Ethernet, cable, internet for 09 airstream

tmarquis · 03-24-2009, 01:56 PM

Hello,

I'll be parking my 09 international at my parents for a few months. We would like to get a broadband connection to the trailer using my parents cable modem. Yes we could get wifi but the cable modem is way on the other side of the house....I thinking I have plenty of cable and/or ethernet cable that i could pump broadband into the trailer via cables....either taking advantage of the old school phone wiring in the trailer (Anyone know if this is a cat5 wiring?) OR could i put a splitter on my parents cable going into the house and run that to the "cable hookup" on the trailer.....then i'd need an additional cable modem i guess inside the trailer.......any thoughts???

thanks!!

Westfalia · 03-24-2009, 02:15 PM

An add'l cable modem will require provisioning from the cable provider and will generate a separate bill and depending on the signal strength on the cable may be at all viable. The house wiring is not likely to be CAT-5. It should say on the outside of the cable jacket. You will need a dedicated line from the modem to the trailer with very few exceptions if the cable actually turns out to be CAT-5.

I would look into Powerline networking.
Amazon.com: Actiontec MegaPlug 85 Mbps Ethernet Adapter Twin-Pack: Electronics

It essentially pushes ethernet over the 120V lines in the house out to the trailer. One adapter on each end with a ethernet cable. It should work all of the way out to the trailer. If not, you can use it to put a new WiFi access point out closer to the trailer but still in the house.

Silvertwinkie · 03-24-2009, 02:41 PM

I'd be more inclined to try to find a wireless solution. The wiring in the trailer is NOT CAT5e or similar. At best you'd be running an Ethernet cable outside to do this, when in reality, if you ran the same cable as far as you could inside the house, you most likely could get a good wireless signal and not have an Ethernet wire outside. Keep in mind that that most Ethernet cabling you buy at a retail location is not going to be outdoor rated cable. Any moisture that gets into it and shorts it out (even at low voltages) is not going to be pretty......

tmarquis · 03-24-2009, 02:52 PM

so the phone jack wiring inside the airstream is not cat 5?
I do have an extra cable modem. Could I just split the line that comes into the house and run a cable to the RV this way id have both cable and internet......although id probably have to get a second cable box....from our provider for the tv.

Thanks!

Silvertwinkie · 03-24-2009, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmarquis

so the phone jack wiring inside the airstream is not cat 5?
I do have an extra cable modem. Could I just split the line that comes into the house and run a cable to the RV this way id have both cable and internet......although id probably have to get a second cable box....from our provider for the tv.

Thanks!

No it isn't Cat5 rated. I've watched the RVs built at least 4x between 2003 and 2005. Unless they changed the wiring since early 2005, it's not Cat5 rated.

Most cable providers will not allow two modems on the same line. Your only real option as I see it are:

Get a small $40 10/100 switch. Connect that switch to the existing cable modem and run and Ethernet cable to the inside of the RV.

Go wireless somehow

Pay for an additional connection from the ISP.

If you do either to of the first two, you need not get an additional cable box. With one you have a cable outside and the other nothing outside and equal performance.

Keep in mind however that not all cable ISPs are the same. Some block more than one MAC address from accessing their network at any one given time.

thecatsandi · 03-24-2009, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmarquis

so the phone jack wiring inside the airstream is not cat 5?
I do have an extra cable modem. Could I just split the line that comes into the house and run a cable to the RV this way id have both cable and internet......although id probably have to get a second cable box....from our provider for the tv.

Thanks!

Are you talking DSL from the phone company or Cable internet from the Cable company? A cable modem will not work with DSL and vise versa.

tmarquis · 03-24-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thecatsandi

Are you talking DSL from the phone company or Cable internet from the Cable company? A cable modem will not work with DSL and vise versa.

looking to use cable not dsl Thanks!

Westfalia · 03-24-2009, 03:32 PM

Wow, you guys like to make this hard. I'll say again, Powerline networking.

HowieE · 03-24-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westfalia

Wow, you guys like to make this hard. I'll say again, Powerline networking.

There is one comment in the reviews of this product that is worth noting. It works well as long as you are plugged into the same circuit within the house. It is unlikely you will find the same circuit on opposite ends of the house but that is not to say you couldn't just run a AC receptacle over to that side off the circuit that the cable box uses.

Westfalia · 03-24-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HowieE

There is one comment in the reviews of this product that is worth noting. It works well as long as you are plugged into the same circuit within the house. It is unlikely you will find the same circuit on opposite ends of the house but that is not to say you couldn't just run a AC receptacle over to that side off the circuit that the cable box uses.

Howie, thanks for pointing that out, but that's not accurate info. I have used such products on multi leg circuits or circuits on different phases with great success. What does kill the signal are surge protectors. For transparency, I have never used the Actiontec power line network devices. I have use Netgear and Belkin.

Silvertwinkie · 03-24-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westfalia

Wow, you guys like to make this hard. I'll say again, Powerline networking.

Though I am sure it works, I've never been a fan of this. Just my personal opinion FWIW.

We have 5 buildings here at work that each have their own LAN connected together via a WAN. Think of all the $$$ I could have saved by not pulling data wiring.

Westfalia · 03-24-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

Though I am sure it works, I've never been a fan of this. Just my personal opinion FWIW.

We have 5 buildings here at work that each have their own LAN connected together via a WAN. Think of all the $$$ I could have saved by not pulling data wiring.

True, but I'd think you data requirements to be a little more severe with high bandwidth and security needs. FWIW, I'm a big fan of hard wired ethernet connections where ever it is at all possible, but getting ethernet out to the trailer in the driveway had never been practical or required. Wireless worked, mostly, but connection dropouts due to the aluminum skin would occasionally creep up. That's why powerline networking makes so much sense in this situation. You could easily spend more money and time and still not have a satisfactory or dependable solution.

Silvertwinkie · 03-24-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westfalia

True, but I'd think you data requirements to be a little more severe with high bandwidth and security needs.

I know I was just playin' around.

Bigdaddy_2 · 03-24-2009, 03:58 PM

I am sitting in my 2002 classic behind my house using a Linksys Powerline adapter. I run 3 in the house to network 2 desktops and a media extender. They work great with my cable highspeed. I also have a wireless router for house guests to use.

The one in the trailer is an extra I can move to different locations as needed.

A very simple solution. You need a pair to setup the basic configuration.