# Cable & Phone lines



## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Does the house have a punch down block install in a large enclosure? Some homes don't even have a sophisticated system and are just daisy chained. Home run is the way to go and look for the main panel. Usually the cable and phone are together- close by each other.

I don't mess with phones and cable much anymore-- i let the low voltage guys do all that.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Dennis Alwon said:


> Does the house have a punch down block install in a large enclosure? Some homes don't even have a sophisticated system and are just daisy chained. Home run is the way to go and look for the main panel. Usually the cable and phone are together- close by each other.
> 
> I don't mess with phones and cable much anymore-- i let the low voltage guys do all that.


I havent looked at the job yet, so Im unsure what they have. I know in older homes (like mine), time warner cable has a box mounted somewhere on the outside of the house, and the phone compamy has something similar. But Im clueless how the set up is in new homes.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

if you want to make some more money, run one data, one phone, and one cable connection. 

rg6 is fine for a house

cat5 is fine for data

and cat3 for the phone

use a small media panel for it all. it looks a lot nicer. 


http://www.discounthomeautomation.c...vsfa=1970&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=4c563437363033313250

i saw that HD was clearancing out some of them too


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

mikeh32 said:


> if you want to make some more money, run one data, one phone, and one cable connection.
> 
> rg6 is fine for a house
> 
> ...


 Is there any way to pull one cable for both data and phone, or do I need to pull two separate lines? Like I said this is a brand new home, so Im sure a low-cost installation is not the high priority, but I do want to save on material costs. The media panel on the link you sent - what is it for? In case the phone and cable panel is full?


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

its a distribution panel. you run everything to it. 

looks nice, makes it easier to fix

But the cable you are talking about is what we call a Siamese cable

i dont know the price, but you can order it how ever you want.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

here is one like it

http://www.summitsource.com/product_info.php?ref=1&products_id=10278


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## freeone37 (Nov 9, 2011)

MHElectric said:


> Is there any way to pull one cable for both data and phone, or do I need to pull two separate lines? Like I said this is a brand new home, so Im sure a low-cost installation is not the high priority, but I do want to save on material costs. The media panel on the link you sent - what is it for? In case the phone and cable panel is full?


 
Unless all their "phones" are VoIP, then yes a seperate line for each, and since cat 5e or cat 6 will be pulled for data, you can pull the same for phone, eliminates the purchase of two types of cable, as for the cable, the new type of comp. connectors are best, better looking job, and more secure connect.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I always ran separate line for data and phone and I use cat 5E for both. Cable is RG6


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

and with these cables, its very easy to tape them all together and pull them at once.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Does the data & phone lines tie into the same panel or are they separate? What do 
I need to buy to land it in the panels? Connectors or just punch down tools?


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

Run cat5e for both phone and data (at least here) it is cheaper than cat3 believe it or not. But it will all depend on what they have and what they want. A lot of older homes here are daisy chained phones with home runed cable. Sometimes you get lucky as the older spec.s had dual coax and only use one of the pair. But there are also panel systems where everything is all in one. And sometimes everything in-between some good some fugly. Remember a few extra minutes looking and evaluating can save you IMHO.


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## surf (Jan 17, 2012)

Normally near the service is where your phone,and cable stub out.I normally run cat 5,and rg6 for cable.I terminate phones on trim,and blank cables off .


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## ElectricJoeNJ (Feb 24, 2011)

It may be considered hack, but you can run just one cat5 cable for both data and voice. Given how cheap cat5 cable is, it is probably just easier to run multiple cables though.


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## Ty Wrapp (Aug 24, 2011)

Home run the phone line to the NID (Network Interface Device). On a new house it should be on the outside of the house within 10ft of the electric meter. It is designed for the customer, or contractor, to access the line module and terminate their own wire. It can be terminated with tools you already have.


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## kbatku (Oct 18, 2011)

Depends how fancy they want to get. If they seem frisky, go with the data center. If they crave economy, just daisy-chain your cat5 for the phones. If the service is underground, there should be a pipe or two roughed in for the tv/telephone. Find out which is which & terminate your phone & TV there - 2 to 3 feet above grade..

Assuming that it isn't dish of course, then things get more complicated. Call the dish provider and see what they want.


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## coon88 (Dec 9, 2011)

MHElectric said:


> Does the data & phone lines tie into the same panel or are they separate? What do
> I need to buy to land it in the panels? Connectors or just punch down tools?


Go to cooper wireing devices web page click on the home networking like they have nice media panels to tie it all together neat buy different blocks for the enclosure..and they also have 1-6 port plates to add what jacks you need...check out the pdf on there's many options from the enclosure or one just for cable and phone or phone that goes in a 4 sq j box


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## coon88 (Dec 9, 2011)

Here is a link to the catolog...

http://www.cooperindustries.com/con.../products/documents/brochures/ms_broch_09.pdf


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Thanks guys!! Got some good stuff here, this is exactlty why I get on ET!


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

Like the Op said if they want a data center enclosure and/or directv etc roll up the add ons! Money baby! For enclosures/devices On-q or leviton are good too. FWIW enclosure wise go big like a 40 or 48 (non sure exactly check specs) bigger is better incase you need to put a router etc in the can. Nothing looks worse than a nice install and a crappy router or something hanging out usually done by the phone/cable guys!


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## jakeparr (Jul 10, 2011)

ElectricJoeNJ said:


> It may be considered hack, but you can run just one cat5 cable for both data and voice. Given how cheap cat5 cable is, it is probably just easier to run multiple cables though.


It can work sure, but gigabit Ethernet requires the 4pairs of the cable. Anything less and it's 100 meg. 

And if you do run cat5 for phone, don't cut down the extra pairs!


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## volleyball (Sep 14, 2011)

Unless you are planning to get into structure wiring, it seems the best solution is to get a box of cat cable and some coax and pull them to where they split off. I'd pull the phone to the main block. The cable to the distribution block. If this place has a basement then that is most likely where it goes. It will usually only be terminated outside in warmer, slab foundation locations.
If you only need a short length of coax, I find the cable company will sell high quality cable for cheap money. 40' may be like $4.
New house doesn't mean money . And new home owners will stretch budget for granite but have no money for a quality wiring job. Having the electrician doing the job indicates they want cheap.


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