How to use a Cat5 netowrk with TV?

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Level 1

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How to use a Cat5 netowrk with TV?

I've been using the wireless capabilities of my Samsung TV to access things like Netflix streaming, but the signal just isn't strong enough (despite attempts to extend it) so I want to move to a wired connection.

The TV has an ethernet port, so it is capable of such a wired connection.

Our home was wired for Cat5e, but (sadly) I have not tried using it yet since wireless connections have always sufficed for our laptops.

There is a Cat5e port in the wall by the TV, but aside from connecting the TV to the port with a Cat5e cable, I'm not sure how to go about using the connection. I can set up the TV easy enough I'm sure once I make the connection, I just have questions on how to go about making the connection.

Upstairs, in our office is where my cable modem lives, along with my Apple Airport Basestation. In the wall, is another Cat5e port (just like the port downstairs next to the TV). Do I simply buy a Cat5e cable and plug one end into the modem and the other end into the Cat5e port to make the system live and start pumping internet throughout the house? Is there any other rigging I need to do (as I mentioned, the house was pre-wired). There's a Sun Network box in one of the closets, but not sure if I have to go in and fiddle with any of that hardware.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to help 😉 I didn't see a networking forum, so figured this was the best place to ask....

MacPro 2.66, Mac OS X (10.4.9)

Posted on Oct 3, 2011 6:02 PM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

158,328 points

Oct 3, 2011 8:02 PM in response to motifone

FWIW ... my network is similar in that my home was pre-wired for CAT-5e cabling throughout. In my case I have cable Internet service that comes into a central location (under the stairwell). This cable is then connected to my Internet Broadband modem. In turn, I have a Cisco RVS4000 wired router and an additional 8-port Ethernet switch (that is connected to the router) all co-located with the modem. Also, all Ethernet runs throughout the house come back to this same central location and are connected to a patch panel. I then run Ethernet drop cables between the router/switch to this patch panel. Hopefully, what I just described makes sense.

So, using my configuration as an example for your case, you would run an Ethernet drop cable between the TV and the Ethernet port on the wall. From there a pre-wired Ethernet cable would run back to the Sun Network box. From there, you would run another Ethernet drop cable to your Internet router, which in turn, would be directly connected to the modem by Ethernet.

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