broadband cable...

[kfridge]

hi,

I have just had my loft converted and I want to extend the cable wire that currently goes from the splitter in the cellar to a bedroom up into the loft, which is where all my comuter gear is going to end up.

Question is, can I buy the type of cable needed and do it myself instead of having to pay to get NTL to do it for me. From a quick look it seems to be standard co-ax cable but I would think that isn't really the case I had though of re-routing the existing cable but there isn't enough length.

thanks for any help...

Yes, you can buy it. Satellite grade coaxial cable, with f-connectors at either end, is what you need. Also buy an adaptor allowing you to screw the f-connector on the end of your existing wire onto the f-connector on the coax you buy (from Maplins or wherever). It's safer to buy ready made-up cable than to try to do your own with your own connectors crimped onto the end.

Some will tell you that adding extra wire to your set-up breaches NTLs terms of service, and some will say that you can degrade the service received by your entire street by doing this, but TBH last time I had an install tech at my house he made a load of cable for me and left it behind, in case I ever felt like moving things around, so I wouldn't worry about it too much so long as you buy quality materials.

[Roy MM]

If your talking about the actual BB cable to your PC it's a bit more than a length of coax.

Originally Posted by Roy MM

If your talking about the actual BB cable to your PC it's a bit more than a length of coax.

He isn't ... he says it's cable coming out of a 'splitter' - that would be coax, coming out of the wall box in his lounge and then split to feed both a STB and SACM.

Kfridge: Have you considered installing a wireless network at your house instead of running miles of cable around the place? You could shove the cable modem in a corner on the end of its existing cable, attach a wireless router to it and then install a wireless network card in your PC up in the loft. I know opening your PC case sounds drastic but I'm told this job is just about the easiest PC upgrade you can do, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[Graham M]

Originally Posted by Chris T

He isn't ... he says it's cable coming out of a 'splitter' - that would be coax, coming out of the wall box in his lounge and then split to feed both a STB and SACM.

Kfridge: Have you considered installing a wireless network at your house instead of running miles of cable around the place? You could shove the cable modem in a corner on the end of its existing cable, attach a wireless router to it and then install a wireless network card in your PC up in the loft. I know opening your PC case sounds drastic but I'm told this job is just about the easiest PC upgrade you can do, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Very True, although a USB Wireless Unit does the trick very well too!

[kfridge]

just to clarify...

The main NTL feed goes into the cellar where it is split to go to the STB and then off upstairs to the SACM. I need to extend the run that goes upstairs so it reaches the loft which is where I will be putting the SACM - I will probably replace the whole run as I dont particularly want a join.

At the moment the cable modem feeds into a hardware firewall and from there into a switch to feed the rest of my network. I have a wireless AP on the switch that is used for internet access via my iPAQ and laptop.

Off now to browse the Maplin site to get some cable and connectors

thanks for your help!

[jtwn]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=WDVW

Scroll down, thats the stuff that you need and alot cheaper than maplin.

[kfridge]

cool! will have to have a measure up tonight and get some ordered.