Splitting an ethernet cable into two

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Anyone know if it is possible to use the 2 unused pairs in an ethernet cable to form another line back to the router if they were wired to a separate plug at the router? The other end would go to a double RJ45 socket.
 
What are you trying to achieve?

You can run a 100mbps link with two pairs, so you can run two ethernet connections via one 4 pair cable.

Adapters exist for exactly this purpose - I'd opt for an adapter or another double faceplate at the router end rather than trying to wire one cable to two plugs.

That said, unless there's a compelling reason why you can't run two cables, I'd always be inclined to run two unless it's an existing cable - if nothing else, for a bit of future proofing.
 
Thanks. That sounds good.

A few weeks ago I ran a cable to a lounge where the wireless signal is pretty weak to install an access point while the bathroom above was being gutted. Now the floor is down and fittings are in place it's too late to run another cable (joists run the wrong way). Someone gave me a pair of double RJ45 sockets they no longer needed which I'm using to terminate at both ends. Just thought it would be handy to make use of the other socket for those times when someone wants a faster download if I can without another cable.

At the moment they have to go up two floors in a Victorian house to be able to plug into the router.
 
Can be done, but may cause potential problems with PoE if you intend to power the access-point via the ethernet cable. You could always look at an access-point with a passthough ethernet port on it? They seem quite common these days :)
 
As has been said, splitting the cable will limit each connection to the router to 100Mbit (which may or may not be an issue to you - it will be if you are copying files from a NAS/server at the router end and everything there is Gigabit capable for example). Personally, I'd put a decent router configured as an access point where you have your access point currently. Wireless and 4 Ethernet ports for anything that needs wiring in.
 
In that case, what arad85 suggests may be a better option.

Stick an access point point that has a few ethernet ports at the end - that way you get gigabit ethernet and wireless.

You get
 
Neilc28 said:
Can be done, but may cause potential problems with PoE if you intend to power the access-point via the ethernet cable. You could always look at an access-point with a passthough ethernet port on it? They seem quite common these days :)
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Cheers I hadn't considered that as I've never used PoE but in this case that's extremely unlikely. It's a rented property so the tenants will be using their own access point It's pretty unlikely anyone will use the extra port but I'll leave it there for now so they can if they need faster than current wireless speeds.
 
arad85 said:
As has been said, splitting the cable will limit each connection to the router to 100Mbit (which may or may not be an issue to you - it will be if you are copying files from a NAS/server at the router end and everything there is Gigabit capable for example). Personally, I'd put a decent router configured as an access point where you have your access point currently. Wireless and 4 Ethernet ports for anything that needs wiring in.
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So long as it won't slow the other 2 router ports to that speed it shouldn't be a problem for now as they are gigabit ports. There won't be any NAS/server at the router (Virgin Superhub 2). At the moment they're getting very low wireless speeds because of distance and construction of the house so for now to be able to get a full n signal should suffice until faster wireless becomes more common place at which point I'll be can remove the split. The choice of access point is going to be left to them as the tenants will change each year and I don't want to end up being tech support! ;)

It's in a lounge so they don't have anything else to wire in - everyone seems to want to be wireless these days! I've stuck a cat6 cable in so it should be good for a few years to come and will allow a router to be configured like you say to be put there if anyone needs to.

Cheers
 
Hello, I do regular network installs, if you don't mind a small device at the computer end of things, leave that cable for a gigabit connection instead of splicing it, and rather purchase a 5 port gigabit unmanaged switch, they are about 12-15 quid. This will give you full gigabit access and you could have a party of computers if you wish.
 
As said, you can split the cable and simply use 2 pairs for one and 2 for the other but you are down to 100mb. Personally, I would look at a cheap Gigabit switch to split them out, unless the head end has a 100mb switch then it will.make no difference.
 
pinktank said:
Hello, I do regular network installs, if you don't mind a small device at the computer end of things, leave that cable for a gigabit connection instead of splicing it, and rather purchase a 5 port gigabit unmanaged switch, they are about 12-15 quid. This will give you full gigabit access and you could have a party of computers if you wish.
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for that.

The main reason for doing it is to improve wireless access lower floors, no one there is currently doing anything that needs gigabit speeds but no doubt that'll change in the future. I just thought it would add to the flexibility by putting two ports as the faceplates I had were double socket ones. The tenants will be providing their own switch/router/accesspoint but they change yearly and the current ones are only interested in wireless. If their needs change I can always change it to a gigabit connection.

I'll slowly wire up the whole house as and when each room gets refurbished. This is really going to be sticking plaster until the lower floors get done.
 
noneforit said:
As said, you can split the cable and simply use 2 pairs for one and 2 for the other but you are down to 100mb. Personally, I would look at a cheap Gigabit switch to split them out, unless the head end has a 100mb switch then it will.make no difference.
Click to expand...

Cheers. I'm fairly sure the Virgin Superhub there has a gigabit hub but only 802.11n so it was really just an idea to add an additional port without affecting the line feeding the access point and giving a quick access to a wired connection if ever it was needed without having to run up 2 floors to the router. No one there is using a wired connection at the moment so gigabit wasn't the main concern.
 
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