So you have a router and a 500 ft ethernet cable lying around in your house and have no idea what to do with them? Understanding the devices and connections that work into making your home networking a success is half the battle if you like making DIY projects out of things like home networking. Done correctly, home networking and home entertainment projects can be really rewarding — there is nothing that can replace the rush that you get when you turn the power on and everything just works as expected.
Home networking components come in many shapes and sizes and different ones fulfil different functions. For you to successfully make a working, efficient system out of this tangled mess of cables, connectors and devices, you need to first know them better. Here are some of the usual things you are likely to encounter –
Routers – Routers help share your internet connection between different devices in your house, while also allowing the devices to communicate among themselves using one centralized network. Routers mostly come with built in wireless antennas, but many prefer the higher speeds and stability that network cables can achieve.
Network Cables – This is where you 500 ft ethernet cable can come in handy. Using a crossover cable is a great way to connect devices to your router, and a CAT5 crossover cable can easily last for up to ten years. At each end of the cable lies an RJ45 socket — a spare part that you should pay particular attention to, as these generally do not last more than about 2,000 insertions. You can also use newer CAT6 ethernet cables for better speed and performance.
Power and Media – In most cases, getting hold of a power strip surge protector should be enough insurance against power problems. For media transfers, a highspeed HDMI cable can be the vehicle of choice. HDMI has quickly become the standard for media transfers, and you can use them to connect your television to your computer or media center device. A word of warning — although typically there is no transmission loss with HDMI cables, if you are looking to cover long distances, you would need specialized cables to avoid problems.
With this information in hand, there is no reason why should not be able to attain that long-awaited mastery over DIY home networking. Get only the best grade material, and your home network can flourish.