Another new house, how should I configure my network thread...

[StevieP]

Looking at getting a new house and so my priority is obviously not which kichen cabinets go with which handles but how best to arrange my network kit!

Unfortunately the building company have outright refused to put in any kind of network cabling during the build and so I need to be prepared!

To set the scene it's a 3 storey property with the fibre point coming in to a small storage cupboard/ room on the bottom floor.

I have a Netgear router and an UnRaid NAS that I use to store media to stream to TV's and tablets around the house.

Essentially I need to provide ideally wired connections to the study on the ground floor, the main TV on the 1st floor and the TV in the master bedroom on the top floor as well as ensuring a decent Wi-Fi signal across the whole house!

I'm thinking router in the store room along with the NAS but then how do I then best distribute the connection across the house?

Thanks for any help...

 

[bremen1874]

Until you know if there are available routes for the cables you can't plan anything.

How much damage are you prepared to inflict on this new house?

 

[Randomface74]

tbh wifi is almost 1 gig now, I'd just use that

 

[DBT85]

Assuming it's going to be a finished house, pulling boards to run cables isn't often desirable. So it's either outside and back in or you try and hide it as best you can.

It's a bit different when buying a house that's already done, you can do see it and know exactly what you're going to do, pull up, etc.

 

[StevieP]

Yeah I don't think the missus will be too happy ripping stuff up in our brand spanking new pad so minimal upset is preferable!

As a stop-gap I can use some homeplugs I've got but I'd prefer a wired solution ideally!

 

[Sparx]

Can you seriously not ask the builder to get in touch with their sparky on-site? Just say look I'll buy the network cable reel and give him a few ££ for his efforts...

It would make your life SO much easier, if he could run a few cables to each room and then drop it all back to the cupboard and stick a patch panel/cabinet in.

Even if he doesn't terminate them and fit the faceplates, it's very easy DIY if you just want to chuck the faceplates on when you move in and terminate yourself.

My friend pulled out a new build deal recently, literally because they were being awkward about not putting in network points for them. Site manager ended up caving and said they'd do it when the sales manager said it was a no.

 

[StevieP]

It's a fairly big development and they have said no right from the get-go! (unfortunately!)

It might be something I can talk to the site foreman about I guess but they are a bit nuts over H&S etc so might have trouble even getting to speak to him (or her!) before everything is finalised!

 

[Stephanie Peterson]

Surely this is the best time to be running a few bits of cable, assuming its before carpets and stuff.

Get a poe switch in the cupboard and run cat 5e back to it from at least every floor for your AP's, get POE so you dont need to bugger around with power from your AP's just put them where the network port is.

The builders wont give a ****, half them wont know what a network cable looks like, i would push the foreman about it though as while a lot of folk dont think broadband, IP and networking in there house is a big deal to many it blinking well is.

 

[Rich]

Taylor Wimpey ran mine for me and put blanking plates on the walls. I then bought RJ45 face plates and routed it all back to the cupboard under the stairs. Had to terminate the cables myself but its hardly difficult. I reckon the site foreman could sort it out. Its not like they have to connect anything up.

 

[thenewoc]

As someone that retro fitted the network cabling to our current modern build home I would strongly urge you to get the builder to do it. The floorboards in modern houses are almost certainly glued tongue and groove chipboard which is a nightmare to lift as it can't be done cleanly and will involve new sheets having to be cut and braced along any joins not supported by the joists. The benefits of the builder doing it is also to have all your cabling secured within the boundaries of the building rather than routing cables to the outside and then back in again at a different floor level.

If I had to do it again I would favour removing some ceilings.

 

[Quartz]

Unfortunately the building company have outright refused to put in any kind of network cabling during the build and so I need to be prepared!

So get a contractor in to work with them. You're spending six figures on this house, so an extra thousand on a contractor to do it properly is down in the noise.

 

[thenewoc]

Ask for a reduction from the builder to leave the plaster boarding of any ceilings where you want sockets in the room above, or just all of them. Another advantage of this is that you can then control the spec of putting the ceilings in and opt for down lights everywhere instead of pendant lights and that will make the ceilings feel higher. This means you won't see where a pendant light was originally fitted because the down lights would be fitted to virgin board.

 

[Quartz]

On second thoughts, if they're not willing to do it or at least help, then I would walk away. There's nothing as powerful as a No Sale.

 

[^JP^]

Which house builder is it? Probably just the sales people sticking to the book. I am sure if you can talk with the site foreman and electrician they will sort what you require.
Not an unusual request to put ethernet cable in, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to change you a fortune for additional or outside sockets without blinking an eye!

 

[StevieP]

Thanks for all the advice guys - trouble is they have confirmed the secondary school catchment and it's a no-go unfortunately!

Oh well, all good advice for the next house!

 

[bledd]

So short sighted to not even offer it as an upgrade. Easy way for them to make extra money for very little effort.

 

[StevieP]

So short sighted to not even offer it as an upgrade. Easy way for them to make extra money for very little effort.

Yeah, I was surprised that they (Strata) wouldn't even entertain it! Especially when you consider that pretty much everything else in the house was a chargeable upgrade!

Like I say though, the school catchment isn't what we were led to believe anyway!