How to Run TV Cable Through Walls
Page 3
Step 3: Cable Connections
Building Smarts
The only job of coaxial cable is to bring you a signal. These pointers will help maintain a good signal:
Don't crush or abuse the cable.
Tighten connectors with a wrench, but spare the Hercules routine, which could cause damage.
Avoid sharp bends. The bend radius should be at least 10 times the diameter of the cable.
Stay away from house wiring. If you must run the cable near wiring, run it perpendicular, not parallel.
Once you've got the cable to its destination, the nasty work is done, and it's time to make connections.
If you don't already have a splitter, which allows you to connect several cables to a single source, install one. Splitters have various numbers of outputs.
My advice is to buy ready-made cable, so you don't have to bother cutting cable and inserting end fittings. Buy more than you need, so you don't spend an hour fishing cable, only to find it 6" too short.
Connect one end of the cable to the splitter, and the other to the face plate. Secure the coaxial cable with staples every 2' to 4'. If the cable is too long, make a loose coil and tie it with cable ties.
A 5⁄8" hole in the wall is all you need to route a cable into this outlet plate.
Tighten the fitting with a wrench, and then fasten the faceplate to the wall, using drywall anchors—gadgets that hold screws in drywall.
Step 4: Repairing the Damage
By now, you've got the signal to your cable modem or TV. So you've run out of excuses: It's time to undo the damage you did to walls and ceilings.
A key rule of drywall repair is to avoid any bulges on the surface, because they will cause havoc down the line. A utility knife will cut away offending bulges. Scraping with a drywall trowel will complete the cleanup.
If you need more advice on patching these holes, consult Drywall an Existing Wall and Install a Ceiling Light and Switch.
The job is done! Sit back and relax with your 999 new channels!