A coaxial cable or coax cable is a copper cable to transmit signals without interference. It helps to transmit high-frequency signals without any delay or signal loss—usually, it’s used by Tele-vision cable companies to connect satellite facilities to the customers’ houses.
Running Coax Cable throughout the Exterior Wall: Step By Step Guideline
When you are willing to run Coax Cable to the exterior wall, you need to start from the inside to select the terminal quickly.
- Select the terminal’s position and cut a hole in the drywall fitting the size of a low-wattage bracket. You can attach a low-wattage bracket after removing the drywall.
- Now clear the inside of your drywall to get a clearer view of the studs.
- You need to choose an installer drill bit long enough so it can get through the studs and the exterior wall. You can use a 20-inch installer bit to use the front end to pull in the coax cable.
- Try to drill in the middle of the studs holding the drill 90 degrees to the wall. In that way, the coax cable doesn’t need any bendings. An angled coax cable can hamper the simultaneous flow of data. Add a coax cable feed to the exterior wall to secure the wire with the wall. The rough edge of the hole can damage the wire.
- With the help of someone, get the cable fixed to the installer bits hole and pull it inside.
- Suppose you are not using the Installer bit, which has a hole. Use a coated wire and pass it from the inside wall throughout. Duct tape the wire with the coat hanger and pull the other end back inside to get the wiring fishing in.
- Add a connector to both ends of the coax cable. Put on the face plate to cover up the whole.
- Ultimately, finish the work by sealing the wiring. Use a silicon seal or duck tape to cover up the patches of the hole.
Is It Safe to Coax in the Exterior Wall?
When you are running coax through your exterior wall, try to keep these things in mind:
- Is there any ethernet connection running to your home? If there is, try to follow that wiring and put the cable there. It’s easy to complete the previous ethernet wiring than to install a new one.
- You can put your coax cable directly to your home wall, but installing an outer box for safety measures is better.
- While drilling the hole, check the home history or use a wall checker to check if there’s any wiring or installment done inside the wall, or you will end up damaging the inner installment and the wall.
- While drilling, avoid drilling on any electrical socket or cable, or at least 6 inches away from the electric wiring.
- Always wear a cable jack to the outer part of the coax cable to avoid direct contact with the wall.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I plaster directly over coax?
Yes, you can put a plaster over any wiring; even the coax cable works better when it’s untouched and not bent. Plater can prevent it from bending. If you plan to pull the coax out of the plaster, later on, you can cover up the cables before plastering the wall.
Can I run coax through the cavity?
It’s better not to run coax through the cavity wall. According to NHBC (Nationa House Building Council), it’s not permissible to run other cables through the cavity except electric cables. Still, if you need to run coax through the cavity wall, cover them with thermal insulation to avoid any accidents.
Does coax cable length affect signals?
Yes, Coax cable length does affect signals. The longer the coax cable, the more chance to lose signals. To avoid losing signal try to get connection facilities from the nearer provider. Installing an exterior box can prevent the loss of signals.
Can I run the coax cable outside?
Coax cable can be run both on the indoor and outdoor walls. But while running outside, The cables need to be protected using additional insulation to prevent them from outer weather.
Can I run the coax cable near the electrical?
Ethernet cables like coax are quite different from electrical cables as they transmit data. A coax cable can easily get affected by any electrical outlet or wiring near the wire and can have trouble transmitting data. any electrical flow near the coax can create a loss of signals. So, it’s suggested to run a coax at least 6inch away from any electrical cord.
Do coax splitter degrade signal?
Not only does the distance matter, but also splitting of the coax can degrade the signal even if the other tip of the coax is unused. If you try to take ethernet from the same line provided in your house, It makes the signals lose, and the projection won’t be satisfactory. Installing a junction box can save the degradation of signals, or you can use a terminal cap if the other part is unused.
What to do if my house doesn’t have a coax outlet?
If your house doesn’t have a coax outlet, you can switch to optical fiber instead, though the installation is pricy it can be proved convenient of service because in optical cables the data transmission is fast and there’s almost no chance of losing data. Fiber optics are similar to the coax cable even fiber optics are steady and quite reliable.
Conclusion
When you are installing coax cable through the exterior wall, that means you are connecting your home with certain facilities. Instead of direct installation to the home wall, put the coax through a junction box, so you can use a 2 or 3-way connector to the cable which will make the bending easy. While installing the coax, make sure not to bend it directly without using any connector, it can make the loss of data or total signal loss. Install a junction box and do earth to avoid any fatal damage.
