Any electricians that can fish a cable (internet?) line from the basement to a 2nd floor apartment, inside?

Submitted by pcgamergirl t3_y19jn7 in providence

So, landlord ripped out all the wires for cable/internet that were run outside of the building, without letting any of us know. I've spoken to Cox and they can't fish a wire from the basement to the second floor (where my apartment is). I work from home, so this is a pretty significant issue for me, as I'm sure you can imagine.

I've got the go-ahead from the landlord's office to pay to have the wire fished myself (of course), but I have never had to do this before and have no clue who to call.

Any suggestions?

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m1327 t1_irwb2by wrote

How does the landlord suggest that you get cable TV and Internet into the unit? If they were to call Cox to get it installed, Cox would drill a hole and run wires on the outside.

What does the landlord expect people to do? Not have cable/internet?

You could potentially just go with home 5g wifi, but mehhhh.

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pcgamergirl OP t1_irzormg wrote

I am actually convinced that he will do certain things to the building, or impose some kind of restriction in some way, just to get the tenants to pay for things he doesn't want to pay for - like cable or internet or wire fishing.

Hell, he doesn't even perform repairs. If there's something that needs to be replaced or fixed in our apartments, he requires that we call the office first, get an estimate on how much it will cost, and then pay to have it taken care of by one of their own contractors.

He cares so little about his tenants that it's unbelievable. I had a hole open up in my ceiling that's two feet wide by a foot across, because the upstairs neighbor's sink and toilet were flowing through the broken pipes, which drained water directly into my bedroom below. There was one point where it was an actual torrential downpour and several gallons of water were poured all over the floor from the broken pipes, onto the wood floorboars.

It took a month and a half to get the pipes fixed. The hole in the ceiling is still there and I don't suspect that he will be sending anyone by to patch it up, despite saying that he would. It's been over a month since it was fixed. When the plumber showed up to fix the pipes, I showed him the video of the downpour that happened and his first response was, "You should've shown this to the landlord," and I said BITCH, I DID, A MONTH AGO.

My stove stopped working in March of this year. That's still not fixed either, and I've given up on trying to get anyone here to fix it. I now cook on an induction burner, an electric skillet, an air fryer and a panini press, because I can't use the stove or oven and don't own a microwave.

The guy that lives below me has mice that make their way up the pipes in the walls to the second and third floors every spring and winter. For a good 2-3 weeks there is solid mouse activity for a month or so, at least. We've complained, but he's never done anything about it. He just insists that we're slobs and the mice come in because of that, not because it's cold outside and they're looking for warmth and food. I'm OCD. There is never, NEVER, anything in my house that a mouse should be looking for, but they make their way up anyway.

Last winter, my heater broke. For the majority of the last two months of 20-30F weather temps, it was 55F in my apartment, at all times. Sometimes colder. I remember because I would look at the thermostat and try in vain to turn the heater on just to warm the place up a LITTLE bit, but it didn't work. Obviously.

There's several other things I could name off, but I feel like this gives a good impression of the kind of asshole he is. I've got Verizon coming on Friday to see if they can hook up internet for me without needing to run a cable on the outside of the building. Hopefully they can, because I can't keep using my mobile hotspot to work. Even these last two days, due to my needing to use the hotspot to work, my phone bills has doubled. Typically it's around $85. At the moment, it's sitting at almost $200.

I fucking hate this guy, but haven't been able to move just yet. Though I have plans to in the near future. I have never dealt with a shittier landlord, ever.

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esquilax t1_irzr1ib wrote

Sounds like you need a lawyer, because more than one of the things you listed make your apartment uninhabitable.

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pcgamergirl OP t1_irzsisz wrote

The only reason I haven't gotten one yet, is because I just can't afford to move right now. I am only just starting to recover from job loss during the epidemic, which unfortunately depleted my entire savings account while I kept looking for works (I'm a freelance web developer). So - ya know, unfortunately, I can't just piss the landlord off by reporting him or complaining, without running the risk of also getting kicked out, with no where to go, in the early stages of winter, in Rhode Island.

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dionidium t1_is5xoiy wrote

I own a duplex in Elmhurst and it honestly is pretty frustrating that every time the cable company comes out for a new resident they pay absolutely no attention to anything that's already been run and just plow right into making some new exterior holes that they don't properly seal and then run the 20th piece of sloppily-installed coax up the side of the building, just generally making the whole side of the house look like complete shit.

And then, inside, the real fun begins. Let's put some holes in 100-year-old oak baseboards. Let's ram that wire through plaster and crack it everywhere. Hey, maybe we'll just go right down through some hardwood floors!

Those cable installers are honestly the worst.

However, the landlord shouldn't leave their tenants high and dry. I fished coax and ethernet to most of the rooms in each unit and finished them off with wall plates.

