I'd do it myself. Most likely I'd do a neater job than the typical cable installer. And most likely you will, too.

There are now companies that specialize in running data lines in most major cities. I'd not trust the phone/cable companies.

Thanks DavidR and Ron for your comments. The electricians are coming tomorrow, and they say they could run the supply lines. So am I just asking for two Cat 6 lines and 2 coaxial lines to come from the entry supply points in the garage to our structural closet? This may seem like an obvious question, but I just want to be sure there is not more to it.

Carol

Im not sure I quite understand, but this is a new build and its under construction? Normally you would wait until completion for the cable and internet guys (2 different companies) to come in and do the cabling for you as part of a standard installation. I mean, are you sure you know what kind of cabling would be required by the two companies? (Here you would only need RG6, no CAT cables.) But if this outside location is where the companies would come to in order to install their equipment (around here is it usually near the electrical utility location entrance), then go ahead and let the electrical guys run stuff there. Don't forget a power outlet for any equipment required (here, the fiber terminal requires a power supply).

Hi weedmeister, and thanks for your comment. It is an addition/gut project. We have done much of the work ourselves. You're right, I don't know what the phone and cable guys require. I was just guessing, that there would be a minimum charge from the phone and cable guys and it might cost more than having the electrician tack it on to his other work. I hope the electricians know what to bring in. We have run Cat 6 and Cat5e plus coaxial to the rooms from the structural closet. I was assuming we would have to run similar quality from the low voltage boxes that enter from the house to near the electrical panel.

What kind of cables do others use to bring in the internet and cable?

Carol

HI technospeak. Thanks for the explanation. Are you saying that the terminations at wall in the bedrooms and other rooms we need to have the service provider finish them up there? Or are you referring to the termination at the demarc location?

So the service provider is going to tone out the wiring you installed and terminate cable until he gets a solid Internet/Phone/TV signal in your basement from the Telephone pole or underground service connection where all your wires are home run to. Typically the runs would be (1) Pole to Service Mast on the house (2) Service Mast to House Demarc (3) House Demarc to LV Closet in the basement. From there it depends on where you want internet, phone and TV in regards to what he does next. In any locations you want service, the service provider typically terminates that wiring. If they do not or will not, hire a C7 Low voltage contractor to terminate all Cat 6 and Coax wiring. Most Electricians will be happy to run the bulk cable as long as they do not have to terminate and you specify the beginning and ending points. There might be some that will, but most do not.

Sorry, but what does Demarc mean? For my now 3-year old new build, the power company installed a single pole with a transformer about 200 feet from the house and build electricians ran all the wire (including RG6) from the pole underground to a meter panel and then to the house. The cable guy ran their cable from the street to my new pole and connected to the RG6 there, and then connected the other end of the RG6 to the cable modem in the basement. I ran RG6 from a splitter there and also CAT6 from the router they provided to the points I needed.

Demarc is the point between where the wiring becomes the utility's problem and yours. Phone and cable TV demarcs typically have some sort of disconnect as well as "lightning" protection. Your power company demarc is typically the meter.

Thanks, Ron.

Technospeak. Thanks for walking us through what will be next. I had hoped we could terminate and put the plates in ourselves. Is it not quite straight foward? Makes sense that they would need to test out a run in the basement.

Carol

I am sure they are plenty of Youtube videos on it but by the time you buy tthe hand tools and speed/continuity testers and devote the practice time in order to maximize the cables runs you would have spent way more than just hiring a C7 of C10 contractors who terminates and tests these cables professionally. You will also enter into a world of frustration as you have intermittent performance issues, connectivity issues etc that you wont't know how to troubleshoot. Save yourself the pain and anguish-- hire a contractor to terminate.

Demarc is short for the word demarcation.

In the much older telephone world, one of the Bell subsidiaries installed all the wiring in the house and also provided the phone instruments and any special devices. If it broke they would fix anything, including replacing the phone. However, it also meant that you could not add phones or connections without going through the phone company. All this changed during the Bell breakup and deregulation, and we added a demarcation point where maintenance shifted from the phone company to the homeowner.

In most cases we now have two boxes on the outside of the house, one for cable and one for phone, and this is the demarcation point. All wiring outside this point is the provider's responsibility, and everything inside belongs to the homeowner (inside plant vs. outside plant). They can turn service on or off by simply opening that box and making or breaking the connection.

Cable companies confuse the inside/outside responsibility split because they really want you to keep paying for services. They are not legally bound to fix any of the cable inside your house, but if they don't fix it you probably won't buy as many services.

Bruce

It actually predates the breakup of the Bell system. The government was allowing people to start to add their own devices, etc... before the RBOCs were broken up. Really, the main change on with the breakup was separating local service from the long distance (and breaking up the monolith into regionals).

Thank you Bruce and Ron for your comments and a trip down memory lane. I remember the old dial, green Bell phone we had growing up. So, it I understand correctly Bruce, I should call Bell and Rogers to do their bit outside the house, and then DIY or hire a low voltage company to tend to the wires inside the house.

Carol

Totally off topic, but since I know you’re currently on here, ontariomom, I thought I’d “grab” you and ask if you ever got your window issues resolved?

Hi Sammy,

Yes, we recently got the windows on one side fixed - the worse side. Ours is the slowest DIY build ever. We did hire a contractor to address errors in the cladding and the missing window flashing. He had to remove all the grey decorative trim, and some of the body siding to flash around the windows. We did not have him take the window out, so we hope we won't have a problem with the sill. He found other problems with the cladding that was allowing water to run straight down and into the windows. He also added a window metal header. So, hopefully these windows will no longer leak.

Carol