DIY Home Network

RedvGreen

RedvGreen

RedvGreen

Soldato
Joined
2 Dec 2009
Posts
4,018
Location
Midlands
Finally moved house (woo!), but looking to lay my own network around the house. Never done this in my residential properties before (either been wired prior to me living there, or did it previously in industrial premises).

I'm weighing up several things which i'd appreciate some recommendations for:

1. Cat5 v Cat6
I appreciate Cat6 is better RF shielded (and potentially more able to handle extreme temp variations), but would it be better to lay Cat6 at this early stage instead of rewiring at a later date if bandwidth or shielding ever became an issue?

2. Crimp Tool
I'd like a reliable (i.e. lifetime) tool to strip and crimp (ideally and a pushdown tool) - does any manufacturer or kit stand above the rest in this regard? (at work we use the worst gear and buy replacements every few months)

3. Cable tester
As above, anything that stands out above the rest?

Good value for money is my key!


Thanks in advance
 
1. Cat 6 if you can afford it, do it right once. :)

2. How often do you envisage punching down sockets and making your own cables? I'd imagine once built you won't be doing much krone work, so I'd probably buy cheap rather than spending mega bucks.

3. Fluke, if you're minted. Else just a flashing light per pair tester would do me. Tenner tops.
 
Calculate the number of connection and at least double/triple it to any one location:D Even if you only hide the spare ones, I bet that they will be used before you have opportunity to re-cable again.
 
I wouldnt worry about the cable much unless you have a huge house. My large house manages gigabit with no issues end to end over cat5e.

Best advice is to run more than you need.
 
Cat6 is cheap enough, I wouldn't use it over cat5 unless budget is really an issue.

As Jez said, run more than you need. I'd put at least one faceplate alongside every double gang socket, so that you always have the option of adding a switch if you re-arrange the room. Anywhere intended as an office, living room or kids bedroom, put in a couple of extras.

If possible, I'd run two cables to a two-port terminating plate next to each power socket. That should give you reasonable scope for adding switches/access points etc around.

Terminate them all somewhere that you could put a patch panel/home server etc and use that location for your central switch now. Later you can add infrastructure in that cupboard/office.
 
Another bit of advice, terminate into a cupboard or something.

I terminated everything into my study. Now that we have a child on the way i would ideally shift my study to another room as part of a re-organisation.

I didnt see that one coming at the time, i should have centralised it to the hallway cupboard or something.
 
Agreed, that's my plan when we get a place. Cable every room and terminate into the cupboard under the stairs, which will probably house all the AV equipment as a node 0 with a view to distribution via HDMI/CAT6 baluns.
 
Trendnet make an awesome punchdown tool.

Cyclops cable stripper makes it a pleasure to remove the outer cable
 
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