Connecting two PCs via LAN cable

Here is what I am thinking:

router
-LAN cable
--?
---PC
---PC

What exactly do I need to get two PCs connected?

I don't really have any other options here—the router is tucked away in a corner upstairs, and my room is on the ground floor, also tucked into a corner on the opposite side of the house. Basically, Wi-Fi is out of the question.

Thanks

Nancy Grant31 said:Here is what I am thinking:

router
-LAN cable
--?
---PC
---PC

What exactly do I need to get two PCs connected?

I don't really have any other options here—the router is tucked away in a corner upstairs, and my room is on the ground floor, also tucked into a corner on the opposite side of the house. Basically, Wi-Fi is out of the question.

Thanks

You probably want some Powerline. It really just depends on whatever speed you're paying for with your ISP, but this specific set handles up to 1 Gbps.

https://www.chipoteka.com/article/1300...m_medium=click

https://supernet.com/product/A_TL-PA...m_medium=click

https://www.protis.com/products/detai...m_medium=click

Nancy Grant31 said:Here is what I am thinking:

router
-LAN cable
--?
---PC
---PC

What exactly do I need to get two PCs connected?

I don't really have any other options here—the router is tucked away in a corner upstairs, and my room is on the ground floor, also tucked into a corner on the opposite side of the house. Basically, Wi-Fi is out of the question.

Thanks

Based on what you described, you just need a switch.

wiredcanyon94 said:Based on what you described, you just need a switch.

Honestly, he might not even need a switch. I mean, most routers have at least two ports for Ethernet cables... That would be the most stable way to go if you want zero packet loss.

Since he explicitly said Wi-Fi is off the table, then I don't see what the issue is—just run two cables to each computer. If the distance is long, stick with Cat6 so you don't lose that gigabit speed...

Just plug one cable into each PC and call it a day. Simple as that.

wiredcyclist said:Honestly, he might not even need a switch. I mean, most routers have at least two ports for Ethernet cables... That would be the most stable way to go if you want zero packet loss.

Since he explicitly said Wi-Fi is off the table, then I don't see what the issue is—just run two cables to each computer. If the distance is long, stick with Cat6 so you don't lose that gigabit speed...

Just plug one cable into each PC and call it a day. Simple as that.

I'm with you on that.
When he mentioned having a router and asked "what he needs to connect 2 PCs," I just assumed he either had only one port available or maybe just one free one. I mean, unless he's got a crystal ball, we aren't exactly sure what his specific setup looks like, how far apart the machines are, or any of that.

Most routers have more than one LAN port (besides the WAN and/or DSL ones), so honestly, just plug both PCs directly into the router. It's way easier if you hook them up at the same time using short Cat5e cables first, just to make sure everything is actually working before you start tearing up the house. Get everything configured right away so you can be 100% sure both machines are good—like, try streaming two different HD movies on them simultaneously to really max out the bandwidth. That way, you know for a fact that if things go south later, it’s an installation issue and not some weird setting.

Connecting PCs directly to the router is hands down the easiest way to set things up, plus you get the most stable connection and the fastest speeds possible.

You can grab pre-made UTP Cat5e cables at any store in lengths like 10, 20, 30, or 50 meters, all with RJ45 connectors already attached so you don't have to deal with the headache of crimping your own. You don't even need Cat6; a standard UTP Cat5e will easily handle gigabit speeds up to 90m as long as you aren't dealing with massive interference—like, say, living right next to a heavy-duty elevator motor, a huge water pump, or a car engine idling nearby without a muffler. If you're feeling fancy, though, you could grab some SFTP Cat5e (the shielded kind) which handles interference a bit better.

Get a good sense of how far each spot is from the router and pick your cable lengths accordingly. Pro tip: run the cables along the baseboards where the wall meets the floor so people aren't tripping over them—tripping hazards are a recipe for disaster. Also, fair warning: you'll probably have to drill through some walls to get the lines through, which can be a total pain. You'll also need those little plastic cable clips/staples to keep everything tucked against the wall so the wires aren't just flopping around everywhere. (They look like a little "b" with one attachment point or a "u" with two).

Anything else—Wi-Fi, Powerline, or daisy-chaining switches—is just adding extra layers of mess. It's almost guaranteed to tank your speeds and bring a whole new level of headaches your way.

I actually run three different setups in my house, so I can give you the lowdown on the pros and cons of each based on what I've dealt with:
1) Running cables directly from the LAN ports on the router—this is definitely the gold standard, though it involves drilling through walls or windows and pulling lines through the house, which isn't exactly everyone's idea of a fun weekend project. A Cat5e cable is more than enough, and I think Jack Cook7 already covered all the technical details perfectly.
2) Powerline adapters; I gave the Linksys gigabit starter kit a shot:

It’s a decent option if you want to dodge the headaches mentioned in point one, provided the whole house is on the same electrical circuit; if not, you're out of luck. If you wanted to run two PCs at once using a second adapter, you'd need to plug them into a network switch, which adds an extra cost of $33.
3) Wi-Fi extenders—honestly, these are probably the worst of the bunch because they rely entirely on how strong the router's signal is. Plus, if the router decides to quit on you 😁, the extender goes down right along with it, and you end up splitting your maximum speed in half because of how they function.

In my opinion, for most people, going with Powerline adapters is likely the most practical way to go.

driftingcanyon2 said:I actually run three different setups in my house, so I can give you the lowdown on the pros and cons of each based on what I've dealt with:
1) Running cables directly from the LAN ports on the router—this is definitely the gold standard, though it involves drilling through walls or windows and pulling lines through the house, which isn't exactly everyone's idea of a fun weekend project. A Cat5e cable is more than enough, and I think Jack Cook7 already covered all the technical details perfectly.
2) Powerline adapters; I gave the Linksys gigabit starter kit a shot:

It’s a decent option if you want to dodge the headaches mentioned in point one, provided the whole house is on the same electrical circuit; if not, you're out of luck. If you wanted to run two PCs at once using a second adapter, you'd need to plug them into a network switch, which adds an extra cost of $33.
3) Wi-Fi extenders—honestly, these are probably the worst of the bunch because they rely entirely on how strong the router's signal is. Plus, if the router decides to quit on you 😁, the extender goes down right along with it, and you end up splitting your maximum speed in half because of how they function.

In my opinion, for most people, going with Powerline adapters is likely the most practical way to go.

Of course, that's assuming the source and destination outlets are on the same phase. And how is the average person even supposed to check that? (Asking rhetorically here, obviously)

As a rule, I absolutely stay away from mixing power supplies with data signaling—unless we're talking PoE, which was actually built for that exact job.
Keep it clean, keep it simple.

Jack Cook7 said:Of course, that's assuming the source and destination outlets are on the same phase. And how is the average person even supposed to check that? (Asking rhetorically here, obviously)

As a rule, I absolutely stay away from mixing power supplies with data signaling—unless we're talking PoE, which was actually built for that exact job.
Keep it clean, keep it simple.

It’s actually pretty straightforward—you just bypass the phase limiter if there is one, or you simply test it out in practice to see if it works. Ultimately, anyone taking responsibility for an installation should have a clear plan for the circuit breakers and fuses covering the loads and which phases they fall on. That really should be one of the first things you handle when setting up a new home or apartment in the States.

Jack Cook7 said:Of course, that's assuming the source and destination outlets are on the same phase. And how is the average person even supposed to check that? (Asking rhetorically here, obviously)

As a rule, I absolutely stay away from mixing power supplies with data signaling—unless we're talking PoE, which was actually built for that exact job.
Keep it clean, keep it simple.

I agree, though pulling entirely new cables isn't always a feasible solution for everyone.

I hope it’s okay if I jump in here; I couldn't find a better thread for this.

Does anyone know where I can pick up some UTP cable? I need about 5 meters, specifically looking for 0.5 or 0.6 thickness with solid cores, Category 7 or 8.

Micro Center doesn't have what I need, and as far as I know, Best Buy is out of luck too.

The technicians from AT&T told me I'd need this specific type of cable to connect my router to the wiring up in the attic.

Charles Thompson15 said:I hope it’s okay if I jump in here; I couldn't find a better thread for this.

