Hey everyone! I just moved into my first townhouse and discovered that it has a built-in whole-house Ethernet network. Every room has a connection panel with a coax cable, a Cat5e Ethernet port, and what I think is a telephone line. The house was built in 2007, which seems to be around when wired connections were really useful.
I'm trying to figure out how to connect this Ethernet setup to our internet. I've got an Arris Surfboard dual router/modem connected to a working coax cable in my office. But when I connect it to the Cat5e port, there's no internet signal reaching the other ports. I've read there should be a panel interface somewhere, but I can't seem to find it. We do have an old burglar alarm system and an active fire alarm hookup in the upper bedroom, but I'm not sure if they're related to the network.
Any advice or tips on connecting this would be really helpful, or if you know any companies that could assist, I'd love that info too. Thanks a ton!
1 Answer
You'll want to find where all the Cat5e cables terminate, as they should connect to an Ethernet switch. Depending on the setup, you might need to attach them to a patch panel, or they could be ready for use right away. Look for the panel in a garage or a closet; that’s usually where it is located.
Thanks for the advice! Would the panel look like a standard electrical box? Maybe it’s for our sprinkler or alarm system instead?