We had a client last year who wanted to keep everything wireless for their garden studio, but after a month, they were calling us back about constant buffering during Zoom calls. Ended up running conduit for them—definitely more work upfront, but now they’re thrilled. Once the tech’s sorted, picking out colors and fabrics is just way more enjoyable. I always lean toward conduit, just for peace of mind.
Totally get where you’re coming from—wireless is tempting, but it’s just not as reliable, especially once you start adding video calls into the mix. I always say: run the conduit once, and you’ll never have to crawl around in the mud again. Plus, nothing kills the vibe of a fancy shed faster than laggy Netflix.
I hear you on the conduit—hardwired is just rock solid. I went wireless for my shed at first, but yeah, as soon as I tried a Zoom call out there, it was a mess. Ended up running ethernet last weekend and it’s been night and day. Curious though, did you bury your cable or go overhead? I kept tripping over mine before I finally dug a trench... not my favorite Saturday.
I kept tripping over mine before I finally dug a trench... not my favorite Saturday.
That’s relatable—trenching is way more work than it looks, right? I ended up going overhead with mine because I just couldn’t face digging up the landscaping (plus, I was worried about hitting irrigation lines). Did you use conduit when you buried yours, or just direct-bury cable? I’ve heard mixed things about whether conduit is really necessary for short runs.
Also, curious if you did anything special to weatherproof the ends where the cable comes into the shed? I’ve seen some folks use those waterproof junction boxes, but not sure if that’s overkill. Any issues with moisture so far?
Conduit’s definitely a pain to run, but I almost always recommend it—even for short distances—just for peace of mind. Direct-bury can work, but if you ever need to replace the cable, conduit saves a ton of hassle. For the shed entry, I usually use a weatherproof box with a drip loop, but honestly, a good bead of silicone around the entry point can do the trick if you’re not in a super wet area. Haven’t had moisture issues yet, but I’m always paranoid about it after seeing what water can do over time.
