On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 15:18:40 GMT, w9gb hath writ:
"Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr." wrote in message
...
Hi Hank

Since your doing a full gut rehab anyhow!

Here are a few ideas that we often do during upscale renovations.
The cost is negligible before the walls go up.
In the den, we run a 3/4 PVC conduit from a pull box in the den, both
upwards to the attic and downwards to the basement for future unknown
technological advances. We sometimes do the same thing in the master
bedroom.
All homes are daisy chain wired to every room with two 4 wire
telephone and two 6 wire shielded cable each in their respective
pullboxes, plus from the central utility area two 75 ohm coax are run
to a pullbox in each room.


The usage of a pathway (conduit, etc.) is always a good idea for future
additions for your structure home cabling (especially heavily used areas)

"Daisy chaining" is NO longer the acceptable physical installation practice
for home structured cabling (EIA/TIA 570-A standard). This was the practice
by the Bell Operating companies for telephone cabling before its breakup in
1984 .. and is mentioned as a legacy method used before the adoption of the
EIA/TIA standards. The standard also addresses 75 ohm video cabling (TV,
etc.) as well as have foundation standards (568 and 569) more suited for
larger commercial or business installations.

The standardized practice for structure cabling in new installations (and
remodeling or major retro-fits) is for "home-run" wiring from each outlet
from a central location (cabling in a physical star topology) with a
distance limitation of no more than 100 meters from equipment to the
telecommunications outlet. BICSI also performs certification of structured
cabling installers (electricians, contractors) for both residential and
commercial installations.

Do a Google search on EIA/TIA 570-A ; structured cabling or BICSI and you
will find the necessary information. The major cabling vendors (Leviton,
Systemax(old AT&T cable), etc.) also have this pertinent information.

I only point this out, since I am a professional consultant in this area ---
and find the "daisy chain" approach for physical cable installation still
practiced and approved by municipalities and contractors ... UNAWARE of
these standards ... now 10 years old and reviewed on an annual basis through
the EIA and TIA organizations.

I second the comment daisy chaining telco wiring.
Several months ago I did a self-install of DSL here. And, from past
'projects' putting in 'extra' phones in various rooms, I knew the
hay-wire daisy chain scheme I had (circa. 1977) -- going all 'round
the attic -- thence to the finished basement and snaking through the
stud walls there. What I ended up doing was installing my own NIB
(Network Interface Box) just downstream from the telco NIB. There I
installed a DSL filter on the daisy chain line headed for attic.
Ahead of the DSL filter I installed a new line and pulled it into
the home office. Not a lick of trouble with DSL since day 1.

Going the other route: installing DSL filters at each outlet
along the daisy chain did *not* give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
I felt there would still be plenty of opportunity for RF noise
to get into the long daisy chain (read: random wire antenna) --
which would degrade the DSL operation. Too, I was concerned
about the interaction (both ways) between the DSL signals and
my amateur radio activity.

Just last week I did a DSL install for a small, local real estate
office -- two agents and a receptionist -- 3 PC's (that were
here-to-fore freestanding.) They had a punch-down block in the
basement for 2 'voice' lines and 1 'fax' line -- with separate lines
running off to phones and fax. Simple install: I installed a DSL
filter on the fax line (the line carrying DSL) right at the punch-down
block -- breaking out a new, short line to the DSL modem/router and
hub thingies which I mounted on a shelf close by. From there it was
'simple' to pull CAT-5 cable to each of the 3 PC's upstairs.

I'd say: pay the telco to put in a punch-down block -- and run
two lines in from the street or alley (even if you only plan on
using 1 line -- now.) Then run 2-pair from 'everywhere' in the
house to the punch-down block -- but tie back (store) the ones
that are not (yet) in use.

HTH
Jonesy
--
| Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
| Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __
| 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK