Running a phone line cost.

[Onyx]

Ok, so, I have a double storey house. I am moving from upstairs (where the phone line is) to downstairs (Where there is no phone line )

Just wondering what it would roughly cost to split that phone line and get it run downstairs from outside, perhaps? Can't be an extension cord job, unfortunately.

[Nightstaar]

Is this purely for internet, or actual phone usage as well?

[Onyx]

Purely for net.

[AzzA82]

Cheap if you do it yourself, i had a similar situation a few yrs back asked my landlord ( which were friends anyway ) and ran a 2nd line from the telstra box downstairs. Timber home

And then done it twice now in my unit. Block work unit went through roof then down threw an inside wall to a couple of new ports.

Cost was just a hobby box from jaycar, a pack of phone line crimps ,20m of cable
and a couple of wall plugs.

If you do it yourself just write down the colours of the wires and to which points on the plugs will save you some testing later.

[SaNE]

Any permanent wiring should be done by a licensed cabler*.
Can't really give you a price without highly guessing, it will depend on what they have to do and what they want to charge. Call 2 or 3 and give them a brief description and ask how much they would charge.
It would probably increase your internet speeds moving the phone line closer to the front of your house as well (if it's underground).

As an alternative - powerline adapters, they simply plug into a power socket and as long as the 2 plugs are on the same circuit then it will act as an ethernet cable.
Leave the modem/router upstairs and just plug into the adapter.

*I don't really agree for networking but the ACMA are the 'authority'.

[AzzA82]

I really never checked that out, call me naive but i've always done data and phones myself, nothing dangerous on those lines.
But yes i checked your right.
So don't take my advice

[lee.]

If you're not certified, you can get into a lot of trouble and fined for doing it.

Shouldn't cost too much for an electrician to move it though

Just call and ask for quotes, most of your private tradies will do it pretty cheap

[Onyx]

As an alternative - powerline adapters, they simply plug into a power socket and as long as the 2 plugs are on the same circuit then it will act as an ethernet cable.
Leave the modem/router upstairs and just plug into the adapter.

I have 3 phase power in my house. Would this throw a spanner in the works?

Thanks for the replies so far.

[diamondd]

As an alternative - powerline adapters, they simply plug into a power socket and as long as the 2 plugs are on the same circuit then it will act as an ethernet cable.
Leave the modem/router upstairs and just plug into the adapter.

I have 3 phase power in my house. Would this throw a spanner in the works?

Thanks for the replies so far.

not sure if 3 phase would effect things but I just wanted to say that I haven't seen a single person say anything positive about those powerline adaptors, in fact I've seen looots of negative sentiments. *from what I've heard* they don't even better the performance of wifi

[Onyx]

Anyone else?

[Joker]

(Opens a can of worms)

Without a license you cant touch the phone line.

However there is plenty of debate on what you can do with a network cable. As a licensed cabler its my opinion that DIY network cabling is fine provided 1) it complies with cable seperation rules 2) it is setup so it cant be used to carry a phone signal.

Power over ethernet works well, when it works, and would be my 2nd choice. Its pot luck if you have 3 phase.

Lastly wireless has substantially improved over the years and would be my 3rd choice.

Personaly I would recommend you get a couple of quotes. Someone in the know will find your MDF (that could be the first phone socket) and offer to relocate it in a manner that minimises the cable length that could improve your adsl speed. A simple extention (adding extra phone cable) will slow it down. A filtered extention through a central splitter shouldnt effect speed.

As to the cost, it depends on how complicated the building is. Best case could be under $100, but an external cable requiring conduit could easily blow out to $500-1000.

[MaddMoose]

Why do you want to move the phone line? It'd be much easier and you'll get better performance running an Ethernet cable up there instead and leaving your modem downstairs.

[Bluefire]

More details needed on house construction to be accurate..
Ballpark $150 for a sparkie to show up + time to complete.

Brick or timber house? raised ground floor ? slab on ground ?
Dropping the new line in below the current line or off at the other end of house ?
All those change install costs
If your in a timber house and the line is being dropped directly below the run of the current line.. Its most likely a $200 job..
If your in a house with double brick, slab on ground etc and they have to run line up through the cealing of the top story then down through 2 stories of cavity at the other end of the house.. well you dont want to know..

Possible cheeper solution. (ie: you do not need to hire a professional)
Do not attempt it if you are not sure what your doing.. it will cost you more money if you **** it up
Leave the router upstairs, run a Cat5 cable through walls, connect to switch.
You have phase3 so Im going to assume SOMEONE in your house is semi-handy (unless your running a kiln?)
Turn power off before you do it (if you hit a power line in the wall your gonna have a bad day). Dont touch any other cables in the walls (pvc pipe makes a great insulator for passing power cables) Can pick up a couple of wall plates for a few bucks, no idea what a length of cat5 (not a patch cable, tho you COULD cut the plugs off one of those and use it) costs these days (ive still got a **** tonne left)..
But anyway, 2x wall plugs + cat5 + 2x patch cables + switch.. should still be sub $200..
Gets cheeper if you happen to have some of that already laying about
Will need drill and screwdriver at minumum, any other tools, ie stud finder, cable finder, plunge saw all make the job easier, but arent "required"
Probably also cost you a few cheep metal coat hangers, some fishing line, a weight, some cursing/blood etc, cause lets face it, most wall cavitys are **** in houses these days.

[steve_rogers42]

as a one-time apprentice sparky, if your heavy handed with things, dont go near gyprock/cement sheet.

Working within houses is a pain, but if you have down pipe from the roof/gutter on the outside wall near the room with the router in it, you could always feed it out through the window, or through the roof if your so inclined and go down the drainpipe and come back in near the bottom, hassel but will keep the line out of the way, or you could feed it in behind the brackets holding the draining to the wall and solastic that mofo.

again, i hate/d working in houses.

drain pipe is easier to navigate than walls, if your going the wall route, say your mantra's and remain calm at all times, otheriwse you will end up with holes and pilots everywhere.

If your in a double brick house, short of a masons drill your way up the creek. plus side is, generaly no supports... just lots of brick..

[Onyx]

If your in a house with double brick, slab on ground etc and they have to run line up through the cealing of the top story then down through 2 stories of cavity at the other end of the house.. well you dont want to know..

Yeah, I assume it would be a difficult job to run a cable from upstairs to downstairs, that's why I thought that splitting the phone line outside and then running it in from ground level would be easier for the electrician, rather than running a CAT5 cable from the modem.

Ideally, I would prefer CAT5, but I don't have the skills to do a job like this without **** things up, unfortunately...

drain pipe is easier to navigate than walls, if your going the wall route, say your mantra's and remain calm at all times, otheriwse you will end up with holes and pilots everywhere.

If your in a double brick house, short of a masons drill your way up the creek. plus side is, generaly no supports... just lots of brick..

Although I'd love it to be a drainpipe job, it has to be done through the walls.