Best way to stick a very long Ethernet cable semi-permanently to walls?

Question

TL;DR: I am looking for good ways to stick flat Ethernet cable semi-permanently to ceilings/walls ideally suited to someone with no DIY expertise whatsoever

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After successfully untwisting the very twisted Ethernet cable (thanks @Ecnerwal) I ran the cable to my room. However my parents were not keen on it being on the floor as it posed a tripping hazard. So I used a lot of sticky tape to tape the cable from the router all the way to my room via various walls and ceilings.

This worked well for about a day or so before the sticky tape became not-so-sticky and the cable started to droop and fall off in places. I attach photos:

So I'm looking for a slightly more permanent solution here. I know there are some U-shaped panel thingies (can you tell I'm a seasoned DIY professional??) that might work if I can figure out how to stick them to the walls.

Answer 1

The problem with almost any adhesive is that the longer it stays on, the more likely it is to either fall off when you don't want it to fall off, or stay on when you don't want it to (typically this means "top layer of paint comes off with the tape"). Aesthetic considerations may not be an issue right now (when I was a kid, I definitely ran wires around in unattractive ways, though not Ethernet, that wasn't an option at the time), but a "temporary" wire hanging around is less troublesome than peeled patches of paint.

My recommendation is cable clips/staples. There are plenty of varieties, but generally something like this:

There are some with a single nail and some with two nails. For Ethernet (and similar), a single nail is strong enough. If the main part is white and you switched to a white Ethernet cable then the whole thing would come pretty close to "background noise" on a white wall. But if you don't care about the look, stick with the existing cable, it is just fine.

I definitely advise against switching to WiFi as others have suggested. Nothing beats a wired connection.

Answer 2

Another option no one has mentioned is to use cable raceway

The raceway itself will come with adhesive, or sometimes be nailed into the wall. It's more expensive, but the end result will look much nicer than tape or staples, and be more flexible for future expansion. For even more flexibility, you can terminate it to an ethernet jack:

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By the way, regardless of what solution you choose, you should NOT use flat cable longer than a meter or two. They are infamous for having EMI (electromagnetic interference) issues. Spend the $100 to buy a spool of CAT6 (plus a crimper+heads, if you don't go the jacks route). You'll be glad you did.

Answer 3

Two options that come to mind:

1. manassehkatz's answer to use cable clips is a great one if you'd like a lasting solution to using a long ethernet cable.
2. I'd like to offer an alternative to having a long running ethernet cable. Powerline adapters!

A Powerline adapter is a device which uses your homes electric wiring to transmit communications signals. The adapters (at least two) plug into your wall sockets and use Ethernet cables to connect to your router at one end and your device at the other (TV, games console, PC whatever it may be).

I have used four in several apartments and houses with no issue. Every device that can use ethernet, I hook up to my powerline adapter to get better signal and reduce the number of devices on my wifi network.

When looking into them, I recommend the following features

1. A pass through port so you can still use that outlet
2. Two ethernet ports so that you can still have a free ethernet port from your router

Here is a pic of what mine looks like

Answer 4

Hmm, when I see your first try then maybe my improvisation-style is sufficient for your needs. If appearence is not critical and money-is-out, instead of using tapes I use my stapler and cut rectangular pieces of card-paper to make a loop around the cable keeping a tongue to be stapled to the wall.
The problem of destructive tapes doesn't occur, and the holes in the wall/carpet/wood are so small that they are nearly invisible when the cable must be removed one day.

Here three pictures:

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I took green color card-paper here to makeit better visible for the reader. Make the "tongue" (? english noun?) as small (or long) as you need for the staple.

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Here is one example where I fixed my ethernet cable along the door. Very primitive, yet very effective; nearly no cost after you have a stapler in your home-office...

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So looks the door... Of course it could look better, it's having this status at least 10 years, only this year I'll be going to improve that wall & door for better optical appearance...

Answer 5

Check your baseboard (what they call it in the US) or skirting board (what they call it in the UK). Typically this doesn't fit completely against the floorboards, so there's a gap between that and the floorboards (to accomodate movement of the floor and/or wall over changing humidity and temperature). If this gap is wide enough, you may be able to slot the (flat) Ethernet cable into the gap and run the cable round the walls. No DIY needed, no holes in anything.