Does anyone know where I can pick up some UTP cable? I need about 5 meters, specifically looking for 0.5 or 0.6 thickness with solid cores, Category 7 or 8.

Micro Center doesn't have what I need, and as far as I know, Best Buy is out of luck too.

The technicians from AT&T told me I'd need this specific type of cable to connect my router to the wiring up in the attic.

Elka didn't go under; they were privatized and still operate, just with fewer employees. But honestly, they haven't manufactured network cables in ages—they shifted toward power systems and occasionally handle phone cable orders if someone calls them.

You probably don't even need Category 7 or 8; Category 5, or maybe 6, would likely do the trick.

Try looking at some computer hardware retailers, for example:

Charles Thompson15 said:I hope it’s okay if I jump in here; I couldn't find a better thread for this.

Does anyone know where I can pick up some UTP cable? I need about 5 meters, specifically looking for 0.5 or 0.6 thickness with solid cores, Category 7 or 8.

Micro Center doesn't have what I need, and as far as I know, Best Buy is out of luck too.

The technicians from AT&T told me I'd need this specific type of cable to connect my router to the wiring up in the attic.

There's no such thing as a 0.5 thickness Cat 5, and honestly, tell that poor soul on the helpdesk to go hang out on Reddit and give Jack Cook7 a high five.
Just grab a 5-meter Cat5e cable with RJ45 connectors on both ends—that’s all you’re gonna need for the next 30 years. It'll run you about $6.75 including tax.

Thanks a lot for the advice. Honestly, the technicians from AT&T are a bit of a disaster—they just show up on-site and start poking around at the interference issues without much luck.
How am I supposed to plug that cable (RJ45) in when the DSL port on the router is actually a tiny jack (like a standard phone line)? If I'm not mistaken, that's an RJ11.

Meanwhile, up in the attic, it's just a direct wire-to-wire connection, no connectors at all.

Also, is SFTP cable basically the same thing as UTP?

I guess you just grab those two wires running up to the attic, take an RJ11 connector, and crimp them into the middle two slots.

fadedorca66 said:I guess you just grab those two wires running up to the attic, take an RJ11 connector, and crimp them into the middle two slots.

Hey there, sugar plum! It doesn't quite work like that, you know.

If you're totally lost on what you're doing, you either gotta slow down and actually learn, or just pay someone else to fix it—unless, of course, your router hit the jackpot in some weird cosmic lottery.

I mean, seriously, what even *is* a wire? What does "crimping" actually mean? And what on earth is an RJ11? Plus, why is every single engineer always smiling and broke instead of being chased down by hot girls? Actually, if you look closer, maybe that's exactly why they're broke. 😁

And am I really not allowed to ask AT&T to swap my router for one that actually has an RJ45 port?

Charles Thompson15 said:And am I really not allowed to ask AT&T to swap my router for one that actually has an RJ45 port?

Good grief, man, I haven't seen a router using just rj11 since forever—some old junk German model from decades ago.

What router model are you rocking right now?

AT&T's Speedport w 724 V Type Ci 11ac

They haven't swapped this thing out in at least four or five years—probably longer. Before that, they used to replace our router pretty frequently whenever we ran into issues.

The cable I picked up is a Transmedia Cat.7 SFTP, TRN-TI25-5PL.

The setup is still using copper wiring; fiber isn't on the horizon just yet. They actually moved me over to a different line because the previous one was getting hit with way too much interference. We ran a new cable from the attic down to the router, but the techs on-site are claiming it’s just standard telephone wire and suggesting I stick with UTP instead. Meanwhile, the folks over at Protis were the ones who sold me the SFTP mentioned above.

Jack Cook7 said:Good grief, man, I haven't seen a router using just rj11 since forever—some old junk German model from decades ago.

What router model are you rocking right now?

Isn't that pretty standard for any ADSL setup with a phone jack input?
The UTP is on the side between the router and the PC.

Or am I just being unclear about what's needed here?

Sure, UTP runs between the router and the computer, but that’s not really what we’re getting at here. We're talking about the connection between the router and the line coming from the utility pole where I'm tapping in up in the attic. An RJ11 cable plugs directly into the DSL port on the router.