# [SOLVED] Ethernet Wiring: Home run vs Daisy Chain



## Tractor123 (Mar 1, 2008)

I recently ran individual UTP Cat-5e cables to wall boxes in several rooms of my home, terminating in RJ-45 wallplate sockets. These are all home runs to the computer router. Now I wanted to extend one of those home runs to an adjacent room for convenience for occasional laptop connection. During a previous remodel, I had run and left an extra a length of the same UTP Cat-5e between one of the home run connected boxes, and a new box in that next room. I daisy chained that cable by punching down it’s end into the RJ-45 socket on top of the home run connection. Unfortunately, the “extension” socket does not work. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong? 

Thanks


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

*Re: Ethernet Wiring: Home run vs Daisy Chain*

Yep, you can't daisy-chain Ethernet cables, they MUST terminate in an active device like a switch, hub, router, modem, computer, etc. at each end.


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## Tractor123 (Mar 1, 2008)

*Re: Ethernet Wiring: Home run vs Daisy Chain*

Johnwill

I appreciate your response. Well, that explains that! Aggrr, one more home run to go. . . . .

Thanks again!


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

*Re: Ethernet Wiring: Home run vs Daisy Chain*

You got it. :smile:


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## Cellus (Aug 31, 2006)

*Re: Ethernet Wiring: Home run vs Daisy Chain*



johnwill said:


> Yep, you can't daisy-chain Ethernet cables, they MUST terminate in an active device like a switch, hub, router, modem, computer, etc. at each end.


What about a punch-down block? That isn't an active device. :wink:

In any case, the last thing you want if you can help it is any cabling that isn't a home run in the wall. If something were to go wrong, it makes it maddening to troubleshoot. When you put something in a wall, you don't want to have to open the wall again if you can help it.


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

*Re: Ethernet Wiring: Home run vs Daisy Chain*



Cellus said:


> What about a punch-down block? That isn't an active device. :wink:


And exactly how many useful Ethernet connections have you seen terminating at a punch-down block? Note I mentioned *terminate *in my response? :tongue::tongue::tongue:


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