Networking the house...router/switch suggestions needed!

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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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So..we're finally buying a house and it's a 4BD house.

I want it setup like so...

BD1 and BD2 will have (1) ethernet jack.

Office and MediaRoom will have (4) jacks? I'll have a ps3/360 hooked up for sure and could have other stuff later down the road? I'm not sure of the best way to remedy this...

I would like (2) jacks in the living room as well.

I will have:
(2) laptops via WiFi
(2) Ps3
(1) 360
(1) printer...trying to find a good wireless one (laser/scan/fax) but it's been hard to find one in my budget so it'd be awesome if the router could have a built-in print server like the WNDR3800, and then I'll have a few other machines hooked up randomly here and there but primarily just what's listed will be hooked up.

So I was looking at a NetGear WNDR3700/4000 and then I would need a good gigabit switch, 6-8 ports I guess? Would it make a real difference if they're different brands? Would they play better if they were?

I've considered NetGear/TrendNet switches thus far. I am on a budget but I don't want to 'waste' money so I'd like to get some decent equipment.
 
Modelworks

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
If I were doing a home now the first thing I would do is see if I could find any used commercial gear off somewhere like ebay. A commercial switch is going to have better build quality and with a permanent install that is what you want. There are quite a few dell powerconnect 2716 switches on ebay for under $100 new that are going to be better than anything you find sold for home use. They are managed switches and have 16 ports .
 
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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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Modelworks said:
If I were doing a home now the first thing I would do is see if I could find any used commercial gear off somewhere like ebay. A commercial switch is going to have better build quality and with a permanent install that is what you want. There are quite a few dell powerconnect 2716 switches on ebay for under $100 new that are going to be better than anything you find sold for home use. They are managed switches and have 16 ports .
Click to expand...

I agree with what you're saying but at the same time I want to keep it small b/c my plan is to have these mounted in the attic somewhere and I'm sure that the poweconnects are a bit tricky to mount on a cork-board, lol...I'm sure I could manage to use 'nails' to hold it up though..

Anyway...would this thing be any good?

Cisco SD2008
 
Modelworks

Modelworks

Lifer
Feb 22, 2007
16,240
7
76
DigitalCancer said:
I agree with what you're saying but at the same time I want to keep it small b/c my plan is to have these mounted in the attic somewhere and I'm sure that the poweconnects are a bit tricky to mount on a cork-board, lol...I'm sure I could manage to use 'nails' to hold it up though..

Anyway...would this thing be any good?

Cisco SD2008
Click to expand...

Mounting it isn't a problem , you can use screws to attach it to a 2x4 or something similar. One concern you need to have with putting the networking in the attic is the heat during the summer. One of the benefits of commercial gear is that it generally does better in high temp situations. You can use regular stuff in the attic but keep the summertime temps in mind.

I don't have any experience with that switch but it looks like it would work.
One difference you will find with consumer gear is the use of a power adapter vs a power cord. Power adapters fail more often . I prefer to deal with power cords rather than wall adapters any day.
 
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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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Yea...I just realized that switch is UnManaged as well...I really would like to get one that's able to be managed...I'm with you on the power adapters!
 
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Aarondeep

Golden Member
Jan 26, 2000
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What hardware do you currently have? Are you going to use a SOHO router or a linux firewall type solution?
I would look into getting a nice HP procurve managed switch. They are fairly inexpensive. You are likely going to want something with >8 ports though.

Look into geting a wired printer, these are usually quite a bit cheaper than wireless counterparts.
 
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Arcanedeath

Platinum Member
Jan 29, 2000
2,822
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I would second the suggestion for the Powerconect 27XX series switch or an HP Procure one both are good choices although the HP is nicer but more expenisve.

I used www.Monoprice.com and just got wall plates, cat 6 keystone jacks and a patch pannel along with low voltage boxes and put them all in myself for the most part it's not that tough, you also need a 110 puch down tool to do it right as well. the keystone jacks go into the wall plates and it looks profesional I did 23 drops and wired up my whole place, the hardest part was pulling the cable and it helps to have more than one box, (I put everything in the basement but you could do it via the attic as well.)

I would also suggest if your going to run just 1 jack run a 2nd cable at the same time incase you have an issue with one so you don't have to redo the job.
 
heymrdj

heymrdj

Diamond Member
May 28, 2007
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I picked up several used Dell Powerconnect 2724 managed gigabit switches off ebay for only 95$ each for a lab. All were in perfect condition. Only downfall is there fairly loud fans :p. But they are wonderful switches for a wonderful price.
 
sep

sep

Platinum Member
Aug 1, 2001
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Just Curious...why use a patch panel? I've setup Cat5 networks with and without these but didn't see a difference.
 
notposting

notposting

Diamond Member
Jul 22, 2005
3,498
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sep said:
Just Curious...why use a patch panel? I've setup Cat5 networks with and without these but didn't see a difference.
Click to expand...

Standards are to use jacks, factory made stranded copper patch cables, and solid copper cable for the permanent link horizontal cabling. Putting connectors directly on the cable is frowned on except in very unusual circumstances.

edit: basically for continued performance (the solid cable isn't made for ongoing flexing and disruption), easier troubleshooting, flexibility going forward in changing things. Etc etc...
 
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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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Yea...I most likely won't use a patch panel since 1) no rack and 2) there's only going to be 12 ports or so.

I have been watching ebay for some PowerConnect 2724's and it seems I can snag one for about $60-70. I was looking at the HP ProCurves but they're just way too expensive for me..cheapest I can find a gigabit for is about $120 or so...I like the look of the Dell better and it'll do just fine I think.

I need to find a place that sells the cabling fairly cheap in bulk but I don't need 1000+ft of it...I need maybe 500ft at the most I think. I found the 1000ft cat 6 for $170 which isn't bad but I think I could save a bit of cash if I were to be able to buy less?

Thanks for all the input guys...I'll let you know how it turns out for sure...it'll probably be after December though as we haven't even closed on the house yet...can't even move in until 12/23/11. =/
 
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imagoon

Diamond Member
Feb 19, 2003
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notposting said:
Standards are to use jacks, factory made stranded copper patch cables, and solid copper cable for the permanent link horizontal cabling. Putting connectors directly on the cable is frowned on except in very unusual circumstances.

edit: basically for continued performance (the solid cable isn't made for ongoing flexing and disruption), easier troubleshooting, flexibility going forward in changing things. Etc etc...
Click to expand...

To further push this point... Having seen customers "save money" by putting the mod ends on... They always loved paying me [and my company] to come out and fix the ends because random work X moved the switch sitting on the desk to get a pen that fell on the floor. Basically the movement over time will break the solid cores as mod ends are not for any cable that moves, which a switch to building cable does.

Really silly since the panels and the swing arms are typically sub $200 per 48 ports. If they had done it right the first time, the labor would have been the same also.
 
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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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Not sure that I'm following you 100%...

I'm going to have roughly...12 cables total (x4 in one room, x4 in another room, x2 in one room, and x1 in 2 other rooms). What's my benefit of having the patch panel in between? Those cables would run straight off the switch down to the outlets.

I guess what I'm saying is....you're saying it's done like so...which I know but that's typically just make it easier for labeling and what-not.

=======Room 1 (x4)
PATCH=======Room 2 (x2)
=======Room 3 (x2)
||||||
SWITCH
|
Router
|
MODEM


But...
There wouldn't be any issues with anything (unless I needed to change out a wire which even then I could potentially need to re-run it to the patch)...with doing it this way...

=======Room 1 (x4)
=======Room 2 (x2)
=======Room 3 (x2)
||||||
SWITCH
|
Router
|
MODEM
 
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jlazzaro

Golden Member
May 6, 2004
1,743
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DigitalCancer said:
There wouldn't be any issues with anything (unless I needed to change out a wire which even then I could potentially need to re-run it to the patch)...with doing it this way...
Click to expand...

is that statement based on your years of experience with structured network cabling? i didn't think so...

will it work? probably. but at the end of the day its still a half-assed solution that's out of specification.
 
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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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jlazzaro said:
is that statement based on your years of experience with structured network cabling? i didn't think so...
Click to expand...

Don't have to be rude...I'm asking for an explanation as to WHY it needs to be done this way when it's not in an enterprise environment and nothing will be moving since the other end will be plugged into a wall plate?
So the one end of the cable in a stationary switch and other end in a stationary wall-plate...why is there an issue?
 
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imagoon

Diamond Member
Feb 19, 2003
5,199
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DigitalCancer said:
Not sure that I'm following you 100%...

I'm going to have roughly...12 cables total (x4 in one room, x4 in another room, x2 in one room, and x1 in 2 other rooms). What's my benefit of having the patch panel in between? Those cables would run straight off the switch down to the outlets.

I guess what I'm saying is....you're saying it's done like so...which I know but that's typically just make it easier for labeling and what-not.

=======Room 1 (x4)
PATCH=======Room 2 (x2)
=======Room 3 (x2)
||||||
SWITCH
|
Router
|
MODEM


But...
There wouldn't be any issues with anything (unless I needed to change out a wire which even then I could potentially need to re-run it to the patch)...with doing it this way...

=======Room 1 (x4)
=======Room 2 (x2)
=======Room 3 (x2)
||||||
SWITCH
|
Router
|
MODEM
Click to expand...

It will matter when you break a cable changing ports/swapping the switch some day, move the switch etc. Also you don't waste money on a mod end tool and the mod ends.

--edit-- to answer the next question

The switch is never as "stationary" as the wall the patch panel is mounted to. You will have to potentially plug another cable in, unmount it because the switch died, have the family dog bump it / whatever. The patch panel never moves in this case, but the switch did.

Additinally it allows you to repurpose the cable if you need to. IE run an HDMI extender etc if you decide to put a media PC in the basement so you don't have to listen to it etc.
 
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jlazzaro

Golden Member
May 6, 2004
1,743
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DigitalCancer said:
Don't have to be rude...I'm asking for an explanation as to WHY it needs to be done this way when it's not in an enterprise environment and nothing will be moving since the other end will be plugged into a wall plate?
So the one end of the cable in a stationary switch and other end in a stationary wall-plate...why is there an issue?
Click to expand...

not trying to be rude...i read your last sentence as a statement, not a question.
 
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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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Sorry....the "..." means add something to the end. ^_^

Anyway, if I did get the patch panel (which I prolly will since it's the 'right' way to do things I guess) is there a 'swing arm' that would have room to mount the patch/switch? My server is just going to be a mATX case, nothing special so it'll have it's own spot on the floor/shelf..whatever I decide to do there.

Website suggestions for buying 'cheap' cables/mounts? I have MonoPrice down...they might be the cheapest I guess?
 
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DigitalCancer

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2004
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