If your floor covering is wood or laminate, typically the wood/laminate sits almost against the baseboard, allowing a little room for expansion, and an extra moulding is nailed/glued to cover that gap. Remove those mouldings, run the cable round the edge of the wall, and nail/glue the mouldings back.

If your floor covering is carpet, you could lift the carpet and run the cable across the middle. This is not recommended, because you'll be left with a ridge across the carpet which will damage it. Instead lift the carpet around the edges of the room, run the cable around the edges, and refit the carpet. Note that refitting carpet needs a special tool called a "carpet stretcher" or "knee kicker" to pull the carpet firmly onto the gripper strips.

Doorways are generally the problem with running cables, of course. If you're lucky, the architrave may not fully reach the floor and you can run the cable underneath, the same way as you would do under a baseboard. More likely though, your best solution will be drilling a hole at the bottom of the frame, passing the cable through, and filling and painting the hole. When drilling the hole, don't forget that it needs to be the diameter of the Ethernet plug, not the diameter of the cable.

Depending on your house construction/layout, there may also be options under the floorboards or above the ceiling. This is unusual though. The ground floor is normally a concrete screed; and upper floors generally have the plasterboard ceiling on one side of the rafters and floorboards on the other side of the rafters, leaving no access points you could use.

Answer 6

There are plenty of self-adhesive cable clips to be had. I'd go with a low-profile option for the neatest appearance. Be aware that many such items have strong adhesives that will leave residue on paint and/or tear paint loose when removed.

I'd be looking for a wireless solution. Wifi mesh kits are pretty darn good these days.

Answer 7

Flat cable is going to have EMI issues (i.e. you'll see reduced bandwidth). Step back and consider, why is running a cable your best option? You may be better served by a wireless option. Adding WiFi to a desktop computer is relatively simple with a USB-WiFi adapter. If you need to connect multiple devices or something other than a PC then you can use a WiFi router configured as a range extender, or a basic Ethernet-WiFi adapter with or without an Ethernet switch, depending on your needs.

If running a cable really is the best option for your situation, I strongly recommend using CAT5e cable. It's been a while for me, but the last time I needed it (some years ago), I could get CAT5e cable in bulk (by the foot) from The Home Depot for pocket change per foot. You'd need to add your own terminal connectors, but, based on the photos you posted, I'm guessing you've got that covered.

Answer 8

NOT DUCT TAPE. Gaffer tape is not duct tape.

"Gaffer tape" is NOT a regional word for duct tape. It's Not Duct Tape At All. Sadly, the secret is out, and the junkstream is awash with fake gaffer tape, basically relabeled duct tape. Real gaffer tape is made by Rosco, 3M or Permacel, and it doesn't sell in enough volume for there to be AmazonBasics of it. So that's fake.

Real Gaffer tape e.g. Permacel.

Again, not duct tape.

A "gaffer" is a set electrician for movie and TV production. Let's say they're interviewing Angela Merkel in her office. They really need a "key light". It needs to stick to a wall. The wall is varnished wood. They also need to tape cables down to carpets. And then, when they're done, it all has to come up without tearing up anything or leaving any residue. Getting that right is a Gaffer's job, and that's why there is Gaffer Tape.

If you used a $3 roll of duct tape, it'll leave a gooey mess. So you can't use duct tape.

It looks, walks and quacks like duct tape, but with a completely different type of adhesive. It's designed specifically to stick well and release cleanly. It will do exactly what you want.

It is much more expensive than duct tape and cannot be bought in local shops. It must be obtained from a cinematic lighting supply house who will also sell portable lights, cables, control board, cinematic gels, and the like. There's a kind that sells for $17-ish a roll, and another kind that sells for $30-ish a roll. The cheaper one is quite good, but the better one will perform far better in long-term use.

Gaffer tape can be used long-term, but it is vulnerable to UV light. That means sunlight will wreck it, the magic goo will perish, and then it will leave residue (though brittle not sticky). So keep it out of the sun.

Answer 9

I tack my wire up with a specialized manual staple gun with special staples for low voltage wire. (Do not use the squared off typical staples!) This kind of staple gun has a notch for the cable to help prevent firing a staple through the cable.

