Best Gigabox location

mobfromcork · 27-09-2019 9:32pm #1

Folks,

Mods - I had asked a question about an install a few days ago but this is a separate issue so have started a new thread if that's ok? If not feel free to merge with other thread. Thanks

I'm not au fait with networking so may not have all the terms right however I'm reasonably competent at technical and DIY things so would love to try and do this myself (with some advice/guidance).

After 2 days of chasing cat5e wires all around the house with a tester I have finally located (nearly) all of the runs. House was extensively renovated about 10 years ago and cat5e run all over but nothing was ever hooked up or connected. Guy who owned the house before us had put in a home office in a downstairs room where some of the wiring terminates (about 9 runs) and 9 more in the downstairs utility room.
We are getting a Vodafone Gigabox installed on Monday and I'm trying to make the most of it and trying to future proof as much as possible. We have no smart home stuff as such yet. It's a 3 storey, very old house, office and utility on ground floor, living rooms and kitchen on middle floor, bedrooms mostly on third. Trying to decide where best to put the box to make the most of the current set up. I have a 24 port patch panel but no switch as yet but can get one over the weekend if needed.

In the utility room the runs go to

X4 separate runs back to home office (three to near the desk and one near light switch inside the door)
X1 to master bedroom near bed
X1 which connects (when tested with a wire tracker) to 4 different bedrooms and I found a sticker saying 'internal intercom' on this
X2 separate runs to the kitchen
X1 to near alarm inside front door

In the office the runs go to
X3 to main living room (2 going to one spot where I fitted a double socket, 1 going where the Coaxial cables for Sky come down from the attic)
X1 going to kitchen
X3 back to utility room
X3 unidentified as yet but 1 is marked 'attic'
X2 phone/fax lines which are now disconnected

I also found another Cat5e going from the other sitting room (which has a home cinema of sorts) which terminates in the attic. I may be able to connect this to the other wire marked 'attic' which goes to the office but can't try this until tomorrow.

I'm trying to decide in the best way to utilize the above. Am I best to put the Gigabox in the home office or the utility room? Can/should I put a separate switch and/or patch panel in the other location in the utility room to connect everything together?

Priorities for us -
TV/cinema which we can stream to. We currently have a sky box in each sitting room but are going with one Vodafone TV box for now and will see what service is like before maybe adding a second.

Being able to connect to a CCTV in the future

Putting a second alarm panel on the top floor

That's it for now really unless someone can advise what we might use all these wires for? Not sure what use the proposed internal intercom system would be? There are wires running out to the gate as well but we didn't install electric gates/intercom on pillar etc for now but might in the future.

I'm in over my head as regards the planning of what to do but would be delighted with any advice and am reasonably competent at wiring, soldering etc

Thanks for taking the time to read this increasingly complicated waffle.

Mark

tsue921i8wljb3 · 27-09-2019 9:51pm

Normally all cable runs would have been brought back to one central location. It sounds like you have two central locations, the utility room and the office. You are likely going to need a patch panel and switch in both utility and office, then use one of the cables that runs between them to join both segments.

As to where the Gigabox goes it sounds like you have plenty of choice. Technically you could put it near any of the Ethernet cables, turn it's WiFi off and install wired access points for WiFi.

If you don't want to do this you're going to have to put it where you think you'll get the best wireless coverage but I would not expect a single device to give you adequate wireless performance over three floors so I'd strongly recommend you to look into access points.

I've no idea about the intercom. It's not something I'm familiar with.

mobfromcork · 27-09-2019 10:09pm

Thanks for the reply.
Regarding the switches, and panels - do I need one port per wire for each - so maybe a 12 port switch and 12 port panel in each location? I have one 24 port patch panel already that I can use.
Would the cat5e cable running between the two go between the switches? I presume I'm best getting a gigabit switch? Any recommendations? I see a lot of Netgear and TP link when I google them. Might be under pressure to get them by Monday but even if I can hook something up for now I could always do the rest of the wiring afterwards
Thanks again for the reply
Mark

tsue921i8wljb3 · 27-09-2019 10:20pm

mobfromcork wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
Regarding the switches, and panels - do I need one port per wire for each - so maybe a 12 port switch and 12 port panel in each location? I have one 24 port patch panel already that I can use.
Would the cat5e cable running between the two go between the switches? I presume I'm best getting a gigabit switch? Any recommendations? I see a lot of Netgear and TP link when I google them. Might be under pressure to get them by Monday but even if I can hook something up for now I could always do the rest of the wiring afterwards
Thanks again for the reply
Mark

One port per cable for each is correct.
12 port switches are not as common as 8 or 16. I've used TP-Link in the past and have no complaints. Definitely gigabit. Example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-SG1016D-Ethernet-Rack-Mount-Lifetime-Warranty/dp/B003UWRYBI/ref=sr_1_7?crid=BQOIQIRMP1HB&keywords=gigabit+network+switch&qid=1569618970&refinements=p_89%3ATP-LINK&rnid=1632651031&s=gateway&sprefix=gigab%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-7

If you connect one cable that runs between the utility and office to each switch both segments of the network will be able to communicate.

Cuddlesworth · 27-09-2019 10:21pm

What the budget?
How are the points terminated in each room?

Slap the gigabox(fiber run) into either the office or the utility, it doesn't matter.
Plan to put in access points first, wire up later if you really need. If you put down decent money now, you will have a solution that will last a good few years with no effort or input for you.

mobfromcork · 27-09-2019 10:37pm

To be honest, for now, budget would be low just to get started as another job I have going on is going to end up costing a good bit. Would be happy to buy good switches alright though.
Points are only wires behind blank wall plates for the most part but I wired up 3 points and wall plates the other day next to where the TV is. I don't really need to do a huge amount more right now as regards wiring up the points in the bedrooms etx, just to try and have stuff as ready as I can for when the fibre arrives on Monday afternoon.
I won't be able to run any new wires really, poured concrete floors and difficult access in general. Can you clarify what you mean by access points and wiring up please?
Thanks
Mark

tsue921i8wljb3 · 28-09-2019 8:40pm

Access points are devices that connect to an Ethernet network and broadcast a wireless signal thereby increasing wireless coverage over a large area. You will likely find that the wireless range from the Gigabox is not enough to cover all of your home. Wiring up just means connecting them to the network.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=wireless+access+points&crid=1M3YLTEKCFPDC&sprefix=wireless+acc%2Caps%2C179&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12

mobfromcork · 28-09-2019 8:54pm

Thanks for that.
I ordered two TP link 8 port gigabit switches (couldn't get any locally today) from Amazon to arrive on Monday. I'll put one in each location with a patch panel as suggested and run a cable between the two. For now I've enough in the 8 switches I think. Don't think I need 3 runs to the kitchen for example. We decided to get rid of the home phone as haven't made or received one phone call on it in nearly 2 years. Maybe some of these points were meant to be for phone extensions. I can always add more at a later stage. I can pick up a WiFi access point too next week and put it on the top floor. Thanks again for the info about them.

Mark

tsue921i8wljb3 · 28-09-2019 8:55pm

No problem. Best of luck with the installation!

mobfromcork · 28-09-2019 9:01pm

Just a thought, in the office all the cabling is behind office style white ducting housing sockets and phone connections too. Would I be better using something like this
6 Port Cat6 RJ45 Ethernet Network Socket in White Double Gang Faceplate https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N862ZKV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JR7JDb0GWC190
and running each wire to that, then a short patch cable from each socket to the patch panel and then to the switch? It would look way tidier or otherwise I'll have all the wires just hanging out of the ducting pretty much.
It doesn't matter as much in utility room as I'm going to make up a small unit to hide all that away but that is trickier in the office due to where the cat5 wires end. Would that negate the need for a patch panel there? Just run them straight from the wall plate to the switch? Or would I still be better with the panel?

tsue921i8wljb3 · 28-09-2019 9:15pm

You don't need the patch panel if you go for the faceplate. Just patch cables to the switch. It sounds like the neater option.

Cuddlesworth · 30-09-2019 9:28am

That would work fine.

The idea behind termination, be it patch panel or wall socket, is that the cables in the walls are usually solid core. These are inflexible and if you have them under strain(pulled on) or in a position where they get moved around, they can snap internally over time.

So solid cables go into something static, like a panel or wall box, then patch cables connect to the devices.

Just one FYI, make sure there is only 1 connection between the switches.

If you bothered and want a decent wireless setup, get a few hundred and look for a solution that works for you. Having cables means you can get a stupid good wireless network going throughout the house.

mobfromcork · 30-09-2019 9:40am

Thanks for the advice. The switches and wall sockets arrived this morning so will start wiring up as soon as my smallie goes for his nap. I'll do the minimum today, just enough to get the fibre connected to the TVs, and finish off the rest when I have time.
Will look into the WiFi options then when I get the fibre sorted.
Thanks again for all the advice. Will let you know how I get on

Mark

mobfromcork · 30-09-2019 11:29pm

https

So, fibre wasn't installed today as the engineers said they couldn't touch any public property. There's about 6 inches between my pillar and the box in the pavement outside. I need to get out the con-saw and drill to make a channel and enable access. Dose.
On the plus side, I got one switch, patch panel and rustic cabinet installed.

http://s269.photobucket.com/user/mobfromcork/media/IMG_20190930_152824_zpsegfi13dg.jpg.html

http://s269.photobucket.com/user/mobfromcork/media/IMG_20190930_192428_zpsroagacor.jpg.html

Hopefully link will work

Mark

Cuddlesworth · 03-10-2019 9:23am

They wouldn't run it down the existing phone line duct?

mobfromcork · 03-10-2019 9:30am

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

They wouldn't run it down the existing phone line duct?

They tried but the duct is blocked or kinked in two places. We had a concrete driveway put down and pillars built and when this was being done the duct must have been moved in some way. The existing phone line works but is wedged/jammed in the ducting.
I bought new ducting yesterday and getting long SDS drill bit for the hammer drill today and will do the job over the weekend. Was going to start this evening but storm etc would make it difficult I'd say.

mobfromcork · 14-10-2019 8:59pm

Fibre installed today. I ran new underground ducting to box outside the gate and they were able to route the cable in that way - a bit circuitous but got the job done. Hooked it up to switch in utility room which is in turn linked to switch in office. Everything working ok so far. I must get a WiFi extender at some stage alrght as speed drops right off the further away you get.
Just need to make a shelf for one of the switches to tidy it up a bit and we'll be done.
Thanks again for the help and advice.
Mark

Best Gigabox location

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