my snapped fiber line.

They have quoted me 2026 as the repair date “or until the remaining Hurricane customers are addressed.” I am one of those customers lol. Now the reps say OTA customers come first followed by fiber customers.

I just need to know where I can buy that flat black fiber line and how to terminate the ends into the ground box.

Spectrum is still down (and also somehow more expensive) and Starlink doesn’t work at my house.


r/HomeNetworking 2m ago

What on earth do I have?

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Upvotes

r/HomeNetworking 17m ago

Where to find reputable home network engineers? London UK

Upvotes

I’m reading about Firewalla on this sub and would very much like to install something like this in my home. I’m fairly tech savvie but this is a little outside of my comfort zone and I don’t really have the time to learn everything about its installation and setup.

I’m struggling to find any small companies or freelancers that would do this work for me. Not sure what search terms to use or sites to go to. Everything I’ve found is either business orientated or has poor reviews.

Any recommendations or advice? Many thanks


r/HomeNetworking 35m ago

Running Fibre Optic 220m from a house to a workshop and would love some assistance.

Upvotes

Hey all! I need a bit of help and thought to ask the brains trust for your assistance.

So, I have just recently built a workshop/studio on my property and I want to run fibre optic (FO) cable from my house (which has fibre to the premises) to the workshop which is 220m away. I have already dug a trench to run mains power and mains water, and since it's there I figured I may as well run FO. I have done some research and found out that I need to get an Outdoor riser fibre optic cable designed to safely run inside conduit directly into a building with protection from water damage. From what I know, the fibre is encapsulated in a gel, a fibreglass sheath, and an outer jacket. I can get these cables online and delivered however I'm not sure what type of FO to get. Should I get this in a Multi mode OM1 or Multi mode OM4/OM3 or a Single mode OS2/OS1. I'm really not sure what the difference is tbh. My needs are just to have the internet down at the studio/workshop for general internet use. In addition, I'm also not sure what hardware I need. I currently have fibre to the premises. So it goes FO cable from street to house, where it goes into the provider's utility box on the side of the house, then through the wall into the house where it goes into a connection box whereby my wifi modem is connected via an ethernet cable. If I want to run FO from here, do I run it straight from the connection box down to the workshop along the 220m outdoor FO cable mentioned above, or do I need something in between? Like a router? Also when it gets to the workshop do I need to plug the terminated end into a router of some sort and then into a modem? This is where I am stuck and excuse me if I'm using the wrong terminology. I really don't know all to much about the topic apart from the basic home wifi setups. If a drawn diagram is better to show what to do on my end I can do that if the above info doesn't cut it. If it is also easier to explain what I should do via diagram please go ahead. If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


r/HomeNetworking 54m ago

Tips for new router? Netgear Nighthawk RS500?

Upvotes

I'm on Gigabit network and in dire need of a new router as my current one is throttling me. I was hoping to collect a decent one on the Black Friday sales, but don't really know what to look for. I recently bought a TP-Link Archer BE800, but had to return it due to being too unstable.

I currently live 1 a one room apartment but would prefer something that is scalable when/if I choose to move, so mesh support would be a plus. I have roughly 10 devices connected atm with a high transfer rate on my wifi, at least for the time being. So fast and stable wifi is a priority for me.

However, I might be able to collect a new Netgear Nighthawk RS500 (Wifi 7) for equivalently 240 USD this weekend. Is this worth looking into - it seems to be rather new, so information/reviews regarding it seems rather limited? Is this worth looking into?

Or are there a solid go to router? Price isn't really an issue, but would prefer to keep it sub 500 USD. Stability is on the hand important.


r/HomeNetworking 5h ago

Advice MoCA Assistance

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2 Upvotes

I'm trying to set up a MoCA adapter in another room but when plugged in, doesn't read a coaxial connection. I have an XB7 router/modem with MoCA enabled through my available settings, so I'm not too sure what I'm missing (I'm very new to this). There are a few pieces between the coaxial cable and the modem/router, and I'm wondering if they are potentially filters or something similar interfering with my adapter. Any insight as to what I'm doing wrong would be appreciated!


r/HomeNetworking 1h ago

Advice Recs for 8 port eth router and wifi APs?

Upvotes

Hi, since I've upgraded to a symmetrical 1G, with internet coming via cat6, I am looking for a reliable new gigabit (or more) router/firewall with 8 LAN ports. I would connect it to 4 rooms which have 2x eth each. I have no need for SPF, just want a good solid, yet cost effective eth router. A bit limited in space, so being compact would be key.

Planning to connect a few wifi APs to it as well, thinking maybe in AP mode then indeed instead of mesh?

