New house, new network solution

[Dan_P]

Hi all,

I'm hoping you can help me make decisions when it comes to the wifi and network solutions for our new house we move to in December.

We currently live in a Bungalow and use standard BT router & AP with a Cat 6 cable to my office. Because we are moving to a 2.5 storey house, we want to make sure we have good internet all over the house and also importantly to my office (bedroom 3).

I am planning on getting Ubiquiti Unifi AP as an upgrade from the ISP provided kit. I was thinking a single AP AC LR downstairs would be enough? Would this also provide good enough wifi on the first floor for bedroom 2, 3 & main bathroom. Would an AP Pro be better than an AP LR?

I suspect we will need a repeater or another AP on the 2nd floor for our master bedroom? I'm not sure how to do this as the wife does not want wiring run over the house and i'm not sure about going outside and then back in.

What's the best way for me to get Wired internet in my office (bedroom 3)? I am reluctant to use Powerline adapters, but without running cabling everywhere i can see how we will achieve this.

Also downstairs would the red or blue placement be better for the AP?


Ground floor:


1st floor:


2nd floor:


TIA
Dan

 

[Dan_P]

I would start with the basics, your chosen AP is directional, they are designed to mount on a ceiling in a central location or as part of a multi AP install spaced appropriately and provide signal downwards and outwards, much like a light mounted on a ceiling, it's not designed to light the floor above. Also the product you have chosen is really not ideal in either location suggested, unless you have a specific reason you haven't mentioned, i'd suggest either a more central location, or a product suited to wall mounting and expect to need more than one AP on a 3 storey house, depending on the construction/size and the AP type you may at a push get away with one on the middle floor, but without a survey it's guess work. Cable wise, run it and be done with it, anything else will be a compromise that at this stage isn't worth making unless its a short term rental. It's infinitely easier to pull floorboards and run cable before you move in/decorate than after. If you need to run externally, take feeds up to each floor, hide them behind drainpipes etc. and take drops in and down from the loft space (if you have any) - if it's a modern build, it should have ducting for cables for TV feeds etc.

thanks for your response.

i didn’t know about the directional of the AP I thought mounting on the wall at around 7ft by the red dot or floor by the blue would work. The reason for the placement is because that is where the internet points are in the house, the wife wants as little wires as possible.

where would putting a LR be best?

it’s a new build house we have bought so ripping up floor boards, carpets etc is not ideal. It sounds to me like I might be better off with a flex HD downstairs rather than an LR or PRO.

A friend of mine suggested running outside by guttering/drainpipes, so that might have to be the best option for the first and second floor.

 

[Dan_P]

Ask the builder to install Cat6 if not already plastered?

ive asked but it seems they won’t do it as it’s “too late in the build stage”

 

[Dan_P]

As a simple rule-of-thumb, if you’re going through more than 1 wall or floor you need another access point.

I think a Flex HD on ground and first floor are a must then. Might try and find something cheaper for 2nd floor.

 

[Dan_P]

That little square area centre left of every floor plan is the soil stack coming down from the top floor en-suite bathroom. That has to vent somewhere so probably goes all the way up to the loft, that would be the first place I'd look to get cables run throughout the house.

Never noticed this before, so i am thinking if i can get an ethernet to there on the ground floor i can run a cable up to the first and second floor?

I think people here are overestimating what new build developers are willing to do - if the electrician has done first fix and the walls are boarded then you aren't getting extra cables put in FOC, you're also not getting cables run around the outside. They might let you send a 3rd party in to do additions but I wouldn't bank on it.

I'm so glad you have said this, everyone keeps mentioning getting the developer to do x y and z, but because the house build is in progress its too late for us now to specify any extras. The only thing left for us to control is the flooring type.

 

[Dan_P]

I don't think anyone is expecting them to do it for free.

They wont do it paid either once first fix is done, this is why i am trying to find a solution which i can implement when we move in that keeps the wife happy with as little disruption as possible but wired internet in my office and good APs all around the house.

 

[Dan_P]

It's worth checking what cabling you DO have installed by the developers. My reason for saying this is that in our new build we have the ONT under the stairs, and a connection from there to an ethernet port in the Living Room. This much we knew. Having ethernet ports in any other rooms was an extra, at £180 per room. However, it now transpires that we also have (non-terminated) Cat6 running to the Dining Room and Main Bedroom. I spotted these when removing the faceplates. Therefore, you might be lucky, and already have the Cat6 in the walls, you might just need to terminate the cables. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

That's really interesting. I'm told we have a Cat 6 port in the lounge, but i can't see it on the plan (unless they mean telephone port) so have asked the developer to confirm where it is and if the other telephone ports in the kitchen are also Cat6. How would i find out if the have run the cabling but not terminated them?

 

[Dan_P]

....Don't forget you have another soil stack on the right hand side of the image for the downstairs loo and main bathroom, so if you can get over to that position then you will be able to get to bedroom 3 from the under stairs cupboard, and drop down into the living room as well.

I believe we have a CAT 6 connection in the lounge (query with the developer outstanding), my plan now is to run a Flex HD from there and also a Cat6 up the soil stack to Bedroom 3 (My office) where i will have another Flex HD. Still not certain what i am doing about Bedroom 1 yet.

 

[Dan_P]

Do i need a Dream Machine?

I am planning on using 'Pure Home' as my provider as we need to use someone from OFNL.
They offer the package below i want to go for:

• Download: 360 Mbps
• Upload: 180 Mbps

It asks what router i want if any. Should i be selecting none or the free router?

If i select none does that mean i need a UDM?
If i select the free router do i still need a UDM?

Apart from the controller, which isnt a high priority if i understand it correctly, i dont really see the point in the UDM? (I already have a cheap standard 4 port switch)

 

[Dan_P]

The UDM would eliminate the need for a UAP-FlexHD in the CAT6 location downstairs. It’s also your router, firewall and a 4-port switch.

From an AP perspective is a UDM equal to, better than or worse than for a Flex HD?

From your message, i guess i dont need to get their Router then if the UDM will do this. Will not having a cable direct from feed (small cabinet by left of front door) and connecting via the Cat 6 Living room wall connection be ok?

 

[Dan_P]

The access point in the UDM is the same components as the FlexHD and HDNano. So it would be every bit as good as a FlexHD.

The FTTP feed is an RJ45 socket. Where does the FTTP ONT live in the building?

And no, you don’t need their router.

Excellent thanks.

The FTTP ONT (If i have understood correctly*) is in the small storage cupboard to the left of the front door (you should be able to see the cupboard on the plan pictures i have attached on Post 1.

*In our house style on a different development (same developer) it was a white huawei box in that cupboard with an RJ45 coming out of it.

 

[Dan_P]

That's the ONT for sure...

I wasn't planning on plugging the UDM into the ONT though as it's not an ideal location and i want to use the ports on the UDM for my TV/Hi-Fi stack.

Would i be ok plugging my UDM into the Cat 6 wall connection in the lounge?

 

[Dan_P]

You'd have to find a way of ensuring the Cat6 wall connection in the lounge is connected to the ONT. Possibly the other end of the Cat6 cable will be terminating in a wallplate next to the ONT, but there's no way of knowing that without checking. Therefore, you'd have ONT -> patch lead -> wallplate (hallway) -> Cat6 cable -> wallplate (lounge) -> patch cable -> UDM

Ok, i wont know this until we move in (December).

I am assuming that the wallplate in the lounge must be connected to something as i have been told it will be there and active?

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks both @Sparx & @kosymodo

Developer has come back to me saying they will confirm in 24 hours after speaking to the site manager where the Cat 6 ports are (Lounge or Kitchen) as the plans are not clear. I have asked them to check at the same time if there is a wall part in or around the storage cupboard where the ONT is stored.

 

[Dan_P]

Feedback from the site manager was that "all telephone points are data points with cat 6 which are in our lounge, bedroom 1 and bedroom 3" however self-confessed the site office and site manager didn't fully understand the query.

Now, this doesn't match the plan I have which has confused me a little. I have a phone call scheduled with the electrician in the next 24-48 hours who should be able to advise a bit better. I do hope though that they are correct as this could solve my AP issues.