Looking for help installing my network

[Triassic]

I have fibre gigabit broadband, lots of network cabling (CaT6 to every room) and wiring for 3 security cameras (CAT6 and a power supply), I also have meshed wifi.

 

I have never installed network equipment before and was wondering if someone could advice what I need?

 

 

 

To be honest, this is the last of the indoor jobs and I’ve been putting it off !!!

Edited September 23, 2023 by Triassic

[TonyT]

All depends you could buy a rack, patch panels etc , shelves for equipment etc

spend loads

 

you could also terminate cable ends into plugs and plug into switches.

 

you could put sockets on the data points and then patch across, depends on you I suppose 

[Triassic]

I’m thinking of keeping it simple. At the moment I have 4 items plugged into the router, but I need about 4 more spare ways. I also have the 3 security cameras to install. Ideally I’d like a smart phone app type thing, so I can see what’s going on when away from home.

 

I’d also like to extent the Wifi to an outbuilding, to which I have a CAT6 cable installed.

[TonyT]

You could fit 2 double surface boxes and fit 8 data points to them, that will let you patch  to switch etc 

Edited September 23, 2023 by TonyT

[Triassic]

21 minutes ago, TonyT said:

You could fit 2 double surface boxes and fit 8 data points to them, that will let you patch  to switch etc 

Could you be specific, which boxes and which switch? Make, model etc.

 

Is there a diagram of how it wall goes together?

[TonyT]

Surface Double socket boxes

with data points in these boxes

 

you then buy a data switch which provides you with ports to then patch into your various data points

[TonyT]

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLXDQG4S.html

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CXCAT6M.html

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Internet-Splitter/dp/B07PWHGQSS/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?adgrpid=48674266290&hvadid=259224352990&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9046861&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3073186192901928029&hvtargid=kwd-298720216058&hydadcr=11872_1766805&keywords=netgear+switch&qid=1695474144&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

 

 

so your router connect to the netgear switch with a patch cable.

 

this then allows you to patch it to your various data points.

 

 

 

 

 

[joth]

2 hours ago, Triassic said:

I have fibre gigabit broadband, lots of network cabling (CaT6 to every room) and wiring for 3 security cameras (CAT6 and a power supply), I also have meshed wifi.

 

I have never installed network equipment before and was wondering if someone could advice what I need?

 

 

 

To be honest, this is the last of the indoor jobs and I’ve been putting it off !!!

 

So how many data points total, and how many of them need PoE?

Will you only ever want to use these for ethernet, or do you think there's any chance you'd want to repurpose any of the wire for other things like HDbaseT? (I expect the answer is no, else you'd be not asking this sort of question).

 

Easiest thing is to select a network switch of the correct size and with sufficient PoE outlets, terminate all the cat6 in rj45 plugs and plug straight into the switch. 

Installing a patch panel before the switch makes sense if you think you might want to swap around what each data point is used for over time. 

 

Either way, you then plug the router LAN port into the switch and off you go.

 

What meshed WiFi do you have? Do they need PoE?

 

 

[markharro]

Hi @Triassic your photo mirrors my situation right now. Lots of CAT6 cable in the plant room waiting to be connected up. For me its for internet to rooms/TV/wifi points/doorbell and some PoE cameras and lots of other misc stuff. I have bought a wall mounted 12U rack and am now trying to work out what to buy to fit in the rack and connect everything to. I have decided to use Ubiquiti kit so atm I am thinking do I use there (cheapish) Dream Router and try and deal with the compromises or pay more for the Dream machine pro (the video recording on this being useful). So far so good. Whichever of these I go for I need another device(s) to connect all the CAT6 cables to to distribute the signal to the network. I think I need the "switch" @joth mentions with enough capacity for all the wiring and PoE (with enough total wattage to power all the PoE things to be connected). If so I think I then connect RJ45  plugs to the CAT6 and basically plug these in the front of the switch and then plug the CAT6 from the router to the switch as @joth sets out?

 

What I don't really understand though @joth is where the "pntch panel" fits into the equation? What is its function and how does it integrate with the router and switch?

 

Finally the Ubiquiti switches seem to cost a fortune. Am I correct in thinking that any switch will work in a Ubiquiti system......it would just mean that you would lose the fancy functionality you get with the Ubiquiti interface?

[PNAmble]

2 minutes ago, markharro said:

Am I correct in thinking that any switch will work in a Ubiquiti system......it would just mean that you would lose the fancy functionality you get with the Ubiquiti interface?

Yes.  They just become ‘dumb’  which may not be an issue. 
 

I use Ubiquiti, for my security server and Poe switches. If I need to extend my none Poe network i use cheaper switches. 
 

I’d avoid mesh and use POE access points in the wall or ceiling personally.

[markharro]

1 minute ago, PNAmble said:

I use Ubiquiti, for my security server and Poe switches. If I need to extend my none Poe network i use cheaper switches. 

Thanks @PNAmble so maybe if I work out the total number of PoE outlets I will have get a Ubiquiti switch to cover these and another brand for all the non PoE stuff? For the latter is it an "unmanaged" switch I need? For the non PoE I will probably need at least 24 sockets - can you recommend anything cost effective for that?

[PNAmble]

24 minutes ago, markharro said:

Thanks @PNