New house - Wiring rooms - CAT5e vs CAT6 vs CAT7?

[GTiPUG]

In the process of buying a house. It's a reasonably new build (5 years old) and currently only has a master phone socket, no ethernet. I'm planning on getting a contractor in to wire the place with ethernet, from the downstairs master socket up to each of the three bedrooms. One of those bedrooms will be a home office, so I absolutely want ethernet connectivity. WiFi is alright, but cabled is the one for me.

Now, can anyone advise on whether CAT7 is worth it over CAT6? I've seen all the theoretical stuff in research online, but it'd be nice to get personal feedback and insights into others' experience.

Any tips? Any regrets?

 

[GTiPUG]

In a house for normal usage (ie to get wired internet to PCs in locations away from the main location) Cat5e is still more than enough. Cat7 is definitely not required and Cat6a is probably overkill for most home users as well so to compromise and if you can get it for a decent price I would go Cat6, just remember if you think you want two sockets in a location, run at least 3 points to that location.

Ah okay, yeah that's what I figured. Read quite a bit about CAT7 being a ploy for 'innovation' by the cabling industry to try and boost sales. Seem to be right.

just remember if you think you want two sockets in a location, run at least 3 points to that location.

Why's that? You can probably tell I'm distinctly unfamiliar with home cabling at this point...

 

[GTiPUG]

4 port behind where your tv and av stuff will go in the room.

Edit: For some reason this got removed. What's a 4 port?

The master socket sits below the TV, which is where I'll have a cabinet. Router and modem will sit on this cabinet and eth will go out into the wall hopefully.

This is what I came out with in terms of design:



Red is for master socket, where modem and router will sit atop cabinet. TV will "float" above, using the same cut in the plaster to route cables. Each blue is an access point.

Upstairs will have office in Bedroom 2 but I'd also like spare connectivity in Bedroom 3. Bedroom 1 is the master and will likely have a TV to stare at.

You want and need two sockets and are using the two sockets and one breaks for some reason then you are left with one working, run 3 and if one breaks you have a spare all ready to go to give you time to fix the broken one without it affecting anything.

My ethernet home setup is currently.

Master socket-->router--> router to switch for kit in that area and router to cat5e structured cabling socket to take ethernet to upstairs where I have another switch to run the equipment in that location (I have two points here both going up, but only use the one, as it was easier to run both at the time and not have to run a second one at a later date if it becomes required). Then upstairs I have another two sockets with cables running up into the attic (servers and Nas's stored up there), but again only one is actually in use.

Finally I have a third cable running from the upstairs location to a further room (only ran one here as the hole would only just allow one cable through, let alone two, otherwise I would have run two again).

I see what you're saying. So if I need 2, place extra 1 for resiliency? I'll have the contractor do this, seems extremely wise.

I'd love to eventually have the same in my loft, with NAS etc all running up to there hidden away. Is it worth getting that cabling put in as well at this point so that I'm ready to go for the future?

 

[GTiPUG]

The biggest cost of running cables is the labor cost, getting someone to run an extra couple of cables when asked whilst already on site is negligible compared to getting them to come back just for those extra runs at a later date.

Yeah, fair point. That's what I figured. May as well go whole hog I guess, although first I need to check there's power and data connectivity in the loft.

Someone above mentioned a "4 port", what's that?

 

[GTiPUG]

A loft isn't a good place to put a NAS, you get wide temperature fluctuations and that is bad for hard drives.

Good point... I thought about that a few minutes after posting. I'd also have to cut ducts into the roof to regulate temperature, install fans etc. Probably best avoided.

I'll put the NAS and UPS in a cabinet in the main office near a window.

 

[GTiPUG]

I assume they mean a 5 port switch. 1 port being used for the cable to the router, the leftover 4 being used for TV and other stuff.

Last time I checked cat6a was not that more expensive compared to 5e, so might as well go for that. However, 5e is more flexible and may be easier to work with depending on how you want the contractor to run the cables around the house (eg if there's too many tight turnings).

Ah okay, gotcha. That makes sense. I'll definitely be installing a switch immediately after router as well as in the main office upstairs, so that's covered.

Oh really? I didn't even consider flexibility. I've read 6a is better shielded as well. Does this matter? I'll let the installers know I want 6a.

Do you think it'd be cheaper to buy my own reel of cable or have them supply?

 

[GTiPUG]

It's because of the shielding I found that causes the 6a cable to be a lot stiffer. So I usually just use it for longer distances, and then 5e for shorter distances where I need to bend the cable quite a bit.

Looking at your diagram, for gigabit speeds at those distances shielding won't matter that much, but for future proof sake (eg 10gb) it may be required.

As for pricing, it really depends on the contractor.

Hm okay, that's definitely worth noting then. I'll go for CAT5e out of the switches and CAT6a between router and upstairs ports.

Yeah, fair point. I'll double check with them.

 

[GTiPUG]

All of you cables are going to short in networking terms. All well within what Cat6 will support for 10GbE.

Obviously get quotes but Cat6a is going to cost more in materials and time, and you'll probably never see any benefit.

So not worth the extra cost/hassle? I guess 10Gbps is going to be relevant for a long time, so no need to try and exceed it, especially with distances of say 20m.

 

[GTiPUG]

Mine has been up there a couple of years now, server with several HDDs and a NAS with a few more HDDS. I have a small fan that runs on a timer during the day pointing at them to keep airflow moving, but never had any issues with temps being outside decent operational ranges.

Does it have any external ventilation?

