Internet Connection In My Shop

[39Tudor]

My shop is approximately 40 feet off the back of my house. My wireless router sits at window level approximately 60 feet from the shop. On rare occasions, I can get a wireless internet signal.

When I built the shop, I trenched a conduit between the house and the shop. In that conduit I pulled in a single RG-6 coax and a 4 twisted pair CAT 5e cable. Up until 2 years ago, the Cat 5e cable was hooked into my telephone box and I had a wall phone in the shop.

Since I kissed the old home phone farewell, I terminated the CAT 5e cable in the shop into a R45 Wall mount Keystone and removed the other end from the telephone junction box in the house and rerouted it near the back of my wireless router. The end near the wireless router is also terminated in a keystone R45 wall mount jack.

I think I can connect the wireless router to the keystone R45 wall mount jack with a data patch cable so I think I should have a wired connection all the way to my shop.

So now that I have tried to explain what I have, what is the final piece of hardware that I need to purchase to obtain a wireless internet connection in my shop.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide. I tried searching other threads but could not find a situation similar to mine.

 

[tre873]

Should only have to buy a cheap router. I use a $30 Netgear in my shop.

 

[Denwood]

Or a simple wireless access point. I like the TP Link RE650 as it has fast WIFI and a gigabit network port. About $80 these days. Just set it up as a wired access point: https://www.tp-link.com/ca/support/faq/1401/

You can set the same SID and password as set for your house WIFI to keep things simple. Just patch into your house router as you described with a standard patch cable.

I'd also throw a one of these at each end: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GBLFFNK/?tag=atomicindus04-20

Speaking from experience, you'll save a switch or two during lightning storms as the ground potential difference between shop/house will cause issues.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

You need an access point, not a router. A router connects your network to other networks. An access point provides wireless access to your network.

The terminology can be confusing, because most routers sold today for use in homes also incorporate an access point. And, most routers can be set up to function as an access point only.

 

[39Tudor]

Thank you for your guidance guys. I’ll start shopping for an access point.

Additionally, I’d like to expand on Denwood’s comment for Ethernet surge protection. In the past, I have had two sprinkler system transformers get roasted because of lightning strikes.

When I look at surge protection, all of them have a ground wire attached to the unit. Since my Ethernet connection point is on an interior wall, how to I achieve the grounded connection?

Can I attach the surge protector ground wire to the green electrical ground wire in an adjacent outlet box since I know that electrical ground is connected to a copper ground rod outside the shop?

Can I drill a hole through my existing slab directly below the surge protector and drive a ground rod into the earth and make that ground wire exclusive to the surge protector.

Sorry for the follow up questions. Electrons were never my specialty!

 

[softailgarage]

I use a Linksys EA7300 and a Netgear JFS524v2 that a vendor gave me when I was a Slot Tech. Ran Cat 5e cable through a Buried PVC pipeline, works fine for me. I will check out the surge protectors too considering we get monsoons out here in the desert.

 

[tre873]

Keep in mind, most routers can also be set as an access point.

 

[mark-NJ]

Keep in mind, most routers can also be set as an access point.

This, 100%.

And here's something I've never been able to comprehend: A wireless router is easily turned into a WAP simply by turning DHCP off.

So why does a WAP cost about 2X what a wireless router costs? For a lot less money than a WAP you can get a wireless router and make simple setting changes. If an IT dummy like me can do it, *anyone* can do it.

 

[Denwood]

Thank you for your guidance guys. I’ll start shopping for an access point.

Additionally, I’d like to expand on Denwood’s comment for Ethernet surge protection. In the past, I have had two sprinkler system transformers get roasted because of lightning strikes.

When I look at surge protection, all of them have a ground wire attached to the unit. Since my Ethernet connection point is on an interior wall, how to I achieve the grounded connection?

Can I attach the surge protector ground wire to the green electrical ground wire in an adjacent outlet box since I know that electrical ground is connected to a copper ground rod outside the shop?

Can I drill a hole through my existing slab directly below the surge protector and drive a ground rod into the earth and make that ground wire exclusive to the surge protector.

Sorry for the follow up questions. Electrons were never my specialty!

Yes, you can ground the surge unit to an adjacent box ground. The TP-link RE650s are reliable, simple, have decent AC 2600 class WIFI and the gigabit port (part of the equation for fast access). Hard to beat that combination of speed vs cost vs simplicity at $80.

I tend to use the Ubiquity AC-PRO stuff on the commercial side just for the sake of management..they are not as fast as the RE650 and are over twice the price. No point for home use. They also have a large feature set that in many cases will cause WIFI issues if you leave all settings at defaults. Any of the industry guys know what I'm talking about

 

[39Tudor]

Okay, looks like I have a little shopping to do.
I’ll report back once I get my surge protector and access point installed and hopefully operational.
Thanks again for all your help guys!

 

[Denwood]

No worries..pm if you need some setup help

 

[wes73]

drop in a switch in case you want or need to hard wire anything. Then add an wireless access point.

 

[jensenjl]

Router brand is mostly personal preference when it comes to the major manufacturers. As has been previously stated above a router can be configured as an access point. Routers are sometimes easier to source than access points.

One other option you might also look at are the repeaters that have power and plug built right in to the unit. These are compact and take up space only around the outlet you're using.

 

[Denwood]

Yes, like the RE650 I recommended. It can be configured as an access point using the gigabit port on the unit.

 

[39Tudor]

Project Update

Just wanted to report a minor victory for the electronically challenged!

I checked all my connections and installed the jumper data wiring between my cable modem/router and the new line out to the shop.

I was able to plug in my laptop and connect to the wired network in the shop. See the attachment!

Next up is to install a new outlet box for the access point and surge protector which arrived today courtesy of my son in law and his Amazon Prime account.

Thanks again for all of your assistance so far. Will keep you all posted as I continue my installation.

 

[39Tudor]

Installation Complete and Operational

I finally got all the parts needed for my installation.

I purchased a Netgear AC1200 Dual-Band Wifi Range Extender from Amazon for $40. I chose this over the one Denwood recommended because my son and my son in law both have this unit and have had good luck with it.

I followed Denwood's recommendation and installed a Tupavco TP302 Cat 5e surge protector from Amazon for $27.

Bought some short data cabled from Monoprice for a couple of bucks each.

Got everything installed and now have a great 5G signal in my shop so I can utilize my laptop or iPad for research.

Thanks again to all of you who shared their knowledge and helped this electronically challenged member successfully complete this task.

 

[Denwood]

Can't beat $40 for price I'm sure that will more than meet your needs.

A hot tip on the cabling...I've been using Monoprice SlimRun Cat6 cable for patch these days as it is only .159" in diameter (about 50% less) so takes up a lot less space than conventional patch wire if you're running more than a few.