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

You can run cable externally, just make sure the cables are fit to be run externally.

The main thing that is going to create heat is the microserver. Patch panel and switch will produce little. Is the cupboard sealed? Could you add a grill if needed?
 
Blinkz said:
Hi folks,

Loads of great info in here!

I’m just about to start a similar project as I’ve just moved into a new house. Currently trying to finalise where/how many sockets I’ll need as well as an idea on how they could be routed.

Sadly we don’t need/plan to be doing a full renovation, so trying to minimise the mess! My plan at the moment is to have the patch panel/switch/modem/microserver etc in a cupboard in the study, which I’ve converted from the smallest bedroom. This offers easy access up into the loft so should be relatively simple to wire the bedrooms, however going downstairs to the kitchen,lounge and outside (we’ve a garden studio which I eventually want to make into a home cinema) will be more of a challenge! As a last ditch idea I could run cables outside and then back in?

Also will I have cooling issues putting all the equipment into a large cupboard?

Cheers!
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To get from upstairs to downstairs I used the existing service box that contained the waste pipe. There was enough space around the waste pipe to not even have to go through the massive effort of making new holes - just poked the cable rods down the existing gap and they made their way downstairs.

As far as cooling goes, it depends what you're putting in there. A patch panel isn't powered, the switch and router will kick out little heat, the server might kick out more if it's doing heavier duty stuff. My under-stairs cupboard has the same equipment except two servers and it does get a bit toasty sometimes (expected with 10 HDDs) but then we just open the door to heat up the lounge a bit :). You probably won't have that option but as long as the temps are reasonable you should be fine.
 
Microservers are small enough that they can be put elsewhere if needs be, they need ventilation or more specifically drives will benefit from cooler temps. Some routers do run hot - my Asus for example especially if overclocked.

Running cables under the floor is relatively easy if you're doing it prior to laying carpets/flooring. Always pull extra feeds - I skimped one one room and when a cable went bad was only saved by converting from a twin feed balun to a single.
 
Avalon said:
Microservers are small enough that they can be put elsewhere if needs be, they need ventilation or more specifically drives will benefit from cooler temps. Some routers do run hot - my Asus for example especially if overclocked.

Running cables under the floor is relatively easy if you're doing it prior to laying carpets/flooring. Always pull extra feeds - I skimped one one room and when a cable went bad was only saved by converting from a twin feed balun to a single.
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Can't you just use the existing bad cable to pull through a new one? Also how easy it is to go under floors depends on what flooring you have. Floorboards are easy, tongue and groove panels are not.
 
DragonQ said:
Can't you just use the existing bad cable to pull through a new one? Also how easy it is to go under floors depends on what flooring you have. Floorboards are easy, tongue and groove panels are not.
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No. It's a concrete floor that I cut a channel in prior to re-levelling and laminate over the top. Over the years I've refurbed a reasonable number or properties, I have no issues with doing the work, but the level of disruption/cost likely required to do this particular job in a property I live in is disproportionate to the benefit. I'll either go external or drop a feed from above or pull from another room when decorating next. Just depends what work needs doing first. In the meantime I have a cable trailing about, while not ideal, it works. This is why I always usually do multiple pulls, in this case I think I ran out of cable as it was the last one I did.
 
Avalon said:
No. It's a concrete floor that I cut a channel in prior to re-levelling and laminate over the top. Over the years I've refurbed a reasonable number or properties, I have no issues with doing the work, but the level of disruption/cost likely required to do this particular job in a property I live in is disproportionate to the benefit. I'll either go external or drop a feed from above or pull from another room when decorating next. Just depends what work needs doing first. In the meantime I have a cable trailing about, while not ideal, it works. This is why I always usually do multiple pulls, in this case I think I ran out of cable as it was the last one I did.
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Fair enough. I have cables that are just in wall cavities right now so I can pull through still. For example, I found my existing speaker cables were slightly too short for my new setup so I used them to pull through new longer cables. Once they get put in the skirting though I won't be able to do this.
 
Thanks for the replies. Good idea to use the foul water drain box to get the cables down, altho for me they are the wrong side of the house to get anywhere useful. Once the cables are on the ground floor I’m not sure how I’d route them to where they needed to go, it would just be a lot easier to have a cable going down the outside of the house and then straight into the correct room/area. The ground floors are concrete so no chance of going under them!

Now I’m sure this is a very basic network question, but what is the difference between just routing a single cable and having a switch at the end of it to sevice multiple devices VS routing lots so there is one for each device? Is their bandwidth issues? Main concern is to my garden studio which will have between 5-8 devices needing network access eventually. The lounge will also need a few as well other then that each bedroom prob only needs 2 each.

Also I briefly thought about doing it all myself but I’m pretty sure it’s beyond my DIY skills! Who would be the best person to get quotes from? A sparky or a proper IT/network company? Not even sure where to look!

Thanks for the advice about heat in the cupboard, it would be simple to put a grill on the side of the wardrobe, and if still an issue as said I could find some where else for the server. It wouldn’t be doing a huge amount, mainly just a file server and sickrage etc. Although at somepoint I might upgrade it so it can transcode for plex.
 
Blinkz said:
Now I’m sure this is a very basic network question, but what is the difference between just routing a single cable and having a switch at the end of it to sevice multiple devices VS routing lots so there is one for each device? Is their bandwidth issues? Main concern is to my garden studio which will have between 5-8 devices needing network access eventually. The lounge will also need a few as well other then that each bedroom prob only needs 2 each.
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Just bandwidth. More port-to-switch connections means more devices that can communicate at full speed without bottlenecking others. For a TV end-point one link is probably enough.
 
Simple version: If you run a single cable then the available maximum bandwidth is limited to the bandwidth of that single cable, usually gigabit (1000mbit) so 125MB/s theoretical max. Your 8 devices (assuming you are downloading at max speed on all 8 of them at the same time which seems unlikely) would be capable of receiving 15.6MB/s or roughly 125mbit/s each at the same time. In practical terms it would be unusual for someone to max out 8 devices 24/7 like that and most of the UK hasn't got an internet connection that would max gigabit. Even if you stream HD video to 8 devices it's not likely to be an issue.
 
ah ok thanks for the gen. As you say I'm unlikely to max it out all the time, however I plan to have an HTPC and will stream 4k content from the server which will take a fair bit of bandwidth. Other then that it will be an Xbox, gaming PC and a wifi extender. As you say even using all of them at the same time I don't think it will max it out! Latency will be more of a concern for the gaming. Although if I'm burying one cable I might as well do a handful!
 
If you have the space, for the small cost I'd probably run 4 cables or something.

Even if you only use say 1 for now. Backup in case 1 fails/breaks or for future upgrades. :)
 
TBH I would normally pull a minimum of 2 cables for any room that needs basic data and 4 for any room that may need an AV feed. Sending HDMI via cat5/6 requires unbroken links and (without spending a lot of money and usually running separate networks) won’t go via an IP network.
 
I’ve the space so I’ll plan on having separate cables for the heavy bandwidth devices and another for a switch to give connectivity for the other devices.

Any one in Surrey have any recommendations for some to install all the cables? Not sure if I should get a quote from an electrician or a specific IT/network specialist?
 
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