I am remodeling my home (Howard County, Maryland) and the walls are all open. So, I wanted to run network cable throughout. I have done this in my old home without issue, when the walls were not open. In this case, I am concerned about when the inspector comes through. What are the codes/requirements for running network cable? Does it need to be terminated, or can it end in the wall? I don't want to terminate them until I know I will use it in each room.
Network Cabling my house
- Thread starter ludvball
- Start date
I can't speak to Code in your area, but when I built my house low voltage was not even something the inspector looked at. It's mostly common sense. You want to use cable that is rated for in-wall use - even better, use plenum-rated cable for everything. Cat 6 at least. And put a little distance between your low voltage and line voltage wiring, avoiding or at least minimizing parallel runs where possible. Minimize stud hole size, but leave room to run another wire in the future.
I would not terminate until the drywall and painting is done, rather install a low voltage ring or box, coil the wire inside, and let the drywall guy finish around it (I would put masking tape over it to keep dust and paint out). Also, I would suggest running at least 2 cables to each place you want ethernet because you will find uses for the extras - and it is easer to use multiple cables rather than install switches later on. Also leave a few extra feet of cable on each end for slack and future cuts/relocations.
And don't forget to label both ends of every cable with a unique number for each run. I used a P-Touch labeler and a numbering system of Cable Type - Room - Run Number, so 6-G-1 is a Cat 6 to the garage, run number 1, etc. I did run a few wires and left them hanging loosely inside the stud cavity only because I didn't know exactly what height I wanted to locate the termination within the stud cavity - but make sure it will be accessible and long enough to find it and grab it through your hole when you make it.
I also strongly suggest that you make a video every foot of every wall in every room after all line and low voltage wiring is done but before sheetrock. Trust me, you WILL use that video in the future to help you find existing wires and pipes and to locate cavities to run new wires that you didn't know you would need. Actually ran far more after-the-fact low voltage than I ran when I built the house - you will always need more wires than you think.
I would not terminate until the drywall and painting is done, rather install a low voltage ring or box, coil the wire inside, and let the drywall guy finish around it (I would put masking tape over it to keep dust and paint out). Also, I would suggest running at least 2 cables to each place you want ethernet because you will find uses for the extras - and it is easer to use multiple cables rather than install switches later on. Also leave a few extra feet of cable on each end for slack and future cuts/relocations.
And don't forget to label both ends of every cable with a unique number for each run. I used a P-Touch labeler and a numbering system of Cable Type - Room - Run Number, so 6-G-1 is a Cat 6 to the garage, run number 1, etc. I did run a few wires and left them hanging loosely inside the stud cavity only because I didn't know exactly what height I wanted to locate the termination within the stud cavity - but make sure it will be accessible and long enough to find it and grab it through your hole when you make it.
I also strongly suggest that you make a video every foot of every wall in every room after all line and low voltage wiring is done but before sheetrock. Trust me, you WILL use that video in the future to help you find existing wires and pipes and to locate cavities to run new wires that you didn't know you would need. Actually ran far more after-the-fact low voltage than I ran when I built the house - you will always need more wires than you think.
The approach I took recently was to run 1" smurf tubes at various locations around the house. That way, I didn't have to decide on the type and number of cables I need to run to each location. Generally speaking, the smurf tube terminates into an ENT box in the wall (usually at the same height as electrical outlets) on one end and "runs free" into the attic to locations that are accessible. Most of the runs are simply a 10' piece of smurf tube running from the wall box thru the top double plate into the attic.
Rules for low voltage are pretty much non-existent here, so I didn't have to worry about an inspector.
Rules for low voltage are pretty much non-existent here, so I didn't have to worry about an inspector.
Thanks for the input. It sounds like I was on the right track. I'll just have to do it before insulation and leave in the walls until final inspection. My house doesn't have an attic, but does have crawl space under a large portion of the house. So, it will all be in the crawl space. Lots of video. I did that in my old house and it was a great help. I have a P-Touch labeler as well. I was thinking the same thing about labelling. I will surely use Smurf tubing from the locations in the wall and from one Crawl space to the other.
Sandpiper
Active Member
You can do pretty much whatever you want. either:
1- Leave it coiled in the wall and let the drywallers cover it up. (But you have to find it later).
2- coil the end up and stuff it into an electrical box,
3- install a low voltage box (more of a ring than a box), and just let it hang out. Drywallers will cut the hole and let the wire hang out.
4- fasten the wire to a stud with a nail (pointing into the living space), and let it hang out. Drywallers will punch a hole and let the wire hang out through the drywall.
Inspectors will be looking for the following:
1- proper fire caulking. Every vertical hole must be fire-caulked. NEC 725.3B or 300.21.
2- proper separation of low voltage from 120VAC power. Don't use the same holes. Separate to the other side of the stud bay or in a different stud bay. NEC 725.136
3- proper support. I used to use a u-shaped staple, but there are many other ways to support. NEC 725.1432 or 300.11.B2
1- Leave it coiled in the wall and let the drywallers cover it up. (But you have to find it later).
2- coil the end up and stuff it into an electrical box,
3- install a low voltage box (more of a ring than a box), and just let it hang out. Drywallers will cut the hole and let the wire hang out.
4- fasten the wire to a stud with a nail (pointing into the living space), and let it hang out. Drywallers will punch a hole and let the wire hang out through the drywall.
Inspectors will be looking for the following:
1- proper fire caulking. Every vertical hole must be fire-caulked. NEC 725.3B or 300.21.
2- proper separation of low voltage from 120VAC power. Don't use the same holes. Separate to the other side of the stud bay or in a different stud bay. NEC 725.136
3- proper support. I used to use a u-shaped staple, but there are many other ways to support. NEC 725.1432 or 300.11.B2
