2 questions about LAN (10/100) cable.

[Elgin Clock]

Question 1:

I was just wondering if it was possible to split a lan cable into 3 ways from 1 source cable.

I know you can achieve this by buying a router, but that costs a lot of money.

Do they sell 3 way taps for LAN cable, and would it even be worth it in the long run? I'll even settle for a 2 way tap.

I know they sell inline connectors for LAN cable, but do they make taps, and is it even possible to do this..

Question 2:

How hard is it to cut an end off a piece of LAN cable, and splice a new end connector on it? That dumb little plastic tab that holds the connector to the laptop port broke of the connector, and now my LAN cable falls out of my laptop all the time. (It doesn't help that the LAN cable connection on the laptop is on the right of the laptop, and I use a mouse with the laptop on the right hand side as well so it is always in my way)

I was going to say the heck with it, superglue an inline connector on the bad end, and then use a sepearate 2' or 3' LAN cable to connect to my laptop. If that tab breaks, then I can always buy another 2' or 3' cable cheaper than I can buy another single 50' cable.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

I was just wondering if it was possible to split a lan cable into 3 ways from 1 source cable.

Yes, it is possible to split a lan cable to attach 3 connectors, but since they are wired in parallel only one will work. You can only have one computer attached per cable.

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

I know you can achieve this by buying a router, but that costs a lot of money.

This isn't necessarily true.. the basic function of a router is to reassign ports to different computers and assign ips to those computers to manage them. If you can get your hands on a old crappy free PC, you can put network cards into it and program that to be your router. Sure it wouldn't be sleek and sexy, but it would work. While i have never done this myself, i know someone who has and i could my hands on the code to do this. I believe it is UNIX based.

And oh yes... the day after thanksgiving sales are awesome. Last year i got a belkin wireless router from staples for 10 bucks after rebates. I'm sure you can find a router then for cheap, or even on eBay.

[colt527]

And yes you can cut the cable and make a new connecter very easily. You need to go to a comp store or like a Radio Shack store, buy a connecter and a crimper ... you might get away with crimping it by using a thin piece of metal or something. All you do is cut the cable and untwist the 4 twisted pairs then stick them into a connecter in a certain order:

white orange,orange,white green,blue,blue white,green,white brown,brown

this is looking at the connecter with the latch thing facing down ... im sure they will have better instructions on a package of the connecters.

yay Cisco Networking Basics

[Max Lobovsky]

I am almost definitley sure you cannot connect multiple computers to one cable. If you are using an ethernet connection with "base" in the name (you are almost definitley using 100baseT), then you can't just split it.

You can get a hub for 7+shipping and a router for $20+shipping. Check your local computer store rebate flyer thingys, too.

[Jay H 237]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Question 2:

How hard is it to cut an end off a piece of LAN cable, and splice a new end connector on it? That dumb little plastic tab that holds the connector to the laptop port broke of the connector, and now my LAN cable falls out of my laptop all the time.

It's not that hard. I have spare RJ-45 connectors and the special tool for crimping them since I made most of my own patch cables. I have sheets that show the wire orientation for staight through and cross over cables. I can bring you the stuff at the next meeting or sometime in between if needed.
Basically all you do is strip about a half inch of the main wire insulation off, staighten and arrange the eight wires, push them into the back of the connector and then crimp the connector.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Do they sell 3 way taps for LAN cable, and would it even be worth it in the long run? I'll even settle for a 2 way tap.

It's slightly more complicated, but that's what a hub does. As Max shows above, they can be found quite cheaply

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

How hard is it to cut an end off a piece of LAN cable, and splice a new end connector on it? That dumb little plastic tab that holds the connector to the laptop port broke of the connector, and now my LAN cable falls out of my laptop all the time. (It doesn't help that the LAN cable connection on the laptop is on the right of the laptop, and I use a mouse with the laptop on the right hand side as well so it is always in my way)

A crimper will cost as much as a hub. If I were you, I'd buy a hub and a few shorter cables. Then you can duct tape the broken connector into the hub, and run the shorter cables to your laptop and wherever else you want.

edit: if Jay has the crimper and supplies, that's a no cost solution for you

[JohnBoucher]

I've made my own cables also. It not all that hard, you just need to keep the wire order correct. Keep the connector you cut off for reference and keep the wires twisted as pairs as best as possible.

