What Every Homeowner Should Consider about Ethernet Wiring in Your Home

11 May 2015
 Categories: , Blog


When you begin to upgrade the wiring in your home, you may consider the option of wiring your entire home with Ethernet cables. This may be something that your electrician mentions as a way to help with Internet problems you may be having, including wireless connections. There are a few things you should know before you take this option and begin the process.

Consistent Speeds

One of the things you should know about having Ethernet wired throughout your home is the ability to increase your speeds and keep them consistent. For example, an advanced Wi-Fi system would bring you speeds around 600 mega bytes per second. With a wired Ethernet connection you can increase your speeds and have a consistent speed up to 1 gigabyte per second. This is a huge improvement, especially if you are using your connection to make phone calls, upload videos, or stream a movie.

Switching Off Cable

Something that you will realise when you have your home wired with Ethernet cable is that you have fast enough speeds to stream shows and movies from major streaming companies. This has lead many people to switching off their cable television service and using their Internet as their primary source for entertainment. It can save you money in the long run and it can open you up to new ways for finding the news, shows, and entertainment you want to receive.

Choices in Cable

You'll have two choices with the type of cable you can use. Your first choice is Cat 5 and the second option will be Cat 6. The ideal option is to go with a Cat 6 cable if possible. The reason is because the Cat 5 cable is the slower of the two. If you are trying to stream media, get a consistent high speed connection, and you want to rely on your Internet as your primary source of entertainment or for your business then choosing a Cat 6 would be the best option.

Professional Installation

Running Ethernet wiring throughout your home will need to be done by a professional. This is due to several factors including placement of the wire, connection of the wire, and ensuring that your connections meet local electrical guidelines. When you contact a professional electrician, they will discuss where to place the cables, how to run them, your connections, and if anything you want with the layout will need to be adjusted to meet local electrical guidelines.

These are just a few things to consider about Ethernet wiring in your home. If you still aren't sure if you need this type of service, contact a local electrician like Austec Electrical for more details.


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