Geek alert - a backup for our home internet

[St3v3]

Virgin have done their sell sell sell thing, and the internet at home has been a little sketchy at home recently. As Larry has his own internet I thought it would make sense to be able to connect the house to him, if necessary, so that Louise can continue to work (accountant, heavily relies on internet)

So, I've fitted this socket on the outside of the truck, and another will go on the house.





I've had to add a switch (the white box) in the truck, which means more things can be connected to the router. The yellow wire is the one that goes to the outside socket.



The great thing is that my home router has the option of a second internet input, that it will revert to if the first one fails automatically. So literally plug a cable into the house and the truck and the internet will work again.

Is this overkill? Lol.

 

[Wully]

Know who I’m parking next too

 

[wildebus]

I was going to ask why the Victron Mk3 dongle goes to the router switch until I spotted the hole in the panel

Handy setup you have there

 

[Geraldine]

Well done Steve. Looks most interesting. Love the fact that you have hidden all the wiring behind the ply board.
Clever linking the dongle to the router if that is the case.
Looking forward to seeing Larry the Lorry some day soon.
Cheers. David and Mandie and Truffle too.
P.s Hope Tommy is enjoying his adventures new.

 

[St3v3]

Well done Steve. Looks most interesting. Love the fact that you have hidden all the wiring behind the ply board.
Clever linking the dongle to the router if that is the case.
Looking forward to seeing Larry the Lorry some day soon.
Cheers. David and Mandie and Truffle too.
P.s Hope Tommy is enjoying his adventures new.

Thanks. We'll be at Hereford if you're about?

Tommy is liking it

 

[Minisorella]

No, not overkill at all if Louise's work relies on the Internet. It's a great backup to have - always sitting on the driveway if you need it
The dainty little switch made me smile... last time I installed switches at work they were bloomin' heavy monsters - the full width of the patch cupboard, with dozens of ports!

 

[St3v3]

The dainty little switch made me smile... last time I installed switches at work they were bloomin' heavy monsters - the full width of the patch cupboard, with dozens of ports!

More like this then, that's in the garage...



Only I bet your stuff was neater!

 

[nabsim]

Most Cat5 cable was porous Steve, never really looked at Cat6 but suspect that’s the same. Wireless would be better option to connect the house probably and these days wireless speeds aren’t an issue.

that wiring is a lot neater than a lot of the gear I came across, many didn’t even have cable routing lol

 

[St3v3]

I'll have to look up the porus thing, the sockets aren't waterproof in use, so I thought about some sort of cover. Cross that bridge and all that!

Probably never need it now I've done the work lol.

 

[wildebus]

Most Cat5 cable was porous Steve, never really looked at Cat6 but suspect that’s the same. Wireless would be better option to connect the house probably and these days wireless speeds aren’t an issue.

that wiring is a lot neater than a lot of the gear I came across, many didn’t even have cable routing lol

I think you can get external rated CAT5 cable? I have not extensively tested the product environmentally, but this is the cable I have ....
https://amzn.to/2YlXn2A

Includes features such as:

• OUTDOOR USE NETWORK CABLE: 15m outdoor waterproof UTP (Foiled Twisted Pair) 24AWG Cat5e cable CCA (Copper Clad Aluminium) patch cable with RJ45 Plugs. Cross OD 6mm.

• QUALITY CONSTRUCTION: Double outer Jacket for CMX Outdoor use, Gold-plated contacts, resists corrosion, UV proof for direct sunlight exposure, and ensure safe / secure connection for durability and Interference protection. ROHS Approved.

 

[wildebus]

I'll have to look up the porus thing, the sockets aren't waterproof in use, so I thought about some sort of cover. Cross that bridge and all that!

Probably never need it now I've done the work lol.

Reminds me of when I rewired my house and decided to run network cable to every room with a Switch next to the new Consumer Unit under the stairs. Just about the time it was all done and settled in, Wifi became virtually standard on everything ?

(at least I never got round to installing the mini-rack and patch panel! )

 

[nabsim]

When we needed to run outside we used to fit in conduit but it’s over 5 years since I have needed to spec anything like that so may be better options.

It’s the same with fibre, never use internal grade outside, we Had an issue where a contractor used the wrong one in a long cable duct that was partially outside. Cost them a fortune to sort out as it was back in the days they had to grind/polish the ends lol

 

[Minisorella]

More like this then, that's in the garage...

View attachment 48157

Only I bet your stuff was neater!

Those are more like it, Steve... nice and tidy too I started out looking after one server (under the reception desk!) and ended up with a server room and rack of 10 servers, linked to the main hubs/switches in another room, plus umpteen full-height patch racks in various bits of the building and the new conference centre they built on the site! They all started out looking pristine but ended up like brambles at summer's end because the telephony went through Cat5 too and the pesky users kept moving rooms About twice a year, I'd go in on a Sunday and try taming everything. My patching spreadsheets used to make my head spin and I can feel myself getting stressed just remembering it all! Quitting work early saved my sanity - I think! ...and breathe!

 

[St3v3]

. Just about the time it was all done and settled in, Wifi became virtually standard on everything ?

(at least I never got round to installing the mini-rack and patch panel! )

WiFi is good, but it's not perfect, better since I added two proper wireless access points (Ubiquiti) Hence everything being wired if possible.

 

[wildebus]

WiFi is good, but it's not perfect, better since I added two proper wireless access points (Ubiquiti) Hence everything being wired if possible.

Are you finding you use the radio booster much?
I have to say since the mobile data coverage has improved so much generally and have got an unlimited 3 deal for £20/month I don't try and look for wi-fi Hotspots anymore
Currently trying a little USB powered Mini Router/Repeater installed instead of the Ubiquiti Kit in the van and seems to work nicely and was just £15!

Might bring the Ubiquti kit into the house instead and pick up the 4G router in the camper instead of the landline internet!

 

[St3v3]

Are you finding you use the radio booster much?

Sometimes. I have an old phone that is set up as a wifi hotspot that the radio is pointed at. When he wants to do updates/downloads on the Xbox, I point it at wifi. The phone is fine for streaming, even to a few devices, but seems rubbish for downloads.

What's the 15 quid one you've bought?

 

[wildebus]

Sometimes. I have an old phone that is set up as a wifi hotspot that the radio is pointed at. When he wants to do updates/downloads on the Xbox, I point it at wifi. The phone is fine for streaming, even to a few devices, but seems rubbish for downloads.

What's the 15 quid one you've bought?

I'll PM you