Home networking set up advice - new build house

[mikea1234]

Hi, I'm in the early stages of building a new house. I've got a passable understanding of the basics of home networking and I'd welcome a bit of advice on the ideal config and set up of the networking kit. The house is approx 450 SqMetres in size with fast broadband. There is fibre in the nearest cabinet that I'll probably switch to when the place is built.

I work from home and we are fairly heavy streamers with a mix of Deezer, Netflix, Sonos and on demand stuff at the same time as well as a couple of NAS used for my business. I'm also looking at a PoE based security system and mounting some cameras inside and out.

It's pretty ambitious but I'd like to have a crack at doing this myself including running the cables rather than rely on a contractor.

I have a budget of up to £1000 including the cables, wall outlets and jacks.

So my question is about the kit list I should think about?

I've small plant room where the boiler and some of the solar panel stuff lives and it's where I have the incoming BT line terminate. I'm thinking of a small wall mounted rack, does have any recommendations on a rack mounted modem, router and switch? I'm a bit less clear on what ceiling or wall mounted access points I should consider.

I'd be grateful if anyone has any thoughts or advice of kit they would recommend for this kind of set up? Cheers.

 

[velocityg4]

Ceiling Mounted Access Points: Every high end remodeled house or custom built house I go into use Ubiquiti Networks Access Points. They are exceptionally well reviewed. I've never experienced clients having any WiFi issues.
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/

Utility Room:
PoE+ Switch: How many PoE+ devices will you have? Cameras and access points. Don’t forget outdoor WiFi.

Regular Switch: How many non PoE+ Ethernet jacks will you have? I’d say one per room don’t forget the garage and laundry. Yes, washers and dryers now offer networking for some idiotic reason. Large rooms you might want two.

Router: Do you plan on having dual ISP? For load balancing and fail over. If so what is the total throughput?

Do you want a Patch Panel to look more official?

Wiring:
I’d go with Cat6a wall jacks and cables. It’s the latest finalized standard I’m aware of. I don’t have a preference in brand. I buy them off Monoprice. Get the cable in bulk spools.

 

[bill001g]

You never really know what the future of network is. It really does not pay to spend a lot of money in the hope you might use it only to have even newer technology be available by the time you need it.

I would run 1/2 or 3/4 inch flexible conduit. You can pull all your cable tv and ethernet through it. This way you can put in cat5e today and if you ever need anything better it is easy to pull back out and replace. The cost of conduit and cat5e compared to saying going directly to cat6a (ie 10gbit) will likely be a bit cheaper or about the same. This is sorta like the guys who wired their video for SVHS and then HDMI killed it off.

You could also just run the conduit with no wires until you figure out how many connection you really need in a location. Saves money on jacks that are seldom or never used.

 

[USAFRet]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I would run 1/2 or 3/4 inch flexible conduit.

What he said.
7 years from now, drag out the Cat5e and run fiber. Or whatever is the new shiny thing.

 

[velocityg4]

While the conduit is a great idea. Considering the number of hours of labor involved in doing all this. In my opinion, spending perhaps an extra $100 on a bulk role of Cat6a and Cat6a keystone jacks is well worth the expense for piece of mind. In ten years if fiber optics or something else replaces it before the extra capability is useful. Who cares you'll still have had years of use of it? If networking equipment makes use of the extra capacity. You'll be happy you don't need to run cables again.

 

[kanewolf]

Smurf tube conduit is available in large reels. You have to put a wall box in anyway. Why not put the conduit in the walls also. You can then at least get to the common space area (attic or basement).

 

[mikea1234]

Cheers for all the advice, appreciated.