Detangle the cable clutter behind your TV
Excess coaxial cable sticking out of the wall or up from under the baseboard trim is just plain unsightly and can be a tripping hazard. Fortunately, learning how to install a coax outlet only takes some simple DIY steps and a few tools and supplies. Then you can start installing them wherever your home needs a cable outlet—you may even discover other wires throughout your home that you can hide.
If you’re cutting cable television out of your life but still need an internet connection or have a coax cable from your TV antenna, you’ll still benefit from installing a coaxial wall outlet. To prepare for this project, find a coax cable strip and crimp tool with a wire cutter. This might be the only time you’ll need it, so you won’t need a deluxe model—borrowing one works, too.
If you don’t have a coax outlet in your home for an internet connection or cable television, you can still subscribe to a 4G or 5G wireless internet or satellite cable and internet service to receive similar benefits. Other options include an unlimited data plan through your cellular service or a satellite television setup.
Putting a coaxial outlet in the same location or close to an existing cable sticking out of the wall is the simplest solution. It won’t require you to hide electrical wires over a long distance. However, you can put a coax outlet almost anywhere on a wall where you can fish the wire. Choose a location that’s convenient and easy to reach with a hidden wire for the best results. Then, use a stud finder to ensure the spot has no studs directly behind it.
Though minimal electrical current flows through a coaxial cable, it’s best not to take chances with electrical shock. Unplug the coax cable from all of your devices before starting.
Also, you’ll be cutting a hole in the wall where the home’s dangerous electrical wires hide. Before blindly cutting into a wall, turn off any nearby circuits at the electrical service panel, just in case. Use a non-contact or probe electrical tester to check nearby outlets and lights to ensure there’s no power.
At the new coax jack outlet location, use a pencil to trace the outline of a remodeling or “old work” low-voltage electrical box onto the wall. Ignore the wings of the box when tracing and only draw the lines representing the part of the box that’ll be inside the wall. When complete, you’ll have an incomplete rectangle drawing on the wall. Use a drywall keyhole saw to cut out the shape.
If you’re dealing with a long cable sticking out of the wall and you can reach it through the hole you created, pull the wire into the wall and up to your outlet location. Or hide a new wire inside the wall if you’re installing a new one. You may need to drill with a spade bit through the framing to move the cable between stud spaces. When you get it there, pull the wire through the outlet hole and cut it with the cutter section of your coax cable tool, so 6 to 8 inches extend from the wall.
Fold the wings of a low-voltage electrical box or mounting bracket inward, thread the cable through the back, and insert the box into the wall hole. Use a screwdriver to turn the setscrews clockwise until they’re snug to secure the box to the wall.
Use your coax strip and crimp tool to strip 3/4 inches of the sheathing from the cable’s end. Slide the crimp end of an F-type coax connector over the end of the wire and pinch it with the crimping section of the same tool by squeezing the handle.
Screw the F-type connector on the cable’s end to the back of the wall plate connector. Then tuck any excess wire back into the wall, and use a screwdriver to affix the wall plate to the electrical box.
You can turn the electrical power back on now. If you’re handy with a multimeter, you could check the new coax outlet for a resistance of 75 to 100 ohms or check for connectivity. However, it’s easier just to plug in a modem and check for service.
Installing a coax outlet is simple if you already have a working cable nearby and can easily reach the location with the wire. Things can get complicated if you have to run the cable between floors or more than several feet through a wall. Although you can save some of the cost of installing a coaxial cable outlet by doing it yourself, hiring a local electrician is your best option for complex situations or if the project doesn’t appeal to your DIY ambitions.
You can still get internet without a coax outlet through cellular wireless networks, mobile hotspots, or a satellite internet connection. In the case of a satellite internet connection, your satellite will transmit a signal to your router without a coaxial outlet or fiber optic cable.
There are a couple of ways to check that your coax outlet is active. Plug in a modem to the outlet. If you receive no signal, there’s likely a problem with the outlet connection. You can also check the connection with a multimeter by testing for a resistance of 75 to 100 ohms.
Coax cable connects to your television, modem, or cable box. Look for a female coax connection on these devices. Your coax cable will connect to any of these. The other end of the wire runs to the service connection coming into the house.
The length of coax cable can affect the signal. Coax cables and their connectors all have a small amount of electrical resistance, which means that the longer the cable and more connectors in the system, the weaker the signal strength. In most homes, the signal loss is tiny, but systems with coax cable lengths over 100 feet will likely experience signal troubles.
It typically takes around three hours to install a new coax outlet. Your installation time may be a little less if you already have a working cable in the general vicinity, but it may take you or your pro more time to install the outlet if you need to run a cable between floors.
The cost to install a coax outlet can typically range from $75 to $500. While you should always consult with a pro to find out your unique cost, a few factors can help determine where in the typical range your job will fall. For example, replacing an existing coax outlet will generally cost on the lower end of the range, while adding a new outlet with complicated wiring can land you on the higher end.