Just to try to leave with a practical tip here, there were two ways I got cables to the second floor: 1) there was an old doorbell on the second floor and I was able to pull new wires up to that location from the basement along the path the doorbell wires had taken; 2) each unit has a small closet/pantry in the kitchen and I pulled some wires up though there to get to each floor. This is really common in old multi-families in Providence. You might have a similar situation.

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wenestvedt t1_irwd9y6 wrote

There are "wiring contractors" who do this for a living. They used to do stereo wiring, and now they do data wiring. :7) Same sillset, I suppose.

My hunch is that most of them would also say "drill the walls upstairs and down, and run it outside the building" -- but that's why you call and have them quote the job.

It won't take a week or anything, but expect it to be a bit of a PITA for everyone involved (including maybe the people below you!).

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FastToday t1_irwww86 wrote

Yes, this is the answer. Don't need a licensed electrician to run a low voltage cable

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sbaz86 t1_irxyic6 wrote

Ummm, this is false depending on the state. In Rhode Island, you 1,000% need a license, even for low voltage.

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FastToday t1_iry4m4f wrote

FiOS installers, coax installers, phone installers are not electricians. Source, I'm a journeyman electrician

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sbaz86 t1_iry8bok wrote

They may not be “electricians” by your definition, but in my union, they are my brothers and they are electricians. Also, Verizon (also IBEW) and all them aren’t licensed? You sure about that? Yes, they do not have the license you have, but they still have a license. I hire these people bud.

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FastToday t1_iry9n1i wrote

Ok this conversation is going off the rails. I was simply pointing out to OP you do not need to hire an electrician (as stated in the title) to run a coax cable. Sorry if I offended you

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[deleted] t1_irydyxc wrote

[removed]

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FastToday t1_irygtdq wrote

Ok you are 11 lol

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sbaz86 t1_iryhpz9 wrote

At 11 it’s obvious I’m still wiser than you. At least I know what my license covers and don’t give away my livelihood.

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dionidium t1_is5zr15 wrote

> You are a licensed professional and yet you are just giving away our work saying false shit, fuck is wrong with you?

Just so everybody is clear, it's totally fine to run your own data cables. It's not dangerous. The licensing is just a protection racket, as this comment demonstrates.

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sbaz86 t1_is65o8v wrote

Every license is for protection, okay? Yes, you are right. If you do it yourself, you have full liability for anything that goes wrong. If you hire a professional, they should have insurance and you are covered. Regardless, the truth remains, a license is required by law, no gray area. Physically, yes you can do it. Again for the last time, he is a licensed electrician giving away our work.

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sbaz86 t1_iry7xzf wrote

I’m a journeyman electrician too, RI and MA with a contractors license. Why don’t you just ask Anthony Greco then if you don’t believe me.

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dionidium t1_is5yci0 wrote

I can't imagine anything more cucked than not running a low-voltage wire in your own house because you're worried about the licensing. Just do it. There's no danger. The licensing is a protection racket.

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sbaz86 t1_is64uow wrote

I’m not disagreeing with you, but from a licensed electrician ONE it was correct information and TWO he was giving away our work. You would never find a plumber telling you to run your own vent, ever.

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Silentjosh37 t1_is16179 wrote

This is wrong. To have lines wall fished regardless of voltage you need to be licensed as it can interact with the high voltage system.

Cable/internet installers are able to drill through walls and floors but are not allowed to fish as they are not licensed. If the landlord does not want it run on the outside of the home it needs to be fished and that needs to be done by a licensed electrician.

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dionidium t1_is5z5cj wrote

> it can interact with the high voltage system

To the extent this is true it's just going to mean interference on the data lines. It's not a danger and anybody should be able to pull these cables. The licensing is a protection racket.

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aednichols t1_irwj4we wrote

Can you get FIOS? For a new install, they run an ethernet line from the ONT in the basement to one location in the customer's home. And it's better service anyway.

edit: I think there is an important "why?" missing here. Does the landlord no longer tolerate the aesthetics of outside wires? Were they cleaning up wires they thought were unused?

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pcgamergirl OP t1_irxi0l6 wrote

Yeah, he ripped it all out without warning, because he didn't want it to "mess up the outside". I could say some things about that, but I won't.

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radioflea t1_irzlf9q wrote

Does he think the earth is flat and pizza gate was real? I’ve read about so many weird landlords on here lately.

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SeriousGoose t1_irwcy45 wrote

If there's a tenant on the first floor; They'll need 24 hours notice for any non-emergency work being done that requires access to their unit, so let them know ASAP. Hopefully they'll be understanding and not cause a fuss.

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realitythreek t1_iry8s6u wrote

Wtf? Your landlord cut off your internet? Tell them to fix it.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_irwdkgn wrote

Pretty much any electrician with availability should be able to do it. Can you not go outside the building again? That's going to be much quicker and easier since it's just drilling 2 holes and running the cable up the side of the building.

