NO MORE DEAD ZONES: HOW I GOT WIFI IN MY BACKYARD SHED
I get why folks run everything in one go, but honestly, mixing power and data in the same trench always makes me pause. Interference isn’t just a theoretical issue—it’s bitten a few of my clients before. Even with conduit and separation, you can still get weird glitches if you’re unlucky.
I usually suggest wireless bridges or mesh systems unless you really need hardwired ethernet out there. Digging up the yard twice is a pain, but chasing down mysterious connectivity issues is worse, in my experience. Plus, tech changes so fast—what if you want fiber later? Then it’s back to the shovel anyway.
Not saying your way doesn’t work—just that sometimes “doing it all at once” can come with its own headaches. Guess it depends how risk-averse you are... or how much you like digging holes.
NO MORE DEAD ZONES: HOW I GOT WIFI IN MY BACKYARD SHED
I hear you about interference—had a neighbor who ran power and ethernet together for their garden office, and every time they fired up the leaf blower, their Zoom calls went haywire. I’m all for minimizing yard surgery, but I lean wireless too, especially now that mesh systems have gotten so much better. Less digging, less mystery troubleshooting later. Still, part of me wonders if we’ll all just end up rewiring for solar and battery backups in a few years anyway...
every time they fired up the leaf blower, their Zoom calls went haywire
- Running power and ethernet together is just asking for trouble—seen it too many times.
- Mesh WiFi is solid these days, but I’ve had clients complain about spotty coverage if the walls are thick or there’s metal siding.
- If you’re already trenching for power, might as well drop in conduit for ethernet. It’s not that much more work up front, and you’ll thank yourself later if you ever need it.
- Solar and batteries? Maybe, but that’s a whole other can of worms for most folks.
- Wireless is great until it isn’t—sometimes old-fashioned wires just save headaches.
No More Dead Zones: How I Got Wifi in My Backyard Shed
Yeah, can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen folks regret not running ethernet when they had the trench open. It’s one of those “do it now or kick yourself later” deals. You’re right about mesh—works great until you hit a weird wall or some old ductwork. I’ve had to chase down interference from the strangest stuff... even a neighbor’s ancient fridge once. Still, props for getting your shed sorted out. It’s always a win when you can actually work out there without the internet dropping every time someone runs the microwave.
Totally get what you mean about the “should’ve run ethernet” regret—been there, done that, and still kicking myself. Curious, did you have to rearrange anything inside the shed to make the wifi work better? I always wonder if moving a metal shelf or even a lamp can help with signal. Or is that just me overthinking things?
