Future proofing your house

Felix · 6 Sep 2016 at 15:49

I have the opportunity to install network cabling throughout my house (floors will be up). I want to run 2 x cat6 cabling to each room and then to the garage where I will have a switch.

What else should I consider running while I have the chance?

I basically want to future proof the house!

meandu229 · 6 Sep 2016 at 15:50

Felix said:
I have the opportunity to install network cabling throughout my house (floors will be up). I want to run 2 x cat6 cabling to each room and then to the garage where I will have a switch.

What else should I consider running while I have the chance?

I basically want to future proof the house!

Run twice as many cables as you think you will need. Cabling is cheap.

joeyjojo · 6 Sep 2016 at 15:59

Never done it myself but when this question comes up people usually recommend adding ducts and pull cords to make it easier to add/remove cables when required.

ChocolateStarfishRammer · 6 Sep 2016 at 16:05

joeyjojo said:
Never done it myself but when this question comes up people usually recommend adding ducts and pull cords to make it easier to add/remove cables when required.

That's the key. Make it so it's easily adaptable later, that way in 50 years time, you can pull out those Cat6 and install Cat2000 easily.

ci_newman · 6 Sep 2016 at 16:13

joeyjojo said:
Never done it myself but when this question comes up people usually recommend adding ducts and pull cords to make it easier to add/remove cables when required.

This is more important than the number of actual cables you run, giving yourself flexibility to add more in future

Felix · 6 Sep 2016 at 16:14

ChocolateStarfishRammer said:
That's the key. Make it so it's easily adaptable later, that way in 50 years time, you can pull out those Cat6 and install Cat2000 easily.

So leave a narrow gauge rope or run all cables in say a 2" duct?

ci_newman · 6 Sep 2016 at 16:29

Felix said:
So leave a narrow gauge rope or run all cables in say a 2" duct?

Both

mattyg · 6 Sep 2016 at 17:20

If your running 4 cables to each room...Buy 4 boxes of cable...that'll make the job sooooo much easier.

spoffle · 6 Sep 2016 at 17:24

mattyg said:
If your running 4 cables to each room...Buy 4 boxes of cable...that'll make the job sooooo much easier.

A box is 300m... 4 boxes is well beyond overkill.

mattyg · 6 Sep 2016 at 17:27

spoffle said:
A box is 300m... 4 boxes is well beyond overkill.

Chances are yes. But It'll make the job easier and he can sell what he doesn't use.

I wish I bought four.

Hedge · 6 Sep 2016 at 17:56

The only thing I wish I had is speaker cable points in the walls.

Regarding networking I just keep my PC near the router then everything else is happily running wireless or via powerline.

Although I used to always want network cable points everywhere, I can't help think its just a waste of time for the use it gets.

Quartz · 6 Sep 2016 at 18:14

4 points in each room, pairs in opposite corners. Four points where you'll have the TV. You don't mention power points, but you'll want those aplenty too. Put power points with USB charger ports in bedrooms.

Think about IP cameras. Will you need Power over Ethernet cables and a PoE router?

Label your cabling! And colour code it too if appropriate. E.g. white cable = ground floor, green = first floor, yellow = TV zone, red = PoE. The extra cost of the cabling is relatively trivial; the embuggeration saved later on is priceless!

Felix · 7 Sep 2016 at 08:20

mattyg said:
Chances are yes. But It'll make the job easier and he can sell what he doesn't use.

I wish I bought four.

Definitely going to buy as many boxes as cables. So much easier to pull them through in a one'ner.

Speaker cable points? What does that entail and where to? Same comms cabinet?

IP cameras - I am assuming you are just talking external cameras? I was going to go with an analog system eg a cheapy swann setup. IP cameras and a recorder seem quite pricey for a domestic setup.

Yaayuh! · 7 Sep 2016 at 08:40

I would do the following:

Put ducting of some sort where you run the cables so it's easier to run cables in the future.
Run at least 2x Cat6/Cat6a to each room. Maybe 4 to the lounge where the TV is and a pair to wherever CCTV would be best located.
Remember you can run HDMI over Ethernet too, can come in handy.

Ubiquiti, Ubiquiti, Ubiquiti. They do very good network and CCTV equipment, all easy to configure and manage. I'd start with a PoE switch and a couple of their Unify Pro WAPs and look at their CCTV.

UTmaniac · 7 Sep 2016 at 10:42

Under-floor heating, perhaps that uses mini radiators, as an extension of the existing central heating.

mattyg · 7 Sep 2016 at 19:16

Rossi~ said:
I would do the following:

Put ducting of some sort where you run the cables so it's easier to run cables in the future.
Run at least 2x Cat6/Cat6a to each room. Maybe 4 to the lounge where the TV is and a pair to wherever CCTV would be best located.
Remember you can run HDMI over Ethernet too, can come in handy.

Ubiquiti, Ubiquiti, Ubiquiti. They do very good network and CCTV equipment, all easy to configure and manage. I'd start with a PoE switch and a couple of their Unify Pro WAPs and look at their CCTV.

I've heard their CCTV isnt up to scratch yet (according to a couple of cctv forums) and its only compatible with its own stuff.

However I stopped reading at that point.

But for networking yeah Ubiquiti

Russinating · 7 Sep 2016 at 19:27

In terms of future proofing surely anything hard wired will be redundant? Wireless is fine for any home automation systems unless you have a mansion, and otherwise what's wrong with powerline?

Like I can see no feasible reason to have cat6 points in the bedroom.

Semple · 7 Sep 2016 at 19:32

Russinating said:
In terms of future proofing surely anything hard wired will be redundant? Wireless is fine for any home automation systems unless you have a mansion, and otherwise what's wrong with powerline?

Like I can see no feasible reason to have cat6 points in the bedroom.

Performance. As simple as that.

You won't get anywhere near the performance over wireless.

Russinating · 7 Sep 2016 at 20:05

But why do you need that performance? Genuinely interested. It's not like you're going to have a server in the bedroom.

Hedge · 8 Sep 2016 at 07:51

Russinating said:
But why do you need that performance? Genuinely interested. It's not like you're going to have a server in the bedroom.

This is my thinking. I just don't understand the need.

All my Movies or music stream fine wirelessly and when gaming I don't really have any issues on my laptop either. Not enough to warrant burying cables everywhere anyway.

Only thing I'd like is speaker cables hidden or video cables for projector.