Where to start with home network?

[Vidar]

It's getting to the point where I'm wanting to setup a proper home network. For one I want to extend my wifi range so I can access it in the garden. I'd like to buy or build a NAS to use mainly as a plex server but also to back up pictures and vids etc. If possible to also use the NAS so I can get 3 or 4 security camera's installed and also to start going down the smart path with lights and sockets etc. Especially as we've now got more than a few devices that can be controlled with Alexa if we had it.

I'm currently just using the Virgin Media hub which has been fine apart from the lack of wifi range and the fact I've run out of ports on the back. Baring in mind this is going to be done over time and in stages where would you guys start? What would you get? And should I buy a NAS or build one myself?

I'm not going to be ripping off walls or pulling up floor boards so will be looking at running cables externally where possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Daaaavvveee]

Buy a Mesh Wifi system and add everything else into it?

We have a Tenda MW6, linked to 3x Tenda MW3's (Around £70).
Apple Time Capsule plugged into that in Bridge mode for backups, and I use the Ethernet on the Capsule to connect to a switch near my TV which is connected to the rest of my devices.
Server in the garage, connected to a Smart plug for remote power if needed and a powerline adapter which connects to another which is cabled(Ethernet) into the MW6.
We also have the Blink wireless cameras - They are only activated on motion - I think they are currently on sale with Amazon.
Smart plugs then link directly to the wifi and work as you would expect.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

Find a central point in the house. Run ethernet cable back to central point from each place you want a network point.

What's your budget?

 

[Caged]

I would agree that gradually cabling up the house is more important than the equipment you pick at this stage. I think most houses would manage without a mesh network quite happily as long as the router was installed in a central position - mesh Wi-Fi systems tend to get used to solve the problem of the router being placed in the corner of the house or on the floor by the front door, when relocating that equipment would be the best approach.

 

[BigT]

Echo the comments on cabling and positioning and its importance as a first consideration.

With respect to your query on the NAS and its functionality, certainly many NAS now come with features to enable them to act as NVRs for CCTV and also home automation like you want. I can't speak for the quality off the shelf products like Synology and QNAP but home built systems using an OS like UnRaid are more than capable of that using docker containers for things like Shinobi and HASSio. A quick check of my UnRaid NAS sees me running automated downloaders, media servers, home automation servers, IPTV servers, reverse proxies and local 'cloud' storage servers without it breaking a sweat. In fact, since I implemented the use of an encrypted Google drive as the back end for my media storage for unlimited capacity, the NAS is far less of a NAS than ever these days!

I have to say, while it will sound like a broken record and slightly fanboy-ish, since I've introduced Ubiquiti, pfSense and UnRaid into my home a few years ago I haven't felt the need to tinker with or do anything else equipment wise. Family are happy there's WiFi across the house and garden, everyone at home and selected friends get a Netflix like experience from my media server and I still get to indulge my inner geek by doing things like getting my home automation server to turn the pond fountain off automatically when the Met Office says the temperature will drop below 3 degrees and there's a risk of it freezing up.

 

[WJA96]

It's getting to the point where I'm wanting to setup a proper home network. For one I want to extend my wifi range so I can access it in the garden.

OK, You don't want increased range, you want increased coverage. For the garden, don't mess about get an external access point. Unifi AP-AC-Mesh is a good option.

I'd like to buy or build a NAS to use mainly as a plex server but also to back up pictures and vids etc. If possible to also use the NAS so I can get 3 or 4 security camera's installed and also to start going down the smart path with lights and sockets etc. Especially as we've now got more than a few devices that can be controlled with Alexa if we had it.

Have a look at the QNAP QGD-1600P Guardian with a TR-004U expansion station. Yes, it's knocking on £1000 but it will run pfSense (the router/firewall), your NAS and your CCTV system. It's fully PoE, has a VERY strong processor for PLEX and has two PCIe expansion slots for a 10GbE upgrade if you ever wanted to.

I'm currently just using the Virgin Media hub which has been fine apart from the lack of wifi range and the fact I've run out of ports on the back. Baring in mind this is going to be done over time and in stages where would you guys start? What would you get? And should I buy a NAS or build one myself?

The Virgin hub just goes into Modem mode and your new router/firewall just goes downstream of that.

I always start with what devices will be connected, what their cable and power requirements are, then pick centralised hardware to go in a central location and then fit it. For wireless devices, you want to position the access points so no client is ever more than 1 wall or floor/ceiling away from the access point. That will give you decent 5GHz AC WLAN throughout.

I'm not going to be ripping off walls or pulling up floor boards so will be looking at running cables externally where possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

25mm plastic conduit will take 3-4 CAT6 external CAT6 cables. That's what I would normally use to run my external cable sets.