Rewiring - cable options

[Jugglering]

I am starting to sort out the huge mess of cables strewn around my lounge (lol, yep, a job for a Bank Holiday Monday).... but I'd appreciate some advice please, grovel, grovel...

I have a BT telephone line, with built in splitter at the main junction box - one slot takes the telephone and the other takes the ADSL cable for the pc. This ADSL cable goes to my (4 slot) router. From the router, I have an ethernet cable to my pc. Now, I can position the router close to the BT main junction box, in which case I need to use a long ethernet cable to reach my pc on the other side of the room.... OR, I can position the router near the pc, in which case I need a long ADSL cable...

I am going to install more D-line cable covers but before I do, I'd like to know whether it's better to have a long ADSL cable OR a long ethernet cable (there's bound to be a more preferred option here).

I have tried wireless networking but found that that slowed my internet connection down to virtually a snail pace (I don't have an exceptionally strong broadband signal at the best of times - and can't do much about that until BT build more exchanges lol).

Thanks

[markysngc]

I'd go for router close to bt socket and longer ethernet cable, both would work but DSL connection is likely to be faster and more stable by keeping the BT sides line length down

[Jugglering]

Thanks Mark.... I simply did not know which way to go there...

[ACtheTROLL]

sort of a game of two halves?

the question is where does your router stand out least?
an ethernet cable has a max length of 100m (long way in a house)

your phone line has come x miles ... so a few feet more are unlikely to cause much problem ....
HOWEVER .... adsl cord cable (rj11 plug - flat cable) is as cheap as chips ... while cat5 ethernet cable (rj45 plug untwisted pair) is built to quite exacting tolerances ... (really!!)

and technically you'd extend the rj11 to a remote rj11 socket using fixed twisted pair cable to prevent cross-talk

so a long ethernet cable should cause less "disturbance" than a long adsl - but not by much

[markysngc]

no problem, just spotted the last part of your post

"I don't have an exceptionally strong broadband signal at the best of times - and can't do much about that until BT build more exchanges lol)."

In which case defiantly get the router as close to the BT master socket as you can, may also want to consider a better ADSL splitter if your still using the one supplied by ISP (they are always cheap cr@p) ADSLnation make about the best splitters available for about a tenner online.

[Jugglering]

Thanks guys.... The cost is not the important thing here, I just want a decent solution at the end of the day.

Mark - the BT splitter was installed by BT themselves - it's a proper integral box which replaced my old BT junction box and the filters provided by my Broadband supplier (AOL).

I shall go with keeping the router close to the BT main junction box and purchase a longer ethernet cable.

Cheers lads.. I owe you both a pint !

[markysngc]

very kind of you.... it'll be a pint of stella thanks :)

[Jugglering]

LOL Mark... the real Belgian stuff or that other unspeakable fizzy lager that's brewed in the UK and has the temerity to call itself Stella ?