Title: No more dead zones: how I got wifi in my backyard shed
I learned the hard way—dug right through my own ethernet line a couple summers ago. Ended up patching both the cable and my pride. Now I always snap a few photos of the trench before backfilling, just in case memory fails me... PVC conduit’s saved me more than once, too.
PVC conduit really is the unsung hero of backyard projects. I remember mapping out a similar run a few years back—ended up with a maze of lines for power, irrigation, and ethernet. I got a bit obsessive and actually drew up a scaled plan, but of course, when it came time to dig for a new project, I still managed to second-guess myself and nearly hit the low-voltage line anyway. Photos are great, but I’ve started tossing an old measuring tape in the trench before backfilling and jotting down the distance from something fixed (like the corner of the shed). It’s not perfect, but it’s saved me some headaches.
Curious—did you consider wireless point-to-point at any stage, or was running physical cable always your first choice? I’ve seen folks swear by directional antennas, but I’ve always wondered how reliable they are long-term compared to good old-fashioned copper in conduit.
NO MORE DEAD ZONES: HOW I GOT WIFI IN MY BACKYARD SHED
I actually wrestled with the wireless vs. cable thing for a while before I started trenching. Looked at a couple of Ubiquiti point-to-point kits, but the idea of relying on a clear line of sight (and hoping a tree branch wouldn’t mess things up down the road) kind of bugged me. Ended up running Cat6 in PVC—tedious, but at least I know exactly where it is, and it’s not going to drop out every time the weather changes. That measuring tape trick is genius, by the way... wish I’d thought of that before burying my first run.
Ended up running Cat6 in PVC—tedious, but at least I know exactly where it is, and it’s not going to drop out every time the weather changes.
That’s really the only way to guarantee reliability long-term. Wireless point-to-point sounds good on paper, but even the best systems can get flaky with weather or foliage growth. I’ve seen too many “permanent” wireless installs turn into headaches after a couple years. Tedious, maybe, but you probably saved yourself a lot of troubleshooting down the line.
Honestly, I think you made the right call. I’ve seen people try to hide wireless repeaters behind furniture or tuck them into corners, hoping for a miracle, but it never really works out—especially if you want to use the space for work or hobbies. I know running conduit isn’t exactly fun (I’ve had to route cables behind built-ins and under floors more times than I can count), but at least you know it’s not going to get chewed up by critters or snagged during a remodel.
Did you have to deal with any tricky corners or weird transitions between indoors and outdoors? I always wonder about weatherproofing those entry points. Sometimes people skip the gaskets or caulk and end up with leaks down the line... Not glamorous, but it matters. And honestly, having a rock-solid connection out there opens up so many possibilities—streaming music, video calls, even just controlling lighting without lag. Makes the shed feel like a real extension of the house, not just an afterthought.
