Voice and Data over one CAT5e wire

[KMdouglas]

I am new to an office that shares a single POTS line with five phones connected to it. We also have one PC with a cable modem, and 4 pc's with no internet connection. I did a little digging into the walls and found that the phone extensions are all wired with CAT5e wires, using only a single (blue) pair. Is their any way to use the remaing pairs to share the data connections? (The boss is too cheap to go wireless, or run additional cabling)

The lines are chained together in the following manner

Outside
|
Phone 1
|
Phone 2
|
Phone 3
|
-------------------------
| |
Phone 4 Phone 5


Thanks



Kevin M. Douglas
kevin@easternresearch.com

http://www.easternresearch.com

 

[jimbopalmer]

If each phone was on a 'home run' wire back to a single point, it would only be extremely bad practice to use 2 pair for data and one pair for voice. Since the data cannot daisy chain, as your phones do, it is not possible at all.

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[Servamatic]

There is a way to do it, but if the boss won't splurge on data cabling for a data collection agency, I doubt he would spend the money to do what would be needed.

It could be done for about 400.00 + or - depending on what hardware you have already in place. Such as NIC's in the computers.

Are the cables actually daisy chained? Meaning they go from one location to the next, or are they all homerunned back to a central location?

Feel free to email me if you would like to discuss a way to accomplish what you need.

dtools@servamatic.net

Richard S. Anderson, RCDD

http://www.servamatic.net

 

[buitenhek]

Dear Kevin,
Yuk.
Even at Cat3 speeds (10 mbps or less) you don't want to mix slow voice traffic (kilobits) with high speed data traffic (megabits)over the same cable. Usually the data stream suffers alien crosstalk problems.

As Jimbo said- if the lines are daisy chained you are out of luck.

If all phone lines to the block are home run then try following:

http://www.realtime.net/~dhfx/col012_05Dec02.html

Good Luck,
Peter Buitenhek

 

[daronwilson]

Well I don't like it and definately don't support it, but if you are wired in series and stuck, here is an option.

http://www.homepna.org

If your desire is to give all five computers access to the internet, this product and solution would actually do rather easily. It is a home networking solution allowing you to network the PC's over the existing telephone line.

If the wires were home run, you could likely get away with 10mbs on a couple pairs, but when the phone rings you might lose data. Definately not the proper thing to do.

But...if you had to, and weren't concerned about high speed, standards compliant installations, etc. HomePNA may be the answer for you.

Good Luck!

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[Jtodd]

Another ugly option, that admittedly I've never tried but have looked at a little bit, is the ethernet or electrical wires. I forget what the name is. It's the stuff that sends the network over the electrical system in a home. Not really ment for a business though. Just thought I'd throw it out there.


Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[Servamatic]

PLC Power Line Carrier

Doesn't work well in multi-tenant environments last I heard.
As of the last time I checked on it, it claims 10 mbs but real world is more like about 2.5 – 4 mbs. Your mileage may vary.
Always had a mental dilemma with plugging my NIC into power, even if it is through a fail-safe adapter…


Richard S. Anderson, RCDD

http://www.servamatic.net

 

[JJDiver]

Grrr, closed window with last reply by accident, right before I hit reply...

I would class this problem in the been there, done that area. I have an owner that, if he stuffed a bit of coal up his rear, he would have a diamond a short time later (I stole this line from somewhere...)

OK, cheap owner: Phone line electric line networking isn't cheap, and really isn't a good solution near or long term. Costly, doesn't work that good. If phone line isn't home run, that's out, otherwise it can work...defintly not to any standards, but will work.

Presuming no home run, let's think about next cheapest workable solution. What's it cost for a box of Cat 5, RJ-45 plugs, and crimper at Home Depot? Then take a trip to Office Depot for a 5 or 8 port switch. They are selling those cheaper than my company is selling Red Delicious apples (we grow, store, pack and sell many varieties of apples.) Thinking of prices I remember at Home Depot, I would bet you would spend less than $150. Another $50 dollar bill at Office Depot, probably less. Would be nice to buy a cheap wiremap tester at Home Depot, but....... Probably worth every penny in frustration saved.

Then some time spent surfing the web, and terminating those plugs. OK, probably terminating and reterminating the plugs, especially if you don't buy a wiremap tester.

Hmmm, and stringing cable over desks, along walls, etc.. Just wait for the first person to bend the wire 90 degrees. Grrrrrr. I always tell people network wire is like the old goverment checks, don't bend, fold, spindle or multilate them. Only works with people who did not just graduate...Really like using jacks and handing idiots another patch cable.

Probably cheap owner still won't buy the $200 it would take. Oppps, forgot NIC's. Check ebay, maybe find five or ten cheap ones in one auction.

If you are using ink jet printers, you could try to show the tightwad, err, owner, the benefits of buying a used HP LaserJet 5. JetDirect would be nice, butttt to much hassle to setup for a first timer.

Everybody prints to one printer, and with refilled cartridges it's much cheaper printing (providing he doesn't think everybody will print 50 times the current level.)

I am NOT saying this would be easy, or meet any standards, or is the best solution, but I am saying it might be the best way to start networking.

And then there is the learning curve with setting up TCP/IP on PC's. Surf and read. It's doable (new word, right?)

The day I stop learning, my body will be less than 98.6 degrees. Comments are always welcome.

Good luck,

Jeff

Excuse sarcasam, late at night, long day...

 

[DTSMAN]

JJdiver is right. 200 dollars at home depot, if it is ok to use the riser rated cat5 in your situation. Plus whatever a hub\router cost at the office store. The router part will make it easy to get all the computers set up to share the internet connection through one computer. Starting off this way will help if the network grows.

If it is a small office and you dont have cabling skills, you can buy the pre-made cables and not have to worry about making terminations. This would be cheaper that putting in junction boxes.

Also you can review other threads on this forum for the correct way of building a network and probably even pick up on a few of the standards most people follow. These threads can be printed out for reference (I have done it) to show your boss or co workers.