Extending Coax cable

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joevennix
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Extending Coax cable

Post by joevennix » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:20 pm

So I finally managed to get a TV in my room ($10 at a garage sale, the lady was determined that it was broken, even though it was clear the power button was stuck). Anyways, I was wondering if there is any easy way to route the coax cable from our provider to my room so I'm not limited to antenna.

Is there any kind of a wireless solution?

If not, there is an extra outlet about 60 feet away or so in a different room. There is one that is much closer but it is being used, can I buy a splitter and use that? Also, does anyone have an tips on wiring the cable through my attic?

Thanks
-joe
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Post by bicostp » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:20 pm

The best thing to do is tap into the cable system at the nearest jack and run a cable through the attic. You will want to do this properly, so you don't just have a cable sticking out of the wall. That's ugly and over time friction can screw up the wire.

Take a look at this diagram:

<a href="http://img167.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cablekn0.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/5167/cablekn0.th.png" border="0"/></a>

Basically, you are going to use a bunch of long coaxial cables to create a jack. I don't think you will need to buy any special tools, I make coax connectors with a knife and pliers. Go tot he library and get a home improvement book. It should give you a general idea about running wires. It doesn't matter if it is talking about running electrical wires or cable, the basic idea is the same.

You will need at least this stuff:
- Outlet box
- cover plate with one round hole (you can buy a solid plate and drill a hole, too)
- Coax connector with two female ends. There should be a couple nuts in the middle of the connector. They will hold it onto the cover plate.
- Coax wire (duh)
- cable connectors
- Drill
- Small saw, preferably a drywall saw
- fish tape (a heavy guage wire on a spool that makes running cables a LOT easier
- staple gun with staples
- cable splitter

Basically you add a hole and an electrical box to the wall in your room. Then you run a coax wire off the spool up into the attic and find it. Up there, cut the wire that goes to the close jack and put a cable connector on both severed ends. Also put a cable connector on the loose end of the spool wire. Connect the input wire to the splitter's input, then connect both the other TV's cable and the coax spool to the splitter. Back in your room, put together the jack. Cut the wire from the spool and attach a connector. Screw this to the back of the wall jack, then attach the wall plate to the box in the wall. Then just connect a coax wire from the new jack to your TV and you're done!

This is a very general overview. Please do NOT follow JUST this post. Go out and get a book. One thing I didn't take into account are fire blocks, horizontal pieces of 2x4 that run between studs. Don't put a box under one or you will have to drill through it. A book will tell you exactly what to do.

I know this may seem complicated, but it's best to do projects like this right.

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Post by joevennix » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:36 pm

Well I've run ethernet cable through my attic once before, it was a tough job, luckily we got the cable guy to crimp the wires for us.

Well I was at home depot a few minutes ago, looking around, found some wall plates with a square opening. You buy little coax or ethernet connectors that are square and fit in the opening, so you can kind of customize your wall plate I guess.

Anyways, my question is, how do you add a connector to the end of the cable that you cut in the attic? Do you need a crimping tool or what?
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Post by Kurt_ » Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:14 pm

Crimpers aren't too expensive or hard to find. Maybe they are for a one-time job, though.
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Post by joevennix » Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:40 pm

Yeah, they're like 40 dollars or so. Do they sell screw-on connectors or anything?
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Post by timmeh87 » Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:01 pm

yep!

also, bear in mind that every time you split the cable the signal gets weaker. cable companies tell you not to put your modem behind a splitter (but it still probably works)
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Post by joevennix » Sun Aug 27, 2006 9:21 pm

Okay awesome. I guess I'll practice with a junk cable or something. Next weekend it's off to home depot though
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Post by atari2600a » Sun Aug 27, 2006 10:08 pm

What I do is I go under the carpet (& sometimes drill through the wall), & once I get the cable in the room, Just nail it along the bottom of the walls.

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Post by joevennix » Mon Aug 28, 2006 11:06 pm

That wouldn't work for me, though, since we have hardwood floors.

Figured it out though: like I said, there is one extra cable outlet we don't use. I poked around in the attic and found that there is a splitter going to this outlet. I'll just unscrew the unused cable from the outlet and plug in a new one going to my room. I'll get a mounting plate and things from Home Depot, cut a small hole in my wall, mount the plate to a stud, and plug it right in! I dont really see the necessity in buying a wall box, since there won't be much pressure on the outlet (no plugging in or pulling cords out, only screwing them in)
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Post by *o* » Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:40 am

one thing, dropping a cable is hard! very hard! you have to be sure there are no noggins in the wall first...
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