Terminating Ethernet cable on an exterior wall

unmesh

n3wb
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My son just moved into his own place and is having someone come in to pull Ethernet cables from a closet to all his rooms. I was suggesting to him to think ahead for when he might want one or more outwards facing surveillance cameras or a video doorbell and have some extra cables pulled. He's going to consider it.

The unknown to us is what to do with these cables into at the device end if the goal is to think ahead rather than install devices right now. For an interior wall, it could be to terminate it in a keystone jack or even leave the end coiled insde a low voltage junction box but what is the equivalent for the exterior of the house?

Thanks.
 

TVille

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I have no idea what the standard for this is. But, with concern for water intrusion, even humidity, I wondering if a dab of dielectric grease over the end of the wire to seal it against humidity would be a good idea. Or, maybe, I am over thinking it. This is the same grease used on RJ-45 connections outdoors, as talked about in the Cliff Notes.
 

Teken

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My son just moved into his own place and is having someone come in to pull Ethernet cables from a closet to all his rooms. I was suggesting to him to think ahead for when he might want one or more outwards facing surveillance cameras or a video doorbell and have some extra cables pulled. He's going to consider it.

The unknown to us is what to do with these cables into at the device end if the goal is to think ahead rather than install devices right now. For an interior wall, it could be to terminate it in a keystone jack or even leave the end coiled insde a low voltage junction box but what is the equivalent for the exterior of the house?

Thanks.
Generally speaking anything that’s prewired in the attic is left there just coiled up and brought as close to the soffit location.

If the location is known and the hardware will be installed shortly there after then the wire is brought out past the soffit and coiled up, terminated, greased, and taped.

Any wall mounted systems that use a JB the wire is simply terminated, greased, coiled, and cover in place. It’s very rare to install cable on an exterior wall and left in place for a long time. It looks ugly and good caulking must be applied to avoid water penetration.

Regardless of all the above a service loop is always present. This allows the camera to be moved wherever it needs to be now or later. It also allows the first 2-3” of cable to be cut off to avoid corroded material.

Adding cable for a future POE door bell? Just insure the hole is large enough to allow a terminated cable to come through. Always zip tie the 24 VAC to the Ethernet cable so you don’t have to spend 99999 years trying to locate / fish it through!

Obviously once the door bell is POE powered disconnect the 24 VAC transformer!

Lastly, regardless of all the above every line must be tested and validated to be fully operational. Since you’re paying for it to be installed have them verify at the very least the cables are correctly terminated!

You won’t see anyone complete a Fluke certification test in a residential home unless they know someone in the industry, is in IT, or has deep pockets.

For the average person you can just hook up a security camera and if you see video and the grass isn’t blue you’re “Good to Go*
 
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