[Steve W]

I find that those clips break often. I have gone the route of putting a female connector on the end and use patch cords to computer. If the clip breaks you replace patch cord. The other idea of a hub (or switch) to "bridge" the computers to one cable is your best idea.

[Marc P.]

In a pinch, you could get at least 2 computers running through the same cable. Ethernet connections require a minimum of 4 conductors to operate, two for transmitting, two for receiving. Category 5 cable is composed of 8 conductors, with pairs of blue, brown, green, and orange cable inside. It's possible to crimp one connector on one set of pairs, and another connector on the other set of pairs, provided there are two matching connectors on the other end of the cable, and each are crimped appropriately. Basically it turns a single cat5 cable into a double cat5 cable, assuming both destinations are close enough where you wouldn't have to separate the cable too much. There may be adapters out there to do this, most but the limit would be two computers, and that's assuming you have two open connections where the cable originates (presumably a router). Crosstalk might become an issue on longer runs though, so it's sort of hit or miss.

Keeping in mind you would need two sets of these connectors (one for each side), plus the cost of patch cables, I'd be willing to wager the price of the connectors would get you most of the way to a cheap hub/switch anyway (roughly $20-25 for a decent 5 port switch, hubs are even cheaper). The switch would serve as a much better device anyway- you would only need one port coming off the router (or source) rather than two with the adapters, you wouldn't have to worry about crosstalk in the cable, and you'd have the capacity to plug in 4 computers (5 ports, one used as uplink = 4 available ports) over 2, and a switch would be more portable if you wanted to set up a quick LAN at those late night meetings or hotel rooms.

[Wetzel]

Small hubs and switches are rediculously cheap now. I got my girlfriend a Netgear wireless g router with 4 wired ports on it for $40 with $30 in rebates.

4 port hubs can be got for $5 without mailin rebates.


Wetzel

[Greg Marra]

Originally Posted by Wetzel

Small hubs and switches are rediculously cheap now. I got my girlfriend a Netgear wireless g router with 4 wired ports on it for $40 with $30 in rebates.

4 port hubs can be got for $5 without mailin rebates.


Wetzel

What he said. I have an extra router, switch, AND hub lying around my house. Not to mention like 100 extra feet in ethernet cables. Comes in useful for Halo 2 LAN parties

[Elgin Clock]

I'm assuming that hubs have to be powered?

That troubles me, only because what I wanted to do is put a splitter up in the attic and have 2 lines come off the one cable coming up to it.

Now I have to decide what I have to do.. I already have the modem into the router. Maybe I'll have to run another 50' cable up through the attic and down into the other room. yuck.

Thanks all for your input, and if anyone has a better idea or solution for this application feel free to post it.



As for the cable connector question. My team mate Jay saw my post and let me borrow his crimping tool. Thanks Jay! w00t!

In order to never have to do that again after it took me ~30 minutes to get the stupid wires in the right places, I have vowed to attach an in-line connector and then a small 1-3 foot cable to use as my laptop connection cable. I don't want to crimp and splice another connector *ever* again or buy a brand new 50' cable either. (which is probably about 2 feet shorter after cutting, and trying to splice the new connector on several times without luck.)

[Wetzel]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

In order to never have to do that again after it took me ~30 minutes to get the stupid wires in the right places, I have vowed to attach an in-line connector and then a small 1-3 foot cable to use as my laptop connection cable. I don't want to crimp and splice another connector *ever* again or buy a brand new 50' cable either. (which is probably about 2 feet shorter after cutting, and trying to splice the new connector on several times without luck.)

I knew I forgot to mention something...

I blame it on the fact that I've blocked out the tramatic experiance.


Wetzel

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I know in a small home network you may not be concerned with speed but the suggestions thus far do affect connect speed and data loss.
A hub or router is the only way to reliably connect multiple lines. They are cheap and readily available through Best Buy, Fry's, etc. Even mailorder can get you one in a couple of days.
You can make your own cables but it is tricky to get them to pass 100Mbit data streams. If you can handle the lower data speed, a so-so made cable will pass 10 OK. Again, cables are cheap and easily available from the above sources.
If you are going to something, do it right and use the right tools.

[Steve W]

If you are doing your connections in the attic then there should be power up there also. All you need to do is put a outlet box on one of the power feeds. Just make sure that you don't put it on a light switch or you might spend a while looking for an intermittent trouble.