How to share cable internet connection using phone/data outlets

[luckyone72]

Hello,

I just moved into a new apt and am currently connected to the internet via road runner cable. The cable comes from a cable/data/voice outlet, into the cable modem box and into my router. I have four cable/data/phone outlets spread across the apt. Is there an easy solution to make the data outlets 'live' in each room so I can simply connect to the internet from the wall outlets? Can I feed my router, into the data outlet in one room, and have the other rooms share the connection? There is a central "Multiple Service Distribution Enclosure" in my storage closet. Is this where the cable modem should be feeding into the data wires? And how...?The central box has got the time warner coaxial cables and the ethernet cables in there, seemingly split off in four directions. Sorry, a bit confusing, but I hope you guys get the gist of this post.

Thank you

I apologize if this has been asked before but I'm not sure if those threads pertain to my situation.

 

[eibgrad]

The MSDE (Multiple Service Distribution Enclosure) may indeed be where your various cables converge. But given the way networking works, it doesn't really matter where you patch your router. You could use the MSDE or any room that's convenient and patch a LAN port from the router into an outlet. As long those lines are connected by a switch/hub at the MSDE, the router should now be accessible in any other room serviced by the MSDE.

 

[luckyone72]

Thank you for the reply. So if I simply connect my router to one of the outlets, the other outlets through out the apartment will go live? Am I being too optimistic? I thought these data ports were like one way (from a novice p.o.v.).

I will post a few photos of the MSDE and the individual outlets (basically 2 coaxail/2 phone/data) this evening.

>>>>"As long those lines are connected by a switch/hub at the MSDE, the router should now be accessible in any other room serviced by the MSDE. "

I'm assuming these MSDE's are usually switches/hubs?

What's the best way to test this? Hook my cable internet ethernet into an outlet and see if I can get data by plugging my computer ethernet into an outlet in a different room? There's no possibility of uh damaging anything is there?

Thank you for your advice and patience

 

[eibgrad]

Most wired devices these days use auto-mdix to automatically configure themselves according to how the other device/outlet is wired. So it just doesn't matter. You can't do any harm. Either it will work or it won't. And if it doesn't work, it's most likely because things aren't hooked up, at all.

IOW, if you have a modem and router installed in the home office, both working properly and connected to your ISP, connect a LAN port on the router into the wall outlet, plug a PC in the den’s outlet, and can’t establish connectivity, it's probably because the runs from each room (or at least in those rooms) haven’t been terminated into a switch/hub at the MSDE.

A few years ago I had a new home w/ structured wiring too. All the rooms were wired, but the MSDE had no switch/hub. I was expected to add my own (or perhaps a router if I wanted to make my ISP connection at the MSDE). It just doesn’t matter where you install the router, whatever is convenient. You just have to use some common sense. If you install a wireless router in the MSDE, that probably isn’t going to be the best location for wireless. But if you want to install a wired-only router (or wireless router w/ wireless disabled) in the MSDE and drop WAPs (wireless access points) strategically around the home, that might make more sense. Or as I said before, only use a switch at the MSDE and place the router in some other room (might make it easier to manage). It just doesn’t matter from the perspective of “will it work”, it’s just a matter of “what’s convenient”.

 

[luckyone72]

I tried a simple perhaps naive test. Plugged ethernet cable from cable modem into wall outlet, and plugged laptop into a different outlet in the apt. Of course there is no signal. Do I need a router that goes between the cable modem and the wall outlet? again, excuse my naivety!

http://img163.imageshack.us/i/img1388c.jpg/

http://img205.imageshack.us/i/img1387w.jpg/

http://img715.imageshack.us/i/img1390s.jpg/


Does this MSDE setup make sense to anyone? Do I need to install a switch/hub in this case? If so... can I go about it myself?

Basically the goal is to have live internet connection from the four cable/data outlets in my apartment. I'm getting a wireless router soon, and like eigrad has mentioned, would rather have that not by the MSDE which is in my storage closet.


Thank you!

 

[luckyone72]

Is the cat5e port in the MSDE supposed to be the 'center' of this setup?

 

[luckyone72]

bump

any advice?

 

[Akram666]

Get a router to share your Internet connection and find away to hide the cables coming from each room

 

[huntluck]

change your router mode to pppoe mode and if dont buy a switch buy a router with 4

ehternet ports............ also can share it


if u wanna wireless than buy wi-fi type 4 modem and also wi-fi cards and install in

all pc

 

[luckyone72]

change your router mode to pppoe mode and if dont buy a switch buy a router with 4

ehternet ports............ also can share it


if u wanna wireless than buy wi-fi type 4 modem and also wi-fi cards and install in

all pc

what does changing to pppoe mode do?

i'm talking about using the existing wiring in my apartment that seems to be connected to the msde box --- where there are 4 data jacks total in my apt. do you mean connecting the router in pppoe mode to one of the jacks? will that make the other 3 outlets 'live' in my apt?

thanks

 

[huntluck]

you can run all 4 pc's with that i assume u use Rj 45

 

[gtvr]

what does changing to pppoe mode do?

i'm talking about using the existing wiring in my apartment that seems to be connected to the msde box --- where there are 4 data jacks total in my apt. do you mean connecting the router in pppoe mode to one of the jacks? will that make the other 3 outlets 'live' in my apt?

thanks

Please ignore huntluck, he does not post advice that makes any sense. It's not just your thread.

I can't view the images from work, I'll try to look tonight from home, and see if I can give you any suggestions.

 

[luckyone72]

Please ignore huntluck, he does not post advice that makes any sense. It's not just your thread.

I can't view the images from work, I'll try to look tonight from home, and see if I can give you any suggestions.

great thank you! looking forward to your advice.

 

[gtvr]

whoops - forgot about the thread when I got home the other night. I'll send myself an email

 

[luckyone72]

whoops - forgot about the thread when I got home the other night. I'll send myself an email

thanks!

 

[gtvr]

argh - seen those before. Hate them. Why they can't just wire to a standard patch panel, I'll never know. I guess someone would have to then connect the wires to a switch, maybe it's beyond people.

I don't know if both "sides" of that hub connect - that is, some of the ports (top) are connected via blue wire, bottom is by yellow. Make sure you plug in your router and a PC to ports numbered with what is using the blue wires.

I THINK, that this is acting like a hub. But I'm not sure. If I had one in my house, not an apartment, I'd probably cut the wires and wire them to a patch panel. There may not be enough slack for that, and you probably don't want to do that in an apartment anyways.

Is there a manufacturer name/part number on it?