Home network upgrade

champ222

champ222

champ222

Associate
Joined
19 Aug 2005
Posts
1,627
Location
Beds, UK
Hi All

I'm tempted by a network update. We are currently with Virgin.. the connection is solid, but the wifi is rubbish, and seems to be getting worse, which has been the annoyance factor driving the change. Virgin have been taking the **** on pricing for a while now, and although we have had very few issues, its time to move to fibre i think. I need reliable internet over fast internet, and since virgin has been trouble free, i havent bothered to change it. It is very lacking behind in speed compared to other options.

I have the house fully wired with CAT6. Currently, i'm using the virgin box for router and wifi, then feeding that to my switch, which goes round the house.

fvf4BeV.jpg


Anyway, it looks like i can get fibre at 1650Mbps down, 120Mbps up (i thought it was equal these days?) with Openreach for less (with IDNET) than i'm paying virgin.

That being the case, i'm thinking of getting a "no router" option from the ISP and getting something like the Unify Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-fiber), plus an access point. Its possibly a bit overkill, but it should be pretty future proof. i can (i think) use a DAC cable to to connect the SFP+ port from the unify to the mikrotik switch (is there a better way?), use the POE output to the AP, then id have three 2.5GbE ports, which would be handy. It should fit in the bottom slot of the rack with a shelf... just. The UCG-Max would probably be enough to be honest, but the price between the two isnt huge, and id need a POE injector with the Max to power the AP, so that narrows the gap by a tenner ish.

I have ring cameras currently, so i'd probably look to move to unify cameras eventually. The SSD slot should enable that. Though the Ring cameras with lights on them seem better designed for home use than the unify options.

Id likely get the new hardware first, pop the virgin hub into modem mode, get that all working ok, then start looking at moving over to openreach.

i'm not that clued up on networking, but i get by with some reading, once ive figured out what i want to achieve.

Does this seem like a reasonable plan?

Thanks
 
Yup, very reasonably. The CGF is an excellent and very powerfully gateway appliance. What do you mean about the lights on Ring cameras? I'd drop whatever features Ring has in a. heartbeat for subscription less, but you do pay a bit for the cameras. You may also want to consider a UniFi PoE switch, then you don't have to worry about injectors.
 
ChrisD. said:
Yup, very reasonably. The CGF is an excellent and very powerfully gateway appliance. What do you mean about the lights on Ring cameras? I'd drop whatever features Ring has in a. heartbeat for subscription less, but you do pay a bit for the cameras. You may also want to consider a UniFi PoE switch, then you don't have to worry about injectors.
Click to expand...
I have a mains powered flootlight cam plus out the back and it works really well. it works as a PIR light. It has two decent spot lights which light up the garden pretty well, plus the camera. i can use the app to switch on the lights if i need to do something outside.
Out the front i have a battery powered camera that also has a pir light. works less well, due to the battery power saving stuff. i suspect id have to handle the lights seperately from the cameras if i went with unifi for cameras too
 
The protect lights are pretty decent, you can run them independently or pair with a camera. They’re PoE powered.
 
Ok, regarding access points, i dont know which way to go.

Currently, most wifi is used downstairs. occasionally upstairs which is where its weakest currently. Right now, getting an AP on the ceiling in the living room is going to be tough. the hallway is possible, but still tricky. Upstairs would be easier. It would solve the upstairs wifi issues for sure, but would it give good performance downstairs also? I'm thinking U6+ or U7 lite.

i could probably make one of the in wall options work in the living room, but not sure the coverage upstairs would be great. Of course i could do both, but thats more cash.

The time would come where i could get a ceiling mount upstairs and down, probably when i'm replacing the carpet etc, but that is a way off. I didnt consider access points or cameras when i wired the house with cat6... annoyingly.
 
Upstairs AP will be fine, and is actually ideal. Centrally mounted on the ceiling upstairs is about the best place you can put a single AP.
 
ChrisD. said:
Upstairs AP will be fine, and is actually ideal. Centrally mounted on the ceiling upstairs is about the best place you can put a single AP.
Click to expand...
ok cool. I shall start working out how to get the cable there.

i wonder though... the cable in the walls is solid core cable, "punched down" into keystone jacks at the cabinet end, and the RJ45 plugs for equipment are on patch leads. How do people typically deal with this? run the install cable to the loft etc, then use a short patch cable between that an the AP? or just run a long patch cable between the AP and where the socket is... the first one makes more sense i guess.
Also, i may be able to extend one of the cables that goes to point in a bedroom, then run it up the wall and into the loft. is need to extend it using something like this:

CS27308-40.jpg


it doesnt seem ideal though

Maybe there is a way to run a new cable
 
Last edited:
champ222 said:
ok cool. I shall start working out how to get the cable there.

i wonder though... the cable in the walls is solid core cable, "punched down" into keystone jacks at the cabinet end, and the RJ45 plugs for equipment are on patch leads. How do people typically deal with this? run the install cable to the loft etc, then use a short patch cable between that an the AP? or just run a long patch cable between the AP and where the socket is... the first one makes more sense i guess.
Also, i may be able to extend one of the cables that goes to point in a bedroom, then run it up the wall and into the loft. is need to extend it using something like this:

CS27308-40.jpg


it doesnt seem ideal though

Maybe there is a way to run a new cable
Click to expand...
They work just fine, I have a few of them and zero issues with 2.5gb over them.
 
I've figured a route for a cable. Its not pretty, but i can neaten it up another day.

Just need to decide on U6+ or U7 lite
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom