Upgrading home network from Cat5 questions

[robphelan]

Hey everyone.. so currently, my hardwired connections terminate in the attic (thanks home builder!) because they used Cat5 as phone cable. So, I just threw a switch up there and ran a connection from my router to the switch to connect all the rooms.

Well, I've finally decided to have someone come in and re-run wires to terminate them inside the house.

I'm hoping to hear from you guys about recommended upgrades or anything else you've done/seen/wish you would have done while I have someone doing the work.

I have ports in just about every room where there were telephone jacks. I currently have no closet or patch panel or anything like that.

I would like to connect 1 - 2 NAS boxes hidden away wherever the patch panel will be. Also, I think I'm going to have the guy install a home surveillance system and make sure it is internet enabled.

thanks in advance.
RP.

 

[JoeMcJoe]

If you're thinking about a security system using Ethernet, recommend to get a POE Switch to power the cameras.

 

[azazel1024]

I'd personally I'd just see about putting a patch panel in where your current switch is and then see if I can run cabling as a trunk to the closest closet below the attic and slap the switch in there if you don't want it in the attic any longer.

I wouldn't bother rewiring the house. Well, unless that is really Cat5 and not 5e. If it is 5e, I'd leave it, if it is 5, I'd rewire. Reason being is that 5e can and will do 10GbE with proper termination and nothing really noisy near the wires (and not too big a trunk), up to 45 meters on a run. Cat5 might not be able to hit 10GbE at all (or only over very short distances).

Too much cost/work involved in rewiring every room, especially if the cables are stapled down and not loose in the walls. If it is a simple matter of a re-pull using existing cables, I'd pull Cat6 through and call it a day (good on 10GbE to 55m and much better with noisy environments than 5e is).

If I had to open the walls to do it all and the electrician isn't going to charge much more, I'd go cat6a...just because the installation costs are probably going to be much more than the "parts" costs on the job...and might as well make it far future proofed as possible while I was at it (Cat6a is good on 10GbE for 100m and on 100GbE for 30m IIRC). Heck the marginal cost between all cat6 and all cat6a is probably only $200-300 for an entire house (well, a typical house) compared to that $500-1,500 in labor...so why not.

PS I personally lay cat6, as I feel it is a good balance between future proofing and cost as I do the work myself, the marginal cost is significant as my entire house in cat6a might be $500, compared to $200 for cat6 that I had spent (once you include jacks, patch panel, cable, etc).

 

[robphelan]

so, patch panel in the attic, then a trunk to a closet inside the house to a switch?

i'll have to check if it's 5 or 5e.. not sure off hand.

 

[azazel1024]

Yes, that is what I would do. Especially if you can locate it in something like a master bedroom closet or something like that. Shouldn't really take up all that much space and it means fairly short runs and likely a pretty easy install of the wires in the wall/attic.

Probably a lot cheaper and certainly a heck of a lot easier than trying to re-pull and then relocate all of the existing runs.