Home Network Design Sense Check

[Egn96M]

Hello all,

I’m planning on laying network cables while my flat is being renovated and would like a second opinion on my plan.


Overview:

• I’ve got 2x PCs in Bedroom 2.
• There is a smart TV in the Sitting Room.
• My fiber entry point is on the back of the house. There is a risk this will need to move to the front if I change suppliers.

Plan:

• Use 3 port keystones and face plates built in to the wall in Bedroom 2 and the Sitting Room.
• Cat 6 cable throughout.
• Hide cables under floor or behind skirting boards.

Questions:

• Does this look ok?
• Any tips/recommendations?
• There is a chance I’ll have to move my Fiber entry point to the front of the property (see red icon) if I change suppliers. I’d ideally like to keep the Switch where it is. Is there anything I should consider to future proof?

Design:

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I greatly appreciate any help!

 

[Sparx]

Looks good to me. My only suggestion is why not run 4 cables to the sitting room and bedroom? 3 is an odd number and you'll need to use a double backbox and faceplate anyway, so you might as well fill it and have 4 - you always end up needing more than you think anyway. Just think if you ever chuck in consoles, Sky/Virgin TV, Apple TV, yada yada you'll find something new in the future for that lounge...

Another reason for the extra runs is if your fibre entry point changes as you indicate - you have spare port(s) in the sitting room still to connect the RJ45 from the new ONT back to your network providing the internet uplink, so you don't have to worry if your fibre entry point does shift over there. Meaning no need to move any of your switch (or any kit for that matter) around.

Also, are you running this all into a small cab or patch panel at all in bedroom 2 or? I'd recommend using a patch panel to bring all the runs back to.

 

[lsg1r]

If it was me, and assuming you don't intend to move out anytime soon, I'd maybe looking to future proof a little while the work is being done and probably add a couple of extra cat 6 cables on your existing image. A smart tv is great but my experience is that the 'smart' bit stops working well before the tv does and you might end up with an external smart box instead.

I'd also run a couple to the other bedroom and maybe even the kitchen, at the end of the day you don't need to use them, but if you do need to worst case scenario is a new switch rather than needing to do all the walls etc again.

You could also consider running 1 or 2 fibre cables at the same time, which I think with an adapter could be used to run the fibre from alt location to the switch/router.

Rather than the access point in the living room have you considered a ceiling mounted adapter in the access point (guessing it's a hallway)?

 

[Egn96M]

Looks good to me. My only suggestion is why not run 4 cables to the sitting room and bedroom? 3 is an odd number and you'll need to use a double backbox and faceplate anyway, so you might as well fill it and have 4 - you always end up needing more than you think anyway. Just think if you ever chuck in consoles, Sky/Virgin TV, Apple TV, yada yada you'll find something new in the future for that lounge...

Another reason for the extra runs is if your fibre entry point changes as you indicate - you have spare port(s) in the sitting room still to connect the RJ45 from the new ONT back to your network providing the internet uplink, so you don't have to worry if your fibre entry point does shift over there. Meaning no need to move any of your switch (or any kit for that matter) around.

Also, are you running this all into a small cab or patch panel at all in bedroom 2 or? I'd recommend using a patch panel to bring all the runs back to.

Thanks for your reply. I'll uplift these to 4 ports in both rooms.

RE: the patch panel: I was planning to only use a switch (as I currently have this). Please pardon my ignorance on the subject: where would you put the patch panel/what is the benefit in using it rather than cabling directly to the Switch.

Thanks a lot for the help

If it was me, and assuming you don't intend to move out anytime soon, I'd maybe looking to future proof a little while the work is being done and probably add a couple of extra cat 6 cables on your existing image. A smart tv is great but my experience is that the 'smart' bit stops working well before the tv does and you might end up with an external smart box instead.

I'd also run a couple to the other bedroom and maybe even the kitchen, at the end of the day you don't need to use them, but if you do need to worst case scenario is a new switch rather than needing to do all the walls etc again.

You could also consider running 1 or 2 fibre cables at the same time, which I think with an adapter could be used to run the fibre from alt location to the switch/router.

Rather than the access point in the living room have you considered a ceiling mounted adapter in the access point (guessing it's a hallway)?

Thanks for your help. I think you're right about the extra ports and cables in the other rooms. I'll measure up and if I have the cable I'll run it through the ceiling to the other room. I think I'll be able to hide it away behind cabinets.

That "Access point" should read "hallway", apologies for the typo

 

[lsg1r]

Thanks for your reply. I'll uplift these to 4 ports in both rooms.

RE: the patch panel: I was planning to only use a switch (as I currently have this). Please pardon my ignorance on the subject: where would you put the patch panel/what is the benefit in using it rather than cabling directly to the Switch.

Thanks a lot for the help

Patch panel is basically the bit on the wall you plug your cables from the router into.

In my case it's a faceplate surround with 2-4x adapters (link below) in it although you can get different options depending on budget/needs etc

LAP Modular Cat 6 RJ45 Ethernet Socket White - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Flexible Cat 6 RJ45 outlet. Assemble with other products into a modular front plate to create a grid. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

Where you place it depends on your usage but in my case I have one coming out behind the tv to plug into my bits there, another is in my office (this is where my main switch gear is). You would have a 'outgoing' patch panel near the network switch based on your image and then all the locations in the other rooms would be the 'incoming' patch panels (no difference in panels, just named in and out for easy visualisation)

 

[WJA96]

If you're doing this, and you do seem to have done good homework, then personally I'd put 2-4 drops into Bedroom 1 and the kitchen as well. Cable and faceplates are cheap, run everything back to your proposed location and even if you only use 8 of the connections the cables etc. are there if you ever want to add a smart TV, Sonos speaker etc. in the kitchen or bedroom.

And while you're at it, run a pair of connections to the front door for a video doorbell (and a spare run). You might not want it today, but maybe tomorrow?

Have a sit down and think about any possibility you might ever want to add anything to the house (alarms, smoke detectors, surveillance cameras etc.) and run those cables now, even if you end up with a blanking box on the wall outside because once you've run a cable, it's easy to add anything else.

If you're putting in 4-way drops then consider the Unifi in-wall access points which are a wireless access point with a built-in 4-port switch (one port is PoE). It's a remarkably neat solution to great wifi in every room and 4 network sockets in every room. They're not cheap, but they're not stupidly expensive either.

If that doesn't appeal then 100% put the wifi access points on the ceilings if you can. You get MUCH better coverage that way.

 

[Egn96M]

Thank you all for all of you help!