Is it worth running Ethernet and network wiring to my garage, or should I just rely on WiFi?

This is a question that comes up constantly as Ottawa homeowners add more connected devices to their garages, from smart openers and security cameras to EV chargers and workshop computers. The short answer is that WiFi works fine for most basic smart devices, but if you are setting up security cameras, a workshop computer, or plan to use the garage as a workspace, running Ethernet is a significant upgrade in reliability and performance that you will appreciate every day.

The fundamental issue with WiFi in garages is that the signal has to pass through at least one exterior wall, and often through a fire-rated wall assembly with metal vapour barriers, steel studs, or foil-faced insulation that degrades the signal significantly. Detached garages are even worse because the signal has to cross an open gap and penetrate two exterior walls. Many Ottawa homeowners find that their garage WiFi is spotty, slow, or drops out entirely in the far corners of the space, which causes smart devices to become unreliable exactly when you want them working.

Running a couple of Ethernet cables from your home router or network switch to the garage solves this permanently. Cat6 cable is the current standard and supports speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, which is far more than any current device needs and ensures the wiring will be adequate for decades. For an attached garage, the cable run is usually straightforward, going through the shared wall or through the basement and up into the garage. For a detached garage, the cable typically runs underground in conduit from the house to the garage, following the same path as electrical service if one exists.

Once you have Ethernet in the garage, you can connect a small WiFi access point that gives you strong, reliable wireless coverage throughout the garage and even into the driveway and yard. This is a much better approach than trying to extend your house WiFi signal into the garage with repeaters, which cut your bandwidth in half and add latency. A dedicated access point connected via Ethernet to your main network gives you full-speed WiFi exactly where you need it.

The practical wiring approach for most Ottawa garages is to run two Cat6 cables from the house to the garage, terminated at a wall plate near where you would mount a WiFi access point or use a wired device. Two cables gives you one for the access point and one spare for a future wired device, or you can add a small network switch in the garage to expand from there. The cable itself is inexpensive at roughly $0.30 to $0.50 per foot for quality Cat6.

If you are already doing other renovation work in the garage or house that has walls open, adding Ethernet at the same time is a no-brainer since the cable cost is minimal and the labour to fish it through open walls is trivial. If the walls are finished and you need to retrofit, the job is more involved but still very doable. Most low-voltage installers in Ottawa charge $200 to $500 to run one or two Ethernet cables from your house to an attached garage, or $400 to $900 for a detached garage that requires trenching for underground conduit.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The Ottawa Construction Network connects Ottawa homeowners with qualified professionals:

• 613Bins
• JC Carpentry
• The Granite shop
• Somar Contracting Inc.
• Leeds Property Maintenance