Transform old phone cables into modern Ethernet connections.
Transform old phone cables into modern Ethernet connections.
I apologize if this was covered before, but I haven’t found a solution. I bought my home in the late 1980s and have RJ11 jacks in most rooms using old 2-pair wiring (not Cat5/6). After moving, we removed our landline and now have no need for those jacks, though they’re near spots where I want network gear. I know traditional phone wiring was just two pairs, not the four twisted pairs in Cat5/6. Since LAN only needs two pairs anyway—something mentioned in a video a few months ago about network splitters—I wonder if it’s possible (if the runs are straight and not looped) to convert them to Ethernet by matching the connectors on either end with male/female RJ45 pieces or faceplates. Some articles say it’s not worth it because you can only get about 10 Mb/s over phone, but they use the same conductors in both cables, just more twists. Anyone had success with this?
When the cables were first put in place, they did it correctly by securing them to the floor joists and wall studs. Installing new ones would mean drilling holes and using the existing wires as supports won’t work because of the supports. I discovered this while trying to run a new cable for the furnace. Regarding fiber at home, it’s something I’m not interested in investing in right now. Perhaps later, but today isn’t the moment.
We’ve dealt with everything we had before, so I’m hoping to stay here until I need to move into a nursing home. Regarding adding new cables, the basement is now finished with drywall on the ceiling. I don’t see much motivation right now to drill many holes in the ceiling since my Wi-Fi 6 router seems to be managing well. The cables are already there, and I’m just trying to decide if this is worth it. As for fiber, I’ll keep it on the side until I win the lottery and set up the same setup Linus has with a central server room and all the computers there.
While I'm not against cutting holes in the walls and ceiling to run new cables, I'm not ready to repaint the entire basement right now. A construction project I'm overseeing had a lot of discussions about network cabling (Cat5/6) vs communications wire (thermostat, 3-pair telephone) and how Cat5/6 could be used for all. I wasn't sure if picking the pairs for the 3-pair could work in reverse. Looking at the wires more (I wasn't home when I initially posted), the 3-pair telephone cable is not twisted which would make it very susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Without the twisted pairs, it looks like my question would be better phrased as "This SHOULD work, but is it going to be something usable?" Eventually (when I get permission from the Boss/wife) I will be looking to run Cat6 cables throughout the house, but I was thinking that this may be a functional intermediate step while I wait for permission.
I own both coax runs and a 3P6C phone. I’m not really in the mood to purchase converters just by swapping the ends, if it would work. It would be a cheaper way to test things out. Particularly since I plan to install new Cat6 cables later, as Wi-Fi is already managing everything I’m dealing with. I believe Jack was focusing on the specifications. The exact wire requirements are quite alike for both 3P6C phones and 4P8C Cat5/6 cables. The main differences lie in how they’re assembled and twisted, but the actual wires used remain the same. I think that’s what Jack was aiming for.
I haven’t seen the video you mentioned, so I’m unsure what impression it made on you. However, it’s accurate that RJ45 Ethernet can be set up using just two pairs of wires (four copper wires). Keep in mind these points: 1) You’ll be limited to a maximum speed of 100Mbps because the 1000Mbps standard needs all four pairs. 2) Your existing telephone cables might be UTP-3, which can cause noticeable interference. This means even if you manage 100Mbps, errors will likely reduce performance. 3) Certain functionalities like PoE may not function properly with only two pairs. These details depend on other conditions. Be mindful that some setups assume every cable pair is available. Would it be challenging to try again with different cables? I don’t think it’s a good idea—it might work in theory but could lead to many issues and lower results.