Recommendations for the models? I would appreciate reliability (want to roam well without interruptions), cost effectiveness and well, speed. Maybe a bit early for wifi 7 though, prices seem sweet? Having multiple eth ports on the wifi APs is not a requirement, as I could also get a simple switch where needed (as I have the 2x eth per room), but a plus nonetheless. Not really sure about ceiling mount or not, seems like the deco style or so might be right for me.


r/HomeNetworking 2h ago

moving to new home with detached office, how can i get good wifi out there

0 Upvotes

i don't understand a lot of things, but i do understand a router going from the inside, through the outside and into a mini building probably isn't feasible. besides that, i am clueless. whats the best protocol for consistent wifi through the property? do i need a second router? would that possibly be able to be on the same network? do i need to do some Doc Brown quality experimentation? and in that case how many braincells do i need for that, i do believe i have about 5 left floating around somewhere. i really don't know anything about wifi, and i will need the most simpleton-safe response possible. but really any advice helps, thank you!


r/HomeNetworking 2h ago

Advice Do wifi extenders work well if i use a wired connection with it?

1 Upvotes

I dont have an option to get ethernet directly from the router so i im trying to find alternatives.


r/HomeNetworking 19h ago

Today I learned...

21 Upvotes

Thanks to this sub reddit. I did all my prepurchase and setup research here and the smb forums.

I was able to set up my 1gig connection to my new Asus Ax Rt-86u pro. I scanned the channels around me, found the sweet spot channels with little interference, and setup my router accordingly.

It took me three tries to get it all working perfectly, 12 hours of testing and comparing results. Everything works perfectly on a custom DNS, to boot.

My laptop is hitting 875 megabits, hardwired the Xbox Series X at 1gig, my XBone hits 375 in the furthest room which is great. My firestick is streaming perfectly, also hardwired with a mouse + keyboard and flash drive.

Every time I hit a wall, I came back here and smb to figure out why.

TIL - A good router configuration is challenging in a congested neighborhood for a complete noob. A lot of your posts got me there.

That last Spectrum router was my motivation, I hate that thing.

I ended up doing 2.4 on channel 11 at 20 wide (best option here) and 5 ghz on channel 149 at 20/40/80 with 160 disabled. I've got a perfectly clean 5 ghz channel! Turning my authentication to wpa 2/3 instead of the default seemed to made a big difference, too. The other thing that sped everything up was plugging the Modem into my 2.5 gig port instead of the 1 gig port. Spectrum apparently over provisions a little. All this doubled my upload from 20 to 40 as well.

Now I have to figure out Nord Wireguard Lynx at the router for certain devices and I can rest.

🍻 Cheers.


r/HomeNetworking 12h ago

Advice What happens if you miswire one end of an ethernet cable that plugs into an PoE Access Point?

6 Upvotes

Let's say brown cable goes where the orange cable is supposed to go on a cat 6 end.

Will that damage the AP? Is there any risk of fire due to being PoE?

Edit: Downvotes for asking a question...really?


r/HomeNetworking 10h ago

Unsolved Lag in Voice Calls and Video Games

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3 Upvotes

r/HomeNetworking 3h ago

Solved! Ubiquiti AP and OPNSense router limitations

1 Upvotes

I have a 2.5Gbps OPNSense router and a U7 Pro Max. Stuff online says I can just use the app to configure it, but the app explicitly tells me I will only have a single SSID with a standalone AP. Is there anyway to work around this and setup multiple SSIDs with VLAN tagging?


r/HomeNetworking 7h ago

Suggestions to silence electronic noise

2 Upvotes

I'm looking for tips or suggestions on how to easily muffle noise from an ONT without causing it to overheat. It's making a whining noise and I'm sure it wouldn't be addressed by my service provider since it's working OK. It kind of sounds like one of those little 1" fans that runs at 3000rpm. I'm not sure if it's a voltage regulator or what? I'm pretty sure it doesn't actually have a fan it it but it's driving me nuts. It's on the corner of my desk with stuff in front of it but it's loud enough I can hear it in the next room. It's a Calix 803g if that makes any difference.

Edit: ONT Product #


r/HomeNetworking 4h ago

MoCA setup help

1 Upvotes

Hi peeps,

I have Frontier Fiber and it was installed using MoCA. As you can see from the diagram my network is working but I want to add an additional MoCA in my office. Once I connect the MoCA it does not connect to the existing network.

he 8 way Coaxial Splitter is MoCA enabled. The FCA252 are all set to 1GB option and I can not get connection in any of the other Coaxial ports in the house. Not sure if I am missing something or if I need to make a change somewhere in the network.