How to set up a wired LAN connection

Hey everyone, I’m not sure if there’s already a thread for this kind of thing—if there is, feel free to move this.
So, here's the deal: I need to get my PC on a wired connection, but I’m looking at needing about 25 or 30 feet of cable. The issue is, I don't exactly want to run a long cord right down the middle of the hallway. My phone setup is out in the hall while the computer is tucked away in the bedroom, so I'm wondering if there’s a way to get both devices hooked up to the router at once without having to drag the PC or the router across the house. Can I just plug the computer into some kind of secondary hub or mini-router, or am I stuck running a cable all the way down the hall? Also, I'm totally lost on the whole "Cat" thing with Ethernet cables—what does that actually mean, and which specific one should I be looking for? If anyone's dealt with this setup before, let me know. Thanks!

Richard Ruiz9 said:Hey everyone, I'm not sure if there's already a thread for this, so feel free to move this if I'm double-posting.
I’m trying to wire up my PC via LAN, but I need about 25-30 feet of cable. The issue is I don't want to run a wire all the way down the hallway. My phone setup is out in the hall and the computer is in the room. Is there any way to get both the PC and the phone connected to the modem at the same time without moving everything around? Like, can I plug the PC into a separate modem or something, or am I stuck dragging a cable through the whole house? Also, I'm totally lost on the UTP stuff—what does "Cat" actually mean? Which specific Cat rating should I be looking for? If anyone has dealt with this before, please let me know. Thanks!

Draw me a quick sketch of how your gear is set up right now, and then a second one showing where you want to move things. Your description is a bit vague on what goes where.

Or just pay someone to handle the setup for you.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/135737...8/23789298153/ So, here’s the deal—my main goal is to get my desktop in my room onto the LAN. It doesn't strictly have to be a hardwired connection for the laptop—that can just stick to the Wi-Fi—but I'd love to get that laptop on a wired connection too, without having to actually move it from where it sits, if you catch my drift.

Richard Ruiz9 said:https://www.flickr.com/photos/135737...8/23789298153/ So, here it is. My goal is basically to get my desktop in my room onto the LAN. I don't necessarily need the laptop to be hardwired—Wi-Fi works fine for that—but I’d love to have it on a wired connection without having to move the damn thing, if you catch my drift.

If you want it wired instead of wireless, just run a cable and plug it in. Simple as that.
And yeah, you asked about Cat cables. A standard Cat5e will do the job just fine for you.

Richard Ruiz9 said:Hey everyone, I'm not sure if there's already a thread for this, so please move this if I'm wrong.
I'm looking for some advice. I need to connect my PC via Ethernet, but I'd need about 8 or 9 meters of cable to make it work. My issue is that I'd have to run the cord all the way down the hallway. Since I keep my phone in the hallway and my computer in the bedroom, I was wondering if there's a way to connect both the PC and the phone to the modem at the same time without having to move either device. Can I connect the computer to a separate secondary modem, or am I stuck running a cable through the entire hallway? Also, I'm a bit confused about UTP cables—what does "Cat" actually mean, and which specific Cat rating should I be looking for? If anyone has dealt with setting up a computer network before, I’d appreciate any insight. Thanks!

I'm not entirely sure why you'd need that much cabling in the first place. To be fair, ten years ago, a hardwired connection was pretty much my only option too, but nowadays, I think your best bet would be to just grab a wireless adapter for your computer. I don't really see why you'd want to move anything?🤔

I have something similar set up at my place and it works perfectly fine. The distance from my modem is roughly 8 to 10 meters.

https://www.amazon.com/network-adapters/s?k=network+adapters

So, tell me—is the Wi-Fi actually hitting the same speeds as a hardwired LAN connection? And how’s it holding up when you’re gaming? Does it kick you off the server mid-match?

Another route you might consider involves using powerline adapters. You simply plug one unit into an outlet near your computer—though I should warn you, they tend to play poorly with those bulky surge protectors—and link it to your PC via an Ethernet cable. Then, you take the second unit, plug it into an outlet near your modem (ideally a dedicated wall socket if you can manage it), and bridge the two with another LAN cable. It’ll likely set you back a decent chunk of change, but it's an option.

Something like this

So, can I just plug this directly into the wall outlet? If I try to use it with a power strip, it won't actually work, right?

Richard Ruiz9 said:So, tell me—is the connection there just as fast as a hardwired LAN setup? And how does it actually hold up during gaming? Does it tend to drop you from the server mid-match?

I suppose it really all comes down to how many people are active on the network while you're playing, along with whatever bandwidth you're paying for. In my house, for instance, I’ve got two laptops, a desktop, and then everyone’s phones are constantly pinging the router.
Once everyone jumps online at once, there isn't any game that won't experience some kind of lag or hiccup. 😁

It's one thing to just browse the web, but it's an entirely different story when you're trying to stream something on YouTube or catch a live sports broadcast (to say the least).

If you get this, you shouldn't run into much trouble. You might find that second option more appealing, but honestly, I think raw speed is probably going to be more important for you.

That's about it.

Richard Ruiz9 said:Something like this

So, can I just plug this straight into a wall outlet? If I try using it through a power strip, is it just going to be a total waste of money?

It might actually work on a power strip, though you have to consider whether other devices plugged in there will end up creating too much interference; however, plugging it directly into the wall is usually your best bet. On my setup, there’s an indicator light that shifts between red, yellow, or green depending on how strong the signal is.
Regardless of what you decide, just make sure you hang onto the packaging and the receipt, because if the performance turns out to be underwhelming, you'll definitely want the option to return it or swap it for a different model.

alright, thanks.