Wiring new house

travm

[H]ard|Gawd
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I'm wiring a new house with cat 6 and rg6 for satellites. Looking for some feedback on my plan.
Rg6 runs into the server cabinet, enough for two dishes.
Cat 6, 4 each runs to master bed and main living room.
Three runs to each other bedroom, one to kitchen and utility room, two in office(server cabinet is in office), two into attic above garage. Also runs for three access points through the house. I'm planning on using HDMI extenders to each tv from the server cabinet where all the satellite receivers are.
Any thoughts?
 
The only thing I'd add to that kind of setup, if you can, is a conduit leading from outside to your main distro point in case of future upgrade needs, such as fiber optic cabling coming to your neighborhood for internet service. That would make the runs easier, even if it's just into the attic so when they come to install it they have to run it into the attic, then just trhough that tubing.
 
The only thing I'd add to that kind of setup, if you can, is a conduit leading from outside to your main distro point in case of future upgrade needs, such as fiber optic cabling coming to your neighborhood for internet service. That would make the runs easier, even if it's just into the attic so when they come to install it they have to run it into the attic, then just trhough that tubing.
Building inspector won't allow an opening like that. Everything needs to be sealed AF. If I left a conduit to the outside I would have to fill it with caulk. The house will have fibre to the server cabinet, but the ISP is doing that.
 
jerry8169 Ditto on the chase/conduit from where cable/FIOS etc comes in the house (typically garage) to patch panel or main distribution point. Highly recommended for future proofing. Also take a good look at the blueprints to determine choke points where running a future cable may be next to impossible to seek to resolve now.

Secondly, As we become more connected and smart device invade our lives I would run at least one Cat 6 to every room (kitchen, utility rm, bathrooms bedrooms) in the house including patio, garage and all potential security camera (w/PPPoE switch) locations for that matter run one to the boat dock too if you have one. Use solid core Cat 6 for that with Keystone wall plate termination and use switches as needed from there. For me as a retired custom home builder who has had electricians/home automation experts etc. prewire many high end custom home this keeps it simple not only for now but for a future owner. We can debate using the patch panel and 4 runs to each location but with the added expense of cables everywhere it may make more sense to use switches where they terminate as needed which can be replaced/upgraded/reconfigured easily when changes are necessary. I don't care how good Wifi becomes Ethernet will always be more secure, higher speed and less congested or interfered with.

If you never use 1/2 of it one day you will be glad you did it when you need it for a project that you otherwise would forgo due to the cost of running a drop where you need it after the home is finished. I've been thanked more than once for this advice.

travm makes a good point however many things can happen after a CO ;) and there is a proper way to do it that meets code.
 
Building inspector won't allow an opening like that. Everything needs to be sealed AF. If I left a conduit to the outside I would have to fill it with caulk. The house will have fibre to the server cabinet, but the ISP is doing that.
Well, if nothing else, you can just have the conduit terminate in the attic near it's entrance, that way there's less trouble to run the new line, especially if there's any small areas between the attic entrance and where it needs to go, or if it's a 2 story house. Running a line down something like that can be a pain in the....
 
Well, if nothing else, you can just have the conduit terminate in the attic near it's entrance, that way there's less trouble to run the new line, especially if there's any small areas between the attic entrance and where it needs to go, or if it's a 2 story house. Running a line down something like that can be a pain in the....
Reasonable advice. Attic is huge, very accessable. My biggest concern on the while job is making sure I get all the connections in the outside walls that I might ever want. Interior walls will be fairly easy. Single floor, with drop ceiling in the basement. The builder may kick my ass if I try putting holes in the wall for the future.
 
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My house (built in 2000ish) has coax from the wiring center to the bedrooms and two to the living room; was handy when I got an OTA antenna installed. It was wired for satellite, with some sort of splitter, but it was easy enough to reuse for OTA instead. If an attic antenna is a possibility, a line (or two) to the attic might make sense. I don't know, but I think I'd rather have the receivers in the same room as the tv, I don't necessarily trust long distance HDMI; and for OTA, the built in tuner seems like the best experience.

I'd put at least a couple ethernet jacks in the wall in the garage, and not just the attic. In the other rooms, be sure to put jacks on different walls, four on the same wall (for example) isn't very helpful when it's the wrong wall. Conduit (marked in some way) to right behind the demarc would be great in case of new utilities (cable, telephone, whatever). If you have underground utilities on your lot, a spare (empty) conduit to the pole / street would also be helpful; I've got an install quote from my local municipal fiber, and half the price is trenching on my lot, because there's no other way to get it from the street to my house, an extra conduit would bring the price down enough that it might be doable, but for now I'm stuck with the wires in the ground.
 
Building inspector won't allow an opening like that. Everything needs to be sealed AF. If I left a conduit to the outside I would have to fill it with caulk. The house will have fibre to the server cabinet, but the ISP is doing that.
If you use solid PVC, just glue a PVC cap on it. This is what we did on some PVC conduits at a business.
 
jerry8169 Ditto on the chase/conduit from where cable/FIOS etc comes in the house (typically garage) to patch panel or main distribution point. Highly recommended for future proofing. Also take a good look at the blueprints to determine choke points where running a future cable may be next to impossible to seek to resolve now.

Secondly, As we become more connected and smart device invade our lives I would run at least one Cat 6 to every room (kitchen, utility rm, bathrooms bedrooms) in the house including patio, garage and all potential security camera (w/PPPoE switch) locations for that matter run one to the boat dock too if you have one. Use solid core Cat 6 for that with Keystone wall plate termination and use switches as needed from there. For me as a retired custom home builder who has had electricians/home automation experts etc. prewire many high end custom home this keeps it simple not only for now but for a future owner. We can debate using the patch panel and 4 runs to each location but with the added expense of cables everywhere it may make more sense to use switches where they terminate as needed which can be replaced/upgraded/reconfigured easily when changes are necessary. I don't care how good Wifi becomes Ethernet will always be more secure, higher speed and less congested or interfered with.

If you never use 1/2 of it one day you will be glad you did it when you need it for a project that you otherwise would forgo due to the cost of running a drop where you need it after the home is finished. I've been thanked more than once for this advice.

travm makes a good point however many things can happen after a CO ;) and there is a proper way to do it that meets code.
This is absolutely super advice. I would even add that multiple drops to each room is paramount in case something goes wrong during construction that renders a cable useless. It's a lot easier to not deal with running a new cable once the walls are sealed up. This has saved us more than once as my parents house that was wired in 1995.
 
I don't know, but I think I'd rather have the receivers in the same room as the tv, I don't necessarily trust long distance HDMI; and for OTA, the built in tuner seems like the best experience.
House is "up north", there are no OTA signals, and I highly doubt there ever will be. HDMI and IR over Ethernet seems reliable.
be sure to put jacks on different walls, four on the same wall (for example) isn't very helpful when it's the wrong wall.
I'm not positive I want to do this, but maybe... The current thought is all the outlets hide behind the TV. The TV's are basically planned out and shouldn't move. Also if they do move, inevitably the other jacks will still be in the wrong spot. Running 1-2 lines to another location that might be used for phone is the only reason I'm considering this. Also maybe ethernet beside the bed for in bed hardwired laptop?
Conduit (marked in some way) to right behind the demarc would be great in case of new utilities (cable, telephone, whatever).
the demarc is literally miles away from the house, the likelihood of new utilities is somewhere on an infinite path towards zero. Unless portable nuke generators become a thing, then one of those will be installed in the garage.
 
I'm not positive I want to do this, but maybe... The current thought is all the outlets hide behind the TV. The TV's are basically planned out and shouldn't move. Also if they do move, inevitably the other jacks will still be in the wrong spot. Running 1-2 lines to another location that might be used for phone is the only reason I'm considering this. Also maybe ethernet beside the bed for in bed hardwired laptop?
There's a lot of reasons to have extra ports where you potentially want them--security devices, iot devices, new 'must have' things that come along in the next 20 years that need/better utilize a wired connection. You can always put a switch of course to get the ports you need, but if you need full bandwidth back to the main switch, only a home run port will do. I would consider 1 port to the TV since you know it's not moving and then at lease 2x ports elsewhere like by the bed where a phone would potentially be. I know in the larger or more utilized rooms at my parent's house, we put 2x ports on either side of the room and this has been very useful over the years.
 
I am building a house and nearing completion right now. I have 4000 feet of cat 6 cable that I ran (by I, I mean I paid for it).

Couple of things from a guy who has done and is doing this. I do have a server room where everything is centralized to. All the ethernet cables come to that room.

Just a couple of random points.
1. I don't know where you are, but inspection requirements change drastically. I can shoot my machine gun off my front porch and its all good. So inspections? Bah.
2. Its very economical to double up and run two lines instead of one (basically fold the line). For the electrician that will qualify as a single drop, and you'll have two cables. The only added cost is the cable.
3. Be judicious where you put conduit. That stuff adds up quickly and they charge by the foot. Main conduit I ran was from the chimney to the server room for Star Link and underground from the house to the well house. Run conduit to every single drop (as was suggested to me here) is costly and very unnecessary. Save that money and buy a better quality cable (solid core, etc).
4. I really don't need that much hardwiring. Look at your lifestyle right now and how much hard wiring do you actually use? Over the last 10 years, most things have moved to wireless, even cameras. I expect that to get even better. Wifi 6 is freaky fast, and wifi will continue to improve.

Yes that is a question only you can answer, how much actual plug in gear do you really need?

5. Im doing POE so I planned that with cameras and AP in mind. I need six wifi 6 APs because of the way the house is constructed.
 
Yes that is a question only you can answer, how much actual plug in gear do you really need?
The HDMI over CAT 6 is the killer, each TV will need 2 dedicated functional lines at least. and thats not counting internet connections.
 
The HDMI over CAT 6 is the killer, each TV will need 2 dedicated functional lines at least. and thats not counting internet connections.

I tackled that issue differently.

Why are you doing HDMI over cat6, why specifically?
 
Flexibility. rather than running RG6 all across the house, and then dealing with connectors in the attic and what not, plus flexibility.
 
I decided to have an AppleTV or Firestick 4K at every TV. Ethernet to the device and then a normal 1-2 foot hdmi cable to the TV.

I currently do not have satellite or cable, but when I did it was the same. Ethernet from the main receiver to the “piggy back” receiver. 4K looked the same to me.

Currently I have a 65 LG OLED and that is the set up I’m using. No slow down because of the network.

This will also greatly simplify remote controls.
 
IR is also over HDMI, its just an easy way to share signals across multiple TV's, with a single remote, or multiple remotes so people can passive aggressively fight from other rooms.
 
Flexibility. rather than running RG6 all across the house, and then dealing with connectors in the attic and what not, plus flexibility.
RG6 has other uses as well as moca is already at 2.5Gb. Once they have a 10Gb spec, that will be better than the ethernet in the walls. We ran 2x coax at each room at my parent's house and it too has been handy.
 
IR is also over HDMI, its just an easy way to share signals across multiple TV's, with a single remote, or multiple remotes so people can passive aggressively fight from other rooms.
And it will work for now--but what happens when remotes move to bluetooth and tvs need 8k? Your wiring won't cut it anymore.
 
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