Hi,

I just moved to a new house and have noticed that there are sockets labelled "LAN" already wired into each room...right next to the phone sockets. In the cellar I discovered a card fixed to the wall which has 8 sockets. LAN1 - LAN6, "IN" & "LINE/U". All the sockets in each room seem to be connected to this card.

I am a complete newbie to networking so I was wondering what this card is, and what I need to connect the PCs in each of the rooms.

I have tried to look for a name/model number on the card, but there is nothing.

I would be grateful if someone could help me out here..

Cheers!With no name or model number, can you POST a photo of the card?  Maybe we can identify it from that.mrmatty...... the sockets you refer to in the various rooms .........do the look like a large telephone jack  ( that takes a RJ 45 connector ) .

Most new houses are prewired for Audio , Video and internet .....or any combination of that .....they will be terminated in a cabinet ..located in the basement , garage or some other convenient location .......
This eliminates the requirements of trying to run and conceal the cabling if its required.

dl65  Hi both,

Thanks for replying.

I have posted pictures of the card.  There appears to be a serial niumber on it, but this didnt  help when i googled it.

http://www.geocities.com/flasc_h/LANcard/

dl65: If the house is wired, what would I need to buy to connect all the PCs together? I would like to share files amongst the PCs, share the internet connection etc.


Thanks again for your help.

Isn't his first photo something like a hub...and then he connects the computers to the sockets in the walls and then connects them using the thing in photo 1?

I might just be wrong?  I am not too sure on networking...

Matty,
How many computers do you wish to connect...

If it is 2, you could just do a direct link...mrmatty.........  Well ,after looking at the pics you provided .......I would think that what you have is a prewired house for both internet and sound . What I cant be certain of is the card ( board) a terminal point only or a router or hub .........
I would also think that there is probably a place for a incoming cable ( or telephone ) connection .   If the board is just a terminal point then you would need a 4 port router , the router outputs would plug into the appropriate output2 ( LAN 1 , 2 ,3 , 4 or 5 ) DEPENDING on which rooms would have a pc .........    
Then if you were using a HS cable connection .........a cable modem would be plugged into the incoming cable connection and its output , would plug into the incoming plug on the router.
Then at the other end ( the appropriate room ) a cable from the wall jack to the ethernet card on the pc .......

However , if this is a new house ..........talk to the builder and they should be able to give you more info .....or perhaps the REALTOR .

Btw , I was unable to find out anything by searching the NUMBERS on the card ........

Let us know what you find out .

dl65  Hey MrMatty, NICE setup! I wish my house was wired like that But like dl65 stated, looks like all you have to do is plug in your high speed modem in to the LINE-IN and you should be good to go Cheers!