The Arrow T25 (or T25X) seems to be this kind of gun designed for low voltage wires. Some of the Amazon reviews says it crushes the cable, others say it is perfect. It might depend on the staple size. I would definitely test first on the softest material you are going to be stapling into (like the drywall.)

Answer 10

I would very strongly suggest 3M Command Strips; they make ones specifically for this purpose. They aren't perfect, and may well fall off in a few years, but they won't damage the wall when they do so, which will reduce the likelihood of angry parents.

Answer 11

However my parents were not keen on it being on the floor as it posed a tripping hazard.

Then use something, like conduits, to avoid the tripping hazzards instead. You know, cable on the floor is a tripping hazzard; cable fixed in the corner is not.

There are floor corners to decoratively "connect" the floor to the walls, conduits, etc. The benefits are:

• the cable is lying on the ground, the mounts are holding it only by the wall.
• The cable is easily accessible.
• It is not a first-to-be-seen thing on the wall.
• Ine can squeeze the cable between the door frame and sill so there will be no damage caused by closing the doors.

Even if you will just staple the cable to the walls down there it won't be as much visible as on the wall. As I can see your floor/wall connection, the staples won't make any difference.

Answer 12

Do your floors have baseboards? Cabling is frequently hidden behind them. It might be a bit involved at corners and door jambs, but if I'd have to put down a cable without going under floor/inside walls, my first bet would be trying to put it behind baseboard.

Firstly, it looks much better (or rather, it doesn't, as the cable is all hidden!).

Secondly, you don't need anything much for it, except a screwdriver (power one for preference). Unscrew the screws that hold baseboard to wall, lay down the cable and screw the board back. Repeat for next section. Flat cable is excellent for this.

This does assume that baseboards are screwed to the wall rather than nailed or glued. In my limited experience, this is usually the case. The only issue might be that screws could be painted over and you'd surely scratch paintv of them while getting them off/on.

At door jambs it can be problematic, but there are various options depending on actual jambs. In my last place, I could just push the cable under the bottom of the jamb.

You should, of course, make sure that the whole pathway is useable before attempting this. It'd suck if you were halfway with the cable, and suddenly saw that the next section is impossible to put under board.

Also, if you are going this route, perhaps you can significantly cut your cabling work and length by actually doing one or two holes between rooms -- you could have the holes behind baseboards too.

Alternatively, if you don't have baseboards, you can put cable trunking (not sure if there US term is the same but I am referring to the "u shaped panel thingies" you mentioned) instead. Basically self adhesive plastic sheaths for cabling that you stick to the walls. It does look better if you are leaving ceiling alone in any case, and route your cable art floor level.

Answer 13

So you can't go over (via an attic or roofspace)
Can't go under (no underfloor access, and the floor is marble, not easily drillable)
You've tried going through with some success.

Are you able to go around?

Initially feed the wire out an open window and close the window on the wire. This is a sacrificial cable that will get munched over time. Run the cable along the outside of the building to a suitable ingress window, and back inside the building. The weatherproofing on the window should form mostly around the wire to keep draughts out.
Main advantage here is uninstallation is simple and leaves no trace at all.

Later explore how you might get the wire to exit and reenter the building. A very small hole straight out the outer wall is all you need. If you have access to crimping tools, the hole can be sized just big enough for the cable, otherwise the hole has to be big enough for the whole plug.

Either way, think about how to keep the cable out of the weather where it runs outside. I've personally had three runs of cat5e indoor rated cable working outside for a decade without significant problems. They were run underneath the middle rail of a wooden fence and held up with UV rated cable ties every half-metre.

^{The only problem was when a certain puppy decided to devour a length of the wire, which I reconnected with scotch-locks. Rough but the wire still worked at gigabit speed.}

Answer 14

As a number of others have suggested: use Wi-Fi. A decent access point with WPA2 and with WPS/UPnP disabled should both perform adequately and be adequately secure over any reasonable distance, and will be FAR cheaper than making good the sort of damage that you appear prepared to inflict on what is basically somebody else's house.

If you really do need a high-bandwidth connection because you're running a business, then you ought to be allowing for the cost of installing premises wiring (i.e. with proper sockets in the wall etc.) as a business expense. If you need it for gaming then you ought to be considering the wiring costs as part of your expenditure. And if you need it for movies etc. bear in mind that your parents could already get a list of the sites you're frequenting from their ISP.