Inside might be trickier depending on where the cable enters the basement, placement of the apartments and the pipes/conduits that an electrician can follow up to the 2nd floor.

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DJFurioso t1_irwr0lp wrote

Got a coax run? I assume not or you’d move the modem up from the basement. But if you do, MoCa adapters are great for doing Ethernet over coax.

Powerline Ethernet also exists, might be a viable option here.

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Bad_Karma21 t1_irxfwwv wrote

Powerline was my first thought as well. It won't be perfect but should be okay for the timebeing

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Silentjosh37 t1_is16wtx wrote

Could also just do a really decent quality mesh to go from the basement to the 2nd floor. There are a lot of systems that will cover that distance especially as a temp fix until the lines get run.

They wouldn't be able to do MoCa as the lines to the apartment have been cut so there is no Coax, it is a great suggestion though. This would work if they have any active outlets in the apartment, but so would just moving the modem.

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_-finstall-_ t1_iryyx7n wrote

In RI you need at least a Telecom license TSC Data (Telecom Systems Contractor) FYI all electrical licenses supersede Telecom

Fun fact…. Cox techs don’t have licenses! That’s why they can’t run wires in the walls. Verizon techs are union and licensed!

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jaredde t1_is07ugo wrote

Switch to Verizon they will wire it for free with installation

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the_falconator t1_irwkohj wrote

If it's balloon frame construction it would be relatively easy to do yourself.

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LeftyMcKnuckles t1_irwxlbj wrote

Wrong. Even if the house doesn't have blown in cellulose after an energy audit, every floor will have wooden blocking and sometimes masonry fire barriers. It's never a straight shot.

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the_falconator t1_irwy7s6 wrote

>every floor will have wooden blocking and sometimes masonry fire barriers.

I can tell you first hand that much of the housing stock in Providence predates that and was never updated.

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LeftyMcKnuckles t1_irx0ek2 wrote

I'm talking first hand, balloon framed houses all over Providence from the mid-19th century on. Older houses I see are post and beam. I don't always have to get in a wall for what I do, but I can't remember anytime not running into blocking, a masonry fire stop, or a timber on an old house. I think maybe you are PFD? Maybe you've seen something I haven't, but I've seen shit tons of walls in local houses.

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the_falconator t1_irx9yd2 wrote

Many have had fire stops put in during renovations, the multifamily I own drilling through the masonry was quite a bitch to run a new wire. Not that uncommon to be able to shine a flashlight up from the basement to the attic though. It sounds like you are a tradesman so I'm sure you've seen lots of walls but a lot of the multi-families I've gone into are basically maintained only to the point of passing section 8 standards and the slumlord landlords don't hire proper pros when doing work.

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sbaz86 t1_irxys1x wrote

Fellow RIer?

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the_falconator t1_irxzdkw wrote

This is the Providence subreddit so yeah

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sbaz86 t1_iry78xk wrote

Man, I’m a fool, my bad. But you are definitely right about the balloon frames not having fire blocking.

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the_falconator t1_irydggr wrote

No worries, sometimes I forget which sub I'm in too.

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sbaz86 t1_irye9wb wrote

Doesn’t mean I’m not a fool, lol.

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listen_youse t1_irwsn6l wrote

DIY makes sense if you can scout a route for the cable alongside plumbing or a chimney (look down from the attic) that will not require opening a wall in the first floor unit - unless your DIY skill set includes cutting and patching the holes super neat and quick.

If landlord and first floor tenant agree, tacking an ethernet cable in an inconspicuous corner of a closet may be the solution.

Otherwise its a job for a pro.

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the_falconator t1_irwt83y wrote

If it's balloon frame like many of the 2.5/3 story buildings in this city are you don't need access to the first floor at all the stud bays run from the basement to the attic.

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LeftyMcKnuckles t1_irwxnbz wrote

Wrong. Even if the house doesn't have blown in cellulose after an energy audit, every floor will have wooden blocking and sometimes masonry fire barriers. It's never a straight shot.

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listen_youse t1_irx2dwd wrote

>all the stud bays run from the basement to the attic

All? You must have just been super lucky. (Not so lucky if fire gets in there).

But thanks for reminding us: It is worth using a phone to take pics upward from the foundation sill in hope of finding a convenient stud bay that is not blocked like they usually are.

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the_falconator t1_irxagzw wrote

obviously not all, I shouldn't have said that. Naturally where you have windows and such it will be blocked. But if you go up into the attic or down to the basement and shine a light often you can see all the way up and down. a lot of times if there has been a substantial rehab of the building you will see blocking has been installed but a lot of times work on these old buildings a permit is never pulled and they don't do the work up to code.

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lolomanigan t1_irz0se9 wrote

You don't need an electrician. My hubby did this for our entire home with a snake, zip ties and a flashlight. Plus drill to get into the wall

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