Set up your NAS on Ethernet in the basement.
Set up your NAS on Ethernet in the basement.
Your NAS is making quite a racket upstairs, and you're looking to relocate it downstairs. Your current setup has the router on the second floor, with the basement as the lowest level. You're considering moving the NAS two floors below and wondering how to connect it without a long cable run through walls or ceilings. You’re thinking about Powerline Ethernet, Wi-Fi, repurposing phone wiring, and even using an air return for cabling—each idea has its pros and cons. Just make sure any plan follows your local building rules.
Choose wires or speed—pick one. Opt for Cat7 cable or something better. Ideally, go with fibre optics. To skip the trouble of drilling into your floors or walls, route the cable outside the building. Weatherproof ducting for single or few cables is available and straightforward for a DIY enthusiast.
I've experienced an intense reaction like never before, honestly. You could ask for a miracle. They should share the same panel, not different breakers. Most homes have one main panel, even with a sub-panel. The powerline works well but is capped at 100 Mbps in all my tests—contrary to what they say. It functions fine, though it's too slow for a NAS. If the Orbi satellite offers Ethernet ports for nearby devices and manages wireless communication back to the main unit, that would be ideal. This seems like the simplest path. Depending on the quality of the link, it might not feel very fast, especially if you can keep a 5 GHz signal across your space. Skip this route. If you're not willing to run wiring through walls, then I doubt you'll enjoy a custom crimp job on thin wire. There are adapters available online, but picking the right one is tricky—some show different layouts. You won't know how the wires are built until you handle them. Even then, a standard telephone cable needs only four strands, so you might end up with around 100 Mbps at best. A full 1 Gbps or more demands all four pairs. Thinking it through... each port uses two wires, which could mean needing several ports to get the job done. It seems no simpler than digging through walls. Air ducts are inexpensive but fragile. Trying this could harm your HVAC system. I don’t see any state restrictions as long as you use plenum-rated cables. The main issue with running cable over two floors in a duct or return path is that air currents will shift it, making it bump against vents during turbulence. Have you thought about hiring someone to install it? There are professionals who do this and can likely handle it for under $400—possibly less if you live in an area with lower costs.
you definitely want them sharing the same breaker for faster performance. i can achieve a solid 40 megabit using two powerlines on the same breaker, and routing that signal through the breakers brings it down to around 5 or 6 megabits. i've set up my parents' home with ethernet by running the cable along cold water lines—avoiding hot water lines, of course—and hiding it behind panels whenever possible.
Copper or PEX? Most of my copper goes through the slab and sticks out near the valves. That wasn’t an option for me. I had an interior wall above my garage that connects to the attic. It wasn’t simple, but after drilling a few holes, I managed to run Ethernet to all bedrooms and the loft area upstairs. In fact, I ran two wires to every room and space so it would never have to be done again lol
Another possibility not discussed is MoCA adapters that use coax cable, provided there are suitable coax connections available. I tried one on a coax splitter in my older home with four rooms already equipped with coax. I also have a wireless mesh node offering strong 5GHz coverage to the rest of my wired network. For me, this option is much better than installing new Cat 6 wire, crimping ends, or dealing with multiple sealing tasks. Routing cable through air ducts seems more challenging than pulling it through walls unless there’s a convenient vent path. Plenum-rated (CMP) cables would be ideal to meet code requirements, as they’re fire-resistant. I’m not sure if the code specifies exact hole sizes for ducts. There are flexible and rigid air duct options, and homes often combine them for intake and exhaust. Unless someone can properly seal any openings and safely route the cable inside ducts, I wouldn’t go that way, though placing it alongside ducts might be feasible.
it would involve going upstairs for the basement connection, so should I run a cable through the second-floor wall down the house and drill through the foundation? I’m not sure this would work in this case but thank you for the idea. I didn’t realize it was that important. I have a generator covering half the house with two panels—one for generator-powered devices and another for those that won’t use generator power during outages. I know the basement is on the non-generator panel, but I think most upstairs outlets are on the generator side, which could cause problems. Even if it worked, it would likely be very slow. I feel like this is probably the best option, though drilling holes through the floor would be a hassle. I’d rather avoid that and stick with Wi-Fi instead. It’s not something I was seriously thinking about because it would cost more than I’m willing to spend (around $100). That makes sense—using a different breaker should help, but connecting to the main base station through a third satellite would require a lot of wiring and might disrupt phone lines. I’d prefer simpler solutions unless it’s much cheaper.