Cat6a overkill?

wavehunter · 16 Jul 2017 at 09:19

Advice on planned home network changes appreciated.

Shortly after moving into our home, I had Cat5e installed to run the length of the house. At the time, it was to share internet throughout the house so the set up was:

router---Cat5e---Netgear GS108 (supplying TV, Sky HD Box, XBox One) ---Cat 5e---Netgear GS116 (supplying PC, Mac, network printer, Time Capsule for wifi)---Cat 5e---Netgear GS108 (supplying another Time capsule for wifi at the other end of the house)

All worked very well, coping with the addition of two added NAS and another Time Capsule in the same room as the PC, until we built an extension that allowed me to have a "man room" tinker with my PC, store parts and keep the two NAS and a Time Capsule (providing the wifi at the end of the house) all linked to the network by a Netgear GS116.

With me so far?

I want to replace the Cat5e with Cat6a as the Cat5e's 1Gbps is now the speed limiting component. But, it's just as easy to replace the single Cat5e "spine" with multiple lengths of Cat6a as it is just one length of Cat6a.

So, until such time that 10Gbs switches and components become more affordable, the existing Gigabit 8 and 16 port switches stay, each interconnected with 4 lengths of Cat6a:

Router---Cat6a---GS108---4xCat6a---GS116---4xCat6a---GS116

I'm not expecting much of a speed increase currently as the rate limiter will be the Gigabit components but will reduce congestion. As they get replaced with 10Gbps I'm hoping that the switches will support ethernet bonding. If not, I still have more than enough redundancy.

Sensible planning, overkill or just adding complication?

Thanks,

Rob

Armageus · 16 Jul 2017 at 09:58

Absolutely overkill.

Stick with cat5e or cat6. Unless your runs are longer than 55m, up to then cat 6 will perform identically.

Even if you are considering 10gb, it's almost as easy to run preterminated fibre and sfp+ modules.

Steveocee · 16 Jul 2017 at 21:23

Overkill. Yep.

If you can, then do it (he says currently about to run fibre around the house for my LAN)

bremen1874 · 17 Jul 2017 at 17:56

wavehunter said:
Router---Cat6a---GS108---4xCat6a---GS116---4xCat6a---GS116

Aren't those unmanaged switches? If they are unmanaged you can't have those multiple links between them.

Sparky__H · 17 Jul 2017 at 22:33

bremen1874 said:
Aren't those unmanaged switches? If they are unmanaged you can't have those multiple links between them.

yeah if you want proper link aggregation (LACP) your looking at least a web managed switch like a HP 1910, eXtreme 430 etc.

bledd · 18 Jul 2017 at 08:44

Yup, LACP switches are required for multiple links between switches, otherwise, you'll just create a loop and nothing will work.

ubersonic · 18 Jul 2017 at 09:46

IMO, if you plan on going to 10GB when it becomes feasible, and you currently have the time/money/etc to switch to Cat6a now, you may as well do it now.

Glanza · 18 Jul 2017 at 13:47

Overkill, you could look at running fibre instead and switching your switches to ones that support fibre modules.

Elevon · 20 Jul 2017 at 12:16

I have just purchased some 15m CAT7 cable for my router and TP-Link powerline adaptors (nearest mains power socket is on first floor from router which is on ground floor hallway on mains extension lead) so running CAT7 cable from router to powerline adaptor on first floor, then second powerline adaptor is on third floor in bedroom with 3m CAT7 cable to my PC.

Price difference between CAT6 and 7 was not a lot of difference so thought might as well go for CAT7 .

bremen1874 · 20 Jul 2017 at 12:21

You'd have been better off with CAT5e.

You'd have identical performance (especially as the powerline adapters will be the limiting factor).
The cable would be thinner and more flexible potentially making it easier to route neatly.

Elevon · 20 Jul 2017 at 12:26

bremen1874 said:
You'd have been better off with CAT5e.

You'd have identical performance (especially as the powerline adapters will be the limiting factor).

The cable would be thinner and more flexible potentially making it easier to route neatly.

You might be right, but I believe CAT7 has better shielding, I'm not going to worry over a few quid end of the day

.

bremen1874 · 20 Jul 2017 at 12:30

Shielding that you don't need and that won't make the cable work any better.

Elevon · 20 Jul 2017 at 12:39

bremen1874 said:
Shielding that you don't need and that won't make the cable work any better.

Reason behind the shielding is the 12m mains extension lead that runs parallel with it from first to ground floor, just want to minimize any EM interference.

bremen1874 · 20 Jul 2017 at 13:37

Is that extension lead running from the first to ground floor only there to get the router next to the master socket?

If it is it'd appear to make more sense to move the router upstairs and run a phone extension for the xDSL. A properly wired extension (Cat5e or CW1308) will make virtually no difference to the broadband.

Elevon · 20 Jul 2017 at 13:50

bremen1874 said:
Is that extension lead running from the first to ground floor only there to get the router next to the master socket?

If it is it'd appear to make more sense to move the router upstairs and run a phone extension for the xDSL. A properly wired extension (Cat5e or CW1308) will make virtually no difference to the broadband.

Router was originally upstairs on phone extension lead, moving it downstairs to master socket improved connection signal noise, btw just installed the TP Link AV1200 +AC, all working great, no issues, I might leave wifi off for now on the TP Link powerline since I prefer to use the wired format via powerline and my router, wifi was ok (bit weak on 5GHz but to be expected, solid on 2.4Ghz) anyway happy to be back on wired via powerline

.

bremen1874 · 20 Jul 2017 at 14:00

Fair enough.

If the phone extension made any significant difference to the broadband then chances are it was using the wrong sort of cable. For voice the type of wire used doesn't really matter so many extensions don't use twisted pair.

Elevon · 20 Jul 2017 at 14:14

bremen1874 said:
Fair enough.

If the phone extension made any significant difference to the broadband then chances are it was using the wrong sort of cable. For voice the type of wire used doesn't really matter so many extensions don't use twisted pair.

I also forgot to say the master socket has mk3 VDSL filter socket (about 18 months old), so another reason to move it to ground floor hallway, btw just setup the the wifi, thought might as well for my roaming devices upstairs, all went fine

.
The phone extension was one BT engineers fitted from ground floor to top floor over twenty years ago.

Did a speedtest on wired, same speed as before, however should have added reliability wired has over crowded wifi.

I can see why a lot of people like powerlines when they work right, typing this via my two powerline adaptors.

Wifi router strength to top floor on 2.4ghz was -58 to -60db, 5Ghz was -65db via router, now -39db on both via powerline .

Btw TP Link utility info says my powerline speed can go up to 338 Mbps..(I have new electrical wiring), I should really upgrade to Virgin fibre so I can get the most out of these powerline adaptors.

wavehunter · 22 Jul 2017 at 20:55

Thanks all.

As bad luck would have it, Wednesday's storms blew out many of the ports on my routers and a NAS so before I go down the 10Gb route, I'll be looking for some UPSs.

bremen1874 · 22 Jul 2017 at 22:23

Elevon said:
Btw TP Link utility info says my powerline speed can go up to 338 Mbps..(I have new electrical wiring), I should really upgrade to Virgin fibre so I can get the most out of these powerline adaptors.

The 338Mbps the TP-Link utility is reporting won't translate to that much actual throughput. You might see 100Mbps, but not much more than that.

Scream · 23 Jul 2017 at 17:17

Sparky__H said:
yeah if you want proper link aggregation (LACP) your looking at least a web managed switch like a HP 1910, eXtreme 430 etc.

Is LACP a common feature in routers? I need to daisy chain several 4/5/8 port Poe switches and have got me thinking.