0
Every time I think I'm getting the hang of these darn computers, I realize that I know almost nothing whatsoever compared to what there is out there to know.
Today, my quest for computer knowledge has me trying to figure out how my new apartment's Cat5 is run, and how I might be able to hijack it to set up my own home network.
Here's the situation (as far as I can see) -
One coax cable and two Cat5 cables (one gray, one blue) run in to the apartment. I've found where they enter the unit. They then disappear into the drywall to feed their respective wall plates throughout the apartment.
I have three wall plates, in three separate rooms, each having one RJ45 connected to a gray Cat5, one RJ45 connected to a blue Cat5, and a coax cable.
As far as I have seen, each RJ45 has 8 pins connected at the wall plate, which tells me they support data - correct?
So what this leads me to believe is that the coax splits into three behind the drywall and feeds each wall plate, and each Cat5 cable splits into 3 as well to feed their respective RJ45s.
I do not have access to the room where these cables terminate on the other side, and the maintenance guy says that if I want to install my own switch, I have to hijack the cables INSIDE the unit, not in the patch room. That way it's on me and I don't have to get approved by the building.
How can one Cat5 feed 3 RJ45 ports? How are they split behind the wall?
If I was to hijack these two Cat5 cables where they enter my apartment, and connect them to a switch, how would I discern how to connect them to the switch? I assume it wouldn't be as simple as crimping the Cat5s and plugging them into the switch...
Am I insane? Can anyone shed some light on this configuration?
James Mikrut
Posted 2015-08-12T22:47:52.437
Reputation: 1
2This is asking for assistance with theft apparently. – Xavierjazz – 2015-08-12T22:56:42.927
It is impossible for us to know how your apartment is set up. You need to talk to your landlord. – Keltari – 2015-08-13T01:11:11.777
How is this theft? I've worked with the maintenance for the building and they've given me approval to move forward with exactly what this post suggests to accomplish - I just don't know how to complete the work. I have talked with my landlord's maintenance to figure out how the apartment is set up - as can be clearly inferred from my original post above. Are these comments indicative of the type and quality of help I can expect to receive on this site? Sheesh... – James Mikrut – 2015-08-14T03:01:01.840