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dirtychinchilla

dirtychinchilla

dirtychinchilla

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Woking
Morning all,

I'm in the process of buying a house off plan and I'm asking them to install ethernet cabling around the house, but this is something I have no experience of and could do with some advice.

The plan is to have a central media server, and then have a raspberry pi in both the sitting room and the master bedroom, and then there will be a PC in the spare bedroom, all of which I'd like to have wired. I was planning to put the server in the cupboard under the stairs, and also have the router in here (the house is basically 2 up 2 down, so wifi reception won't be a problem).

I'm wondering now whether having the server under the stairs is actually a good idea...will it be a pain to then work on it if needed? ie will I have to go and sit under the stairs with a monitor etc to do anything to it?!

I was then planning to have all the ethernet cables coming into the cupboard under the stairs with a network switch (can anyone recommend me a reasonably priced one for probably 4 connections?) and then have that connected into the Raspberry Pi.

Am I going about this completely wrong, though? Do I just need all the devices connecting into my router, and then choose one to be the server?

Also, I have to basically put together the specification for the builder of what I need, so at the moment this is what I think I want..:


I think that's it. I've probably made this way too complicated and confusing, so if anyone has a decent guide that they could recommend that would be great.

Thanks in advance,

dirtychinchilla
 
Has the house builder agreed to putting in the ethernet cabling as some don't want to get involved with it at all?

I'm currently doing this as a retro fit project in a fairly new build house.

My few pointers would be...

Ensure cat6 cable is routed neatly away from electric cables

Consider locations of devices for each room as that will determine where you want faceplates to go, eg TV locations and whether these are to be in wall mount positions

Put 2 or 4 ports at each faceplate location even if you think you don't need that many as you don't want to put more cable in later.

Consider having just a master telephone socket and it being somewhere you want your modem / router to go. Ideally in a central location where the wifi signal can reach the areas that mobile devices will want it. Just done this in our hall yesterday so i have...

double power socket | Router space | Ethernet faceplate with 4 ports | BT master with vdsl filter late | Modem space | Single unswitched power socket.

If you want the router hidden away in a cupboard you might want to consider having just a router like an edgemax router and then put some additional cat6 sockets in places where you can put a wireless access point.

What i've done is also ran an extra ethernet cable to the faceplate next to the router so it can link to the extension connection on the BT socket. This way I have the telephone line connected to the patch panel and if i want a telephone anywhere in the house I can use a data socket for it.

I would put the switch and patch panel under the stairs but I would put the servers in the spare room so they have more ventilation.

If you're happy to switch PC on before needing media in other rooms then you can just use a pc or buy a NAS device if you need it to be on all the time.

One of the best value switches I found was a 24 port web smart d-link one. Passively cooled and eco power so it reduces consumption when less ports are being used.

I used blackbox cat6 for mine, 500Mhz rated and should be good for 10 Gbit subject to cable run lengths.
I also like the giganet cat6a shielded cable but it's hard to find.
Also these are worth considering, http://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6-cable/296881-excel-cat6-utp-cable.html or http://www.netstoredirect.com/cat6a-cable/86-excel-cat6a-u-utp-cable-lsoh-outer-sheath.html

Also, whilst having cabling done consider aerial points and satellite double sockets wherever you might want them and surround sound speaker connections.
 
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Yes the house builder has agreed to it, although I will have to pay for it. It'll be so much easier to just have it done for me though, as I'm not much of a handyman.

Thanks for the advice, I'll certainly do the first 3. This is the first house I've ever owned, so do I need to have a master telephone socket? I don't really have any plans to have a landline, other than to get internet through.
 
Thanks so much for all the advice. I really appreciate it.

Most of it I've got my head around, but I'm wondering about this paragraph:

"What i've done is also ran an extra ethernet cable to the faceplate next to the router so it can link to the extension connection on the BT socket. This way I have the telephone line connected to the patch panel and if i want a telephone anywhere in the house I can use a data socket for it."

Do you mean to say that you have run a cable from the phone port on the router into the network switch so that you could, in theory, connect a phone to any port in the house and get a phone connection through that? I'm not too worried about having a landline, but my girlfriend may feel otherwise.

This is what I'm thinking thus far, and this is literally all the components too:

Untitled_zpssitnnydk.png


Is this right? I've no idea until I get home what the situation is with the master socket as I don't have the drawings with me at work, but I'll check that out later.

If the master socket is, for the sake of argument, located by the front door, do I then need to take a line from the master socket to the cupboard under the stairs into the router?
 
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:o what is a patch panel?! The number of sockets shown on that sketch I've done is literally everything, and I won't be running a home server I expect...I think what I'll end up with is just a load of hard drives that I can read data from, as opposed to having a Pi under the stairs as I can't actually work out what advantage that would serve...
 
Doesnt make much difference, but the closer to the router it is, the better as the length of copper needed between the two is shorter.

The network points you plan to install in the rooms, each of those individual cat5/cat6 cables you run should terminate back to a patch panel as oppose to crimping an RJ45 on each of them. This way, all of your cables run back to to the back of a single patch panel and then for the points you do use in those rooms, you take a small cat5 cable from the front of the patch panel, to the switch (stack them on top of each other etc)

Alternatively, you could run 1 cable to each room and then branch that out in to a small 4/8 port switch, or again use powerline adapters.

If you're going down the cable route (recommended) then you're going to need the following: (based on your diagram above)

1 x 16 or 24 port switch
1 x 24 port patch panel
2 x 4 port faceplate with modules
1 x 2 port faceplate with modules
1 x large drum of cable (increase depending on how far your rooms are away from the patch panel)
1 x pack of small patch leads (just buy a pack of 10 off the bay - pre-terminated cables rather than doing your own)
1 x punch down tool (for terminating the lengths of cable to the patch panel)
1 x cheap cable tester

One thing you need to decide, as this will determine which cable & modules you need to buy, is whether to go cat5 or cat6. Most will say cat6 to "future proof" but in my opinion we're along way away before we see 10gig over copper for home appliances. Cat5 offering 1Gbps to each device is more than adequate - you're choice though.

Shame you don't live closer, would happily do the install for you once the cables had been laid
 
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All the patch panel is doing it letting you wire the network cable between 2 sockets. You use a network cable each end to then link devices up. It just keeps it tidier and easier to read (label the ports each end).

I'd recommend trying to get some pretty straight (up and down) runs done with space in the ducting for additional cable if you need it and try not to put anything too permanent either side of where the wall ports are in the rooms. If needed you then have space to add another pair/etc if needed with only a bit of plaster chopped out.
 
Patch panel is a tidy solution for finishing the end of the cable. You're not really meant to put RJ45 ends on Cat6, you can buy them, but you really should go with a patch panel, it's far neater and an easier job that making 24x cable ends.
 
Terrier_Jimlad said:
Doesnt make much difference, but the closer to the router it is, the better as the length of copper needed between the two is shorter.

The network points you plan to install in the rooms, each of those individual cat5/cat6 cables you run should terminate back to a patch panel as oppose to crimping an RJ45 on each of them. This way, all of your cables run back to to the back of a single patch panel and then for the points you do use in those rooms, you take a small cat5 cable from the front of the patch panel, to the switch (stack them on top of each other etc)

Alternatively, you could run 1 cable to each room and then branch that out in to a small 4/8 port switch, or again use powerline adapters.

If you're going down the cable route (recommended) then you're going to need the following: (based on your diagram above)

1 x 16 or 24 port switch
1 x 24 port patch panel
2 x 4 port faceplate with modules
1 x 2 port faceplate with modules
1 x large drum of cable (increase depending on how far your rooms are away from the patch panel)
1 x pack of small patch leads (just buy a pack of 10 off the bay - pre-terminated cables rather than doing your own)
1 x punch down tool (for terminating the lengths of cable to the patch panel)
1 x cheap cable tester

One thing you need to decide, as this will determine which cable & modules you need to buy, is whether to go cat5 or cat6. Most will say cat6 to "future proof" but in my opinion we're along way away before we see 10gig over copper for home appliances. Cat5 offering 1Gbps to each device is more than adequate - you're choice though.

Shame you don't live closer, would happily do the install for you once the cables had been laid
Click to expand...

You're an absolute star. Thank you so much for the list! I'm hoping the electricians will do all the wiring into the patch panel, but right now I'm wondering whether it's really worth them doing it. I may just ask them to bring all the wires into the cupboard and leave them un-terminated. I'll then put in the patch panel and the switch etc.

Thanks guys for the suggestions and guides etc. I'll be putting in a patch panel; as I understand it it basically just makes things neater.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
Thanks so much for all the advice. I really appreciate it.

Most of it I've got my head around, but I'm wondering about this paragraph:

"What i've done is also ran an extra ethernet cable to the faceplate next to the router so it can link to the extension connection on the BT socket. This way I have the telephone line connected to the patch panel and if i want a telephone anywhere in the house I can use a data socket for it."

Do you mean to say that you have run a cable from the phone port on the router into the network switch so that you could, in theory, connect a phone to any port in the house and get a phone connection through that? I'm not too worried about having a landline, but my girlfriend may feel otherwise.

This is what I'm thinking thus far, and this is literally all the components too:

Untitled_zpssitnnydk.png


Is this right? I've no idea until I get home what the situation is with the master socket as I don't have the drawings with me at work, but I'll check that out later.

If the master socket is, for the sake of argument, located by the front door, do I then need to take a line from the master socket to the cupboard under the stairs into the router?
Click to expand...


I have 4 network ports on a faceplate next to my router as my router is in a separate location to my switch, no under stairs cupboard so my modem and router are in the downstairs hall as that is where the BT master socket is. Therefore I ran an Ethernet cable from the BT master socket where you can add an extension socket, but this Ethernet cable runs up to my patch panel so I can then use a patch cable on the patch panel to bridge 2 ports, eg link a phone service port on the patch panel to a port that is linked to a faceplate elsewhere in the house. The advantage of this is there is no need to have bespoke telephone extension faceplates throughout the house. Basically this replaces the usual daisy chain of bespoke telephone sockets with a star topology as all the services go out from the patch panel, telecoms and data. Doing it this way you only have telephone extensions where you want them, where you place an adapter into one of the data ports on a faceplate somewhere.

The BT master socket being in the cupboard is a good thing for neatness. You'll need a cable that goes from the BT socket to your modem or router depending on whether you have Broadband or Fibre and whether you prefer to use a separate modem and router or an all in one device. You'll then link the router to either the patch panel or direct to the switch depending on how you want everything laid out.
 
Once you have a punch down tool (a couple of quid) you really can't get it wrong. The wires are literally in 4 twisted pairs, all colour coded. Theres two ways to wire it up (A or B), it doesnt matter which you chose, but make sure both ends match - most people go with B for British as oppose to A for American (a lot of tosh but a lot of people stick by it haha)

I agree, I wouldn't pay a sparky to do it, a kid could do it :)

When the time comes, fire up the trusty old YouTube and search how to terminate patch panel.

I get all my networking gear from cablemonkey.co.uk (don't think its an OCUK competitor so should be ok to link it)

I recently did my office out with some nice brushed aluminium faceplates with black modules, looks lovely. All terminated back to a 16 port patch panel, screw in to a LACK table from ikea, with a switch and router on the shelf below. Small 30cm patch leads to hook the floor points up and jobs a good an!
 
Why CAT6?

5e is easier, 6a is more fiddly and expensive but does get you 10Gb to 100m (while 6 only *may* get you 10Gb). I guess if it's not much more than the 5e and you may want to use it within it's limitations it will be fine.

Nexans or TE LSZH for cable.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
OK it turns out the master socket is in the cupboard under the stairs...can't work out what advantage that gives me, though.
Click to expand...

The advantage is not having to be so neat compared with it being out on show somewhere.

If you have space you want something like;

power socket | Router space | Ethernet faceplate | BT master with vdsl filter late | Modem space | power socket.

Being in a cupboard though you may be able to have two horizontal rows of items rather than the single row example above. The reason for the above order is to suit a Fiber install where most ISP's require you to have an Openreach modem in addition to a router. The order also allows things to be plugged in without cables crossing over each other. The only exception to this is a patch cable to link the modem to the router but even then this only crosses the BT socket and the Ethernet socket. Where I say 2 horizontal rows, this will be dependent on where cables come from. Eg you could mount a modem above a power socket if the electrical cable for the socket was fed from the bottom of the wall. Likewise for the router, that could be fitted above the ethernet and power socket, subject to the location of cables in the wall. The advantage to spreading the modem, router and sockets over 2 rows is that you don't limit yourself on the size of modem or router as nothing else would be next to them. You will also need a power socket(s) somewhere near to but not too close to your patch panel for your switch and any other gear you want in your network cabinet or wall mount rack.
 
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Terrier_Jimlad said:
Once you have a punch down tool (a couple of quid) you really can't get it wrong. The wires are literally in 4 twisted pairs, all colour coded. Theres two ways to wire it up (A or B), it doesnt matter which you chose, but make sure both ends match - most people go with B for British as oppose to A for American (a lot of tosh but a lot of people stick by it haha)

I agree, I wouldn't pay a sparky to do it, a kid could do it :)

When the time comes, fire up the trusty old YouTube and search how to terminate patch panel.

I get all my networking gear from cablemonkey.co.uk (don't think its an OCUK competitor so should be ok to link it)

I recently did my office out with some nice brushed aluminium faceplates with black modules, looks lovely. All terminated back to a 16 port patch panel, screw in to a LACK table from ikea, with a switch and router on the shelf below. Small 30cm patch leads to hook the floor points up and jobs a good an!
Click to expand...

Got a nice wall mounted network bracket from them. Ideal for a small install where you can fit the patch panel and switch high up on the wall out of the way.
 
dirtychinchilla said:
You're an absolute star. Thank you so much for the list! I'm hoping the electricians will do all the wiring into the patch panel, but right now I'm wondering whether it's really worth them doing it. I may just ask them to bring all the wires into the cupboard and leave them un-terminated. I'll then put in the patch panel and the switch etc.

Thanks guys for the suggestions and guides etc. I'll be putting in a patch panel; as I understand it it basically just makes things neater.
Click to expand...

If it's an electrician doing the work that triggers a bit of an alarm bell for me. I would ensure you make the house builder that is I assume arranging the install on your behalf, to ensure the following...

The install is done to the required specification for Cat6 (or whichever spec you choose) including but not limited to, only removing the minimum of outer casing on each run of Ethernet cable to expose only the minimum necessary to terminate the twisted pairs into the rear of the faceplates / euro modules / keystone jacks (whichever of these you choose) so that the outer cable jacket can utilise strain relief fixings on the rear of each faceplate port. Each twisted pair should be maintained from exiting the cable outer jacket up to the point that the termination takes place in the back of each faceplate port. Some additional cable length should be left in place close to each faceplate in the event that some additional length is required to be pulled through at a later date. A generous amount of cable should be allowed for on each cable run at the cupboard end of the run where the patch panel is to go so you have some spare cable length to make terminating it onto the patch panel easier and provides some backup in the event it should ever need to be repunched down into the rear of the patch panel at a later date. Providing the installation is done correctly and the cable runs are most likely within the length parameters required for 10 Gbit then all faceplates should operate to this if it were to be tested. There should be no kinks in Ethernet cables or harsh attaching of cables with clips or overly tight cable ties and as much as possible all Ethernet cables should be routed away from electrical cables. If Ethernet and electrical cables need to cross one another then they should where possible cross at right angles.
 
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