Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Convert Phone Network Jacks to Ethernet?
Thread: Convert Phone Network Jacks to Ethernet?
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Old 09-06-2020, 01:06 PM
jump4 jump4 is offline
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Originally Posted by scout2028 View Post
Many thanks for the all of the suggestions. There is a lot of great information in this thread.

If I didn't like my current router, I'd consider the mesh solution (I've been watching that technology for awhile now) but the existing router is handling everything else quite well and see no reason to spend the money and disrupt the existing network - Alexa, smart plugs, iPads, cell phones and an occasional untethered laptop.

I had a friend send me pics of his newer low-voltage panel. That's a great idea and much better than what we have here in Pennecamp. But my low-voltage things are done differently - the irrigation controller is in the house, but there is an external Comcast box and an external 'phone' box. If I had the low-voltage panel inside I'd be tempted to convert the telephone wiring.

A special thanks to the responders who provided input on the telephone wiring conversion.

So my plan now is what I was going to do and was suggested early on - hire an electrician to run cable through the attic and install two jacks. That will allow me to connect the wife's computer to the exiting gigabit ethernet network. (The Gig-E isn't really necessary but comes in handy sometimes.)

Thanks again to all who responded.
Getting a new MESH router doesn't have to "disrupt the existing network". If you program the new mesh router with the same WiFi password you currently use, all your devices will automatically connect to the new router.

I've been using Google WiFi routers for past several years. I found they had much better WiFi range that the previous non-MESH router. You may only need 1 or 2 of the MESH routers to provide full WiFi coverage of your house.