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I replaced my digital video recorder (DVR) which is located inside the roof. The old DVR has an existing Ethernet cable but not HDMI cable running from the roof to an Ethernet jack on the wall. I plugged the Ethernet cable of the old DVR to my new DVR and would like to run an HDMI cable through the wall and connect to the TV so that I can view the footage on the TV. I did tried to run a 15m-long HDMI cable through the same wall cavity as the Ethernet cable, but I couldn't find the other end of the HDMI cable even after I pushed the HDMI cable all the way down the cavity. Both the DVR and the roof cavity are located above the room where the TV is located.

Photos of the DVR, roof cavity and the hole left on the wall after the Ethernet jack was pulled out are attached.

I would like to ask: Do I need to use a fish tape? If so, how long should the fish tape be? Could the fish tape come out of the hole on the wall without me having to manually pull it out? Note that the photo showing the roof cavity has a braided HDMI cable plugged in. DVR with blue Ethernet cable but no HDMI cable plugged in

Roof cavity with blue Ethernet cable and braided HDMI cable plugged in

Hole on the wall where the Ethernet cable comes out

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  • That is a rather weird place to put a DVR...
    – keshlam
    Commented Sep 16 at 14:48
  • When you say the DVR is located in the roof, I think you mean attic.
    – Cheery
    Commented Sep 16 at 15:01
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    Electronics do not like heat(or cold). Attics tend to get hot and cold, which can reduce their life. Electronics like the same conditions as you do.
    – crip659
    Commented Sep 16 at 15:05

3 Answers 3

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  • Tie a string to the lower end of the Ethernet cable
  • Pull the Ethernet cable all the way up through the wall into the attic (bringing the string up with it)
  • Tie the HDMI cable to the end of the string along with the Ethernet cable
  • Pull the string back down through the wall, bringing both the Ethernet and HDMI cables back down together

(reverse the operation if it's more convenient the other way)

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    Use strong cord. Wrap the join between cord and cable connector to make it smooth, so it doesn't get stuck in the wall or when pulling through hole.
    – DrMoishe Pippik
    Commented Sep 16 at 15:33
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Fishing wires through walls is more art than science. Yes, use fish tape. If the walls are insulated or have other obstructions inside, fiberglass poles will work better (they look like camping tent poles and come in sections).

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  • "at" -> "art", too few characters for me to edit...
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Sep 16 at 16:42
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For fishing in a strictly downward direction (meaning, for dropping cable down a wall) I like using welded-link chain or other smooth, heavy metal object attached to the end of the cable to be fished.

The advantage of weights over a fish tape is that they cause the cable to hang down straight without any tendency to curl up prior to reaching the bottom of the wall cavity. The advantage over a fish rod, in an insulated cavity, is that the weights may slide past an insulation batt (of fiberglass for example) rather than penetrate and snag within the insulation.

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  • Also, it can be helpful to simply use a pull string for the initial "linking up." Drop a string with a weight down into the hole, and once you've acquired the weight on the other end, tie the top end to the cable to be pulled.
    – Huesmann
    Commented Sep 17 at 13:51

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