Network Setup

Captain Pike

Im totally new to Boards.ie and not sure how this works but here goes. I am building a new house and want to put a small network into it. What i want is to be able to stream movies, tv shows and music to several points around the house, to tv points. I was going to put a hardrive in the attic and network it to the various tv points and use a Boxee streamer to view the content from the hardrive in the attic... Am i going about this the right way? Any advice will be very greatfull... thanks:eek:

Sup08

You would need something in the attic to connect the HDD to, to enable the streaming to start. Like another boxee.
If you want to make it simple buy something like a NAS and connect it to a switch. The run a cat6 cable to a wireless router in the house. You can then watch wirelessly on the TV's with a good wireless enabled media player or you could run cat6 to all points as well from the switch.
Doing it wirelessly also enables gaming devices like PS3, Xbox and other wireless devices also play the content on the NAS. You must make sure the NAS is UPnP enabled for some devices to recognise it as a media server. Cable will always give the best speed and wireless will give you flexibility.

Captain Pike

Thank you for the help... i should point out im not the most computer literate, all self taught... Not always the best I have a 1TB imomega Media Player that i could use as a NAS, i think. It does have network capability.
I would hardwire everything in Cat 6 because i would rather do it now while i have time to plan. I understand what you mean by putting a switch, so they can all talk to each other? Prob need a patch panel too. But do i need a pc in the attic space too left on the whole time connected to the media player.. sorry for wrecking your head. I think i know that this should all work but lack the know how to be certain before i start wiring and buying expensive equipment.
ps the reason i want the Boxee at the tv end and not the Imomega is the UI is much better on the Boxee from what i can tell from reviews and screen shots.. The Imomega is ok, but not the easiest for other ppl in my life to use.
Many Thanks

Sup08

What is the name and model of the media player?

I would recommend having the NAS/Server/Media Player some where for eay access as you might not want it running 24-7. It will shorten the life of the product with heat and the disks spinning all the time. Best to be able to tun it off when not in use.

Here is a layout of how a home network can be set up. In the diagram the Media Player can be a network media server/NAS or a network player with a attached storage device or a PC. There are plenty of storage devices on the market that don't require being attached to a PC to enable sharing/streaming.

Your modem router must be for whatever type of broadband you have DSL(Phone Line) or Cable (UPC). This being wireless will enable portable devices such as tablet PC's, Phones and other personal hand held devices and laptops stream from the media on the Server/Nas as well.

You don't really need a network media player at each point coming out of the switch but more like a portable one that can be moved around easily or a permanent one with one or two smaller portable devices would be ideal.

Captain Pike

Its a Screenplay Director, HD Media Player
and as for the diagram... you are a godsend!!! thank you

Sup08

I don't think that this iomega media player is UPnP enabled. You should check
You need this protocol in your server/NAS/Media Storage for the other media players to be able to see the device on your network. Also all media you want to play must be on the storage device, the PC in the study or any other media player as long as UPnP is enabled/available on them and there is media attached.

Sup08

I just checked out your media player and this would be used as one of the network media players in the diagram and you would not be able to share the media from this device to others except the PC. I may be corrected but I used to have the Screenplay Pro HD.

Captain Pike

would i be better off then getting a pc wit a massive hardrive or an external hardrive that is UPnP enabaled and copy all my existing media to that, and that way any other new media player i purchase could find the media on the network?

Sup08

Get a UPnP enabled NAS/Media Server and transfer all media to it. Then it will work as per diagram. Always have a back-up of your data, just in case.
Let me know how it works out if you go ahead.
Sup

Captain Pike

Thank you very much for your help... it might be a few months before i get in the house but i will let you know for def... Will prob go with something like this.. http://www.amazon.co.uk/TS-212-Turbo-Built--Server-Itunes/dp/B004NBYOWW/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1335623843&sr=1-3

PogMoThoin

Run at two cables to each point. You can thank me later

Nothingbetter2d

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Run at two cables to each point. You can thank me later

run at least cat 5e or cat 6 cables to each room too so people can use xbox/ps3/pc over the lan rather than wifi for better speeds fit 2 sockets per room to allow for a pc + game console/printer

BionicRasher

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

run at least cat 5e or cat 6 cables to each room too so people can use xbox/ps3/pc over the lan rather than wifi for better speeds fit 2 sockets per room to allow for a pc + game console/printer

Is 2 sockets a bit overkill? It will cost a fortune to run all that cable and to get it set up with switches etc.
I would think 1 cat 6 per room should be enough and if you need to have a PC and a game console or Printer etc in the room then one can connect to the wired LAN while the other uses WiFi.
maybe run a couple of points to rooms like the TV room/Office/main bedroom but 2 points in each room is going to be a bit much in a room like a guest room or a kids room.

With Wifi technologies these days you can get decent speeds for anything really but if you are streaming media then wired is the way to go. Dont forget a lot of new tech on the way and with things like WHDI and WirelessHD coming on the scene then wireless HD media streaming is going to be very possible over the next few years

eirman

It might be worth your while sending a PM to Watty over in the satellite forums and ask him to have a look at this thread. He's very knowledgable in this field.

Sup08

tui0hcg wrote: »

Is 2 sockets a bit overkill? It will cost a fortune to run all that cable and to get it set up with switches etc.
I would think 1 cat 6 per room should be enough and if you need to have a PC and a game console or Printer etc in the room then one can connect to the wired LAN while the other uses WiFi.
maybe run a couple of points to rooms like the TV room/Office/main bedroom but 2 points in each room is going to be a bit much in a room like a guest room or a kids room.

With Wifi technologies these days you can get decent speeds for anything really but if you are streaming media then wired is the way to go. Dont forget a lot of new tech on the way and with things like WHDI and WirelessHD coming on the scene then wireless HD media streaming is going to be very possible over the next few years

^^ agree.
You could also set up a switch at each required point if you needed more than one connection in a paticular room.
In the living room where the TV, Games Console, Media Player maybe you could set up the Modem/Router here and use it as a second switch with the LAN ports on the back. Once connected through the CAT5e/6 from the 8 port switch this would re-route the internet as well. Best way of utilising the modem/router.

JuniorB

Min 2 cables to every location for redundancy (in case one is damaged etc)
You don't have to patch both.