Surely a fan only circulates the same warm air?

 

[GTiPUG]

I meant a 4 port faceplate to plug straight into rather than needing a switch under your TV stand and then in your other rooms I'd go with dual ports.

Ah okay I see. The router will be sat on the TV stand anyway with the TV hanging on the wall above. If the router and master socket are originating there, wouldn't the 4 port be better upstairs in the office? I'll speak to the contractor about that plate, looks super neat and tidy rather than a cable mess.

 

[GTiPUG]

You'll be needing more network switch ports than the router will provide.

You're going to need a add at least one network switch and decide where it/they will be located.

Once you know that you'll have a better idea of the required number of ports and their location.

For the router I'm thinking I'll need 4 connections - Philips Hue Bridge, ethernet to upstairs office, ethernet to upstairs master bedroom, ethernet to bedroom too. You're right, it leaves very little expansion. I think a nice 4 port switch for the TV cabinet and an 8 port switch for the office would suit.

 

[GTiPUG]

Don't forget that when you add a switch you loose the use of the ports that link them together. If you add a four port switch to a four port router you only actually gain two ports.

Switches tend to start with five port models. The cost difference is so small that you may as well start with the eight port models.

Haha, that's a pretty good point. I didn't consider that. Looks like the price difference on Amazon is £4, as you say, pretty much negligible.

Out of interest, why would someone go for a managed switch? Or a PoE switch?

 

[GTiPUG]

If you need to ask then you don't need one. They offer additional configuration and monitoring options.

To power PoE capable devices via their network cables. You can also use separate PoE injectors if that suits the situation better.

Awesome, thanks for clearing that up

 

[GTiPUG]

Im just starting doing this in my house, got a cheap 9U rack, 16 port switch, patch panel. Doing it all in Cat6 as i got 2 full boxes of the stuff from work.

Wow, lucky. I guess that's the next step up, getting my own rack. Perhaps I'll get my basic infrastructure set up first then in a few years get an even bigger setup as you describe!

 

[GTiPUG]

I think my decision to go for a 24 port switch was a bit overkill in hindsight - I'll likely want to upgrade to 10G before using more than 16 ports! 9U though...what will you be using it for? I got a 3U wall mount: 1U for patch panel, 1U for switch, 1U spare.

Why are patch panels necessary?

 

[GTiPUG]

They aren't.

You run solid core cable in the walls, and both ends should be terminated with a network socket. If you're using Cat5e you could crimp plugs onto one, or both ends, instead (nasty!), if you're using Cat6 or above then you shouldn't.

If you only have a few cables then you can use wall mounted faceplates on both ends. If you have many cables coming back to a central location it makes more sense to use a patch panel.

Ah, okay. So solid core CAT6 through the walls terminating at a keystone in the wall at each side, CAT5e from keystone to switch, CAT5e to client devices?

 

[GTiPUG]

They're not but I'd definitely recommend one unless you're only running a couple of cables - even then, mounting a patch panel is easier IMO than mounting a faceplate. This is all assuming the equipment is out of sight though; if you're talking about an area where you don't want network equipment visible then a faceplate makes more sense.

A patch panel basically creates a partition between your in-wall infrastructure (solid core cabling, faceplates and patch panel) and your malleable equipment (patch cabling, switch, router, devices). You could bypass the patch panel and instead crimp RJ45 connectors straight onto your solid core cables, but solid core cabling isn't very malleable and isn't designed to be moved much, so you don't really want to be unplugging and plugging them in a lot. Another problem is your in-wall cabling has a fixed length. If you wanted to move your switch you're buggered. It's basically the same as asking "Why use faceplates? Why not just plug the solid core straight into my devices?"...not a great idea. Patch panels just make sense from a maintenance point of view.

Basic patch panels are cheap, I figure why give yourself a potential headache in the future when you can put up that partition and (hopefully) not have to touch anything beyond the patch panel again?

Yeah okay, I see. Makes complete sense. In my case it's only running to three separate rooms upstairs, only one of which will have several devices present. I guess it'd be easier for me to keystone into the wall.

Why would you mix Cat6 and Cat5e? If you've decided on Cat6 use it for everything.

It seems like sound logic to use cheaper CAT5e for the 1-6m runs around the office room? I guess it's more malleable too?

 

[GTiPUG]

The cost difference between a Cat5e and a Cat6 network cable isn't worth worrying about, especially when you're only going to need a few.

Cat5e cables will work just fine if that's what you'd prefer.

Don't get tempted to make your own cables, it just isn't worth it.

The network cables you use from the wall to the device should be made from stranded cable. A Cat5e network cable will be a bit thinner and more flexible, but won't be any more malleable.

Right okay. This feels like it's gradually coming together in terms of dos and don'ts. Only time I've crimped my own cable was after a botch job of drilling one through the living room wall into the study of my parents' house. Been working fine ever since, but wouldn't be keen on doing it again.

 

[GTiPUG]

I need to throw this through a ceiling so bending it in place won't work unfortunately.

Most likely option for now is to use the normal cheap flexible stuff but pull a drawstring through with a vacuum cleaner before it's installed.

With a vacuum cleaner? What? Why?

 

[GTiPUG]

How long are you living there for? I'd possibly go Cat6A if it has the potential to be a forever home, that technology is maturing and due to it being shielded it is much better at heat dissipation which is quickly going to become important in the next few years.

Probably a few years, in the 5-10 range. Still a nice investment to make when it comes to selling the house I guess. I'd like to think people value network cable more than telephone sockets!