Networking and wiring question

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andypnb

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Dec 18, 2002
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I am thinking of finishing wiring the house for ethernet, and putting a switch centered in the attic, one in the crawl space and running cables to each room from there. Or alternatively put a larger switch in the garage and run cables up to attic and down to crawlspace, but it would mean a lot longer cables for some rooms (50+feet).

Anyone have any experience with putting a switch in the attic or crawlspace where temperature and humidity vary?

I currently have a basic ethernet cable running from the living room (several devices and modem and router) up to the attic then down into the upstairs office (several more wired devices and a wireless extender). But I will need ethernet to at least two more upstairs bedrooms, and another room downstairs, so I need to wire the whole house properly.

Any advice on where to read on best arrangements? And would something like the Netgear metal unmanaged gigabit switches work?
 
50 feet is nothing for ethernet.
Gig-E's maximum cable length over copper (without repeaters) is 100 meters (328 feet).

While you could probably pull standard CAT5e/CAT6, you might want to think about pulling plenum-rated cable (fewer noxious off-gassings in a fire situation). Additionally, if it's running anywhere that "critters" might be able to get at it, think about running the cable through conduit.

The Netgear metal boxes would probably work, the only problem you have to worry about is dust choking up the cooling fans eventually. Though, with a bit of ingenuity, you could probably rig something up using a few HVAC filters.
 
Cat 5E is good for right around 300ft.

What are your requirements for your switch? Cheap? Reliable? Managed? Unmanaged? 8 port? 24 port?

HP Procurve switches have a lifetime warranty. While they can be expensive, they're really easy to work with as far as replacement switches go.

We have a 24 port switch in a pool that we've had to replace 3 times due to humidity, each time was painless & free.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1ZCGW00NHEQ4F6TYCDNF
 
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Thanks guys.

I don't have many requirements other than simple and reliable. Seems like 2 8 ports might work, and I'll see if I can have them in an upstairs/downstairs closet rather than attic/crawlspace, with just the cables running in those spaces.

Since it's my own personal home network, I don't need to manage them, as I'll likely put a nice router between the modem and the first switch, and hopefully manage devices from there with relative ease.

1000ft of Monoprice Cat6 should work and I already have a crimper and various bits from the initial single run up/down which is through a conduit that carries the various hoses and pipes from the attic AC to the outside.
 
If you're going to take the time to do it, then it would be easier to just take all of the runs back into one location so you can connect / disconnect things as needed. Put all of the equipment into the same location and you'll be able to put it all on a battery backup if you want / need service during a power outage.

The closet is probably a better place and obviously it would be handy if you had one that already had power, otherwise you would need to have that run as well.
 
bman212121 said:
If you're going to take the time to do it, then it would be easier to just take all of the runs back into one location so you can connect / disconnect things as needed. Put all of the equipment into the same location and you'll be able to put it all on a battery backup if you want / need service during a power outage.

The closet is probably a better place and obviously it would be handy if you had one that already had power, otherwise you would need to have that run as well.
Click to expand...

The closets thankfully do have power already. Ultimately though I would still end up with two smaller local switches in the living room and office, as each has multiple wired devices next to each other.
 
Do it right and install a single, central switch for the entire house. The only reasons to use an additional switch:
- a device is located further than 100 meters from the central switch
- you have ore devices than drops at a particular location

Also, use Cat 5e instead. There is no reason to install Cat 6.
 
andypnb said:
Anyone have any experience with putting a switch in the attic or crawlspace where temperature and humidity vary?
Click to expand...

Don't do it. It's a fire risk. Not the actual catching fire - that's just as likely as elsewhere - but if the equipment is in a more sensible location, if it were to catch fire there's a greater chance of someone spotting that it's on fire and thus doing something about it.
 
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Question, why is the plate "terrible"?

Or more "terrible" than breaking out to ANOTHER switch on a desktop?
 
BlueLineSwinger said:
Do it right and install a single, central switch for the entire house. The only reasons to use an additional switch:
- a device is located further than 100 meters from the central switch
- you have ore devices than drops at a particular location

Also, use Cat 5e instead. There is no reason to install Cat 6.
Click to expand...

Depends on if he's doing 10GB over copper or not.
If so, he can't use Cat5e.
For 30-50 meter runs he can use Cat6.
For 100 meter runs he needs Cat6a.
 
Chas said:
Question, why is the plate "terrible"?

Or more "terrible" than breaking out to ANOTHER switch on a desktop?
Click to expand...

The issue is not the plate, the issue is that it's using couplers, IE the wires coming out of the wall would have plugs crimped on, then plugged into the coupler.
Get a 6 port plate and 6 punchdown jacks if you go that route.
 
Ah. Okay. I see your point. I was just trying to illustrate the fact that there were better options than breaking out to extraneous switches everyplace.
 
BlueLineSwinger said:
Also, use Cat 5e instead. There is no reason to install Cat 6.
Click to expand...


I don't agree.

Definitely use Cat6.

The cost of bulk cable is very cheap compared to the work involved in running it.

Spend the extra hundred bucks and have a higher grade cable.
 
Zangmonkey said:
I don't agree.

Definitely use Cat6.

The cost of bulk cable is very cheap compared to the work involved in running it.

Spend the extra hundred bucks and have a higher grade cable.
Click to expand...

with the caveat that better quality cat5e is better than poor quality 6...

also, 6 requires different termination techniques that the DIYer can have a real hard time with
 
Cat5e is standard for 1GBase-T. It will also run 2.5G and 5G NBase-T if that ever becomes a thing.

Cat6 isn't called for by any standards (and may or may not run 10G for short runs, ymmv).

Cat6a is standard for 10GBase-T but its much harder to work with and terminate properly.


I see no compelling reason for anything other than Cat5e right now, future proofing can be done with conduit.
 
devman said:
Cat5e is standard for 1GBase-T. It will also run 2.5G and 5G NBase-T if that ever becomes a thing.

Cat6 isn't called for by any standards (and may or may not run 10G for short runs, ymmv).

Cat6a is standard for 10GBase-T but its much harder to work with and terminate properly.


I see no compelling reason for anything other than Cat5e right now, future proofing can be done with conduit.
Click to expand...

+1 for the Cat5e quality cable.

I see a lot of amateurs and even trained IT technician fail to install Cat6 properly, getting the wires length right and a screen right is not that easy, without the right tools.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice.

I have decided that a closet location is far better than attic/crawlspace, and that 5e will be far more manageable than cat6 which I have worked with before but which is difficult to route because of the bending restrictions.

I am still undecided on the central location vs. local switches. I have 4 locations upstairs (closet, office, 2 bedrooms), and 2 locations downstairs (living room and family room) but the office upstairs and the two downstairs locations have or will have multiple devices. So all in all is sounds like a lot of wires (4-5) minimum to run between the floors. I already ran one cat5e and was hoping to break up each end with a switch that goes to the various locations.

I drew a rudimentary map here:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pU_DrP1Ov83c3Fll2pqkRlJzLBYmvep59J_mzw47c3M/edit?usp=sharing

The dotted devices are not there now, but anticipated over time, so I would like to wire accordingly.

And some of the items are not critical to have high speed, things like an Obi IP phone adapter.
 
You can always add switches later. Run multiple cables back to a closet. Later on, if you need more bandwidth or whatnot, you can even add a switch and an LAG where you need it.

We ran 2 runs of 400mhz wire (there was no category 5 back then) to every single room of a very large house in 1997. Today, that same house can run gigabit because of that wire.

Lesson? Don't cut corners on your wire or the number of runs. Conduit is good, but running better wire in the first place is better. (Conduit can be a pain to get wires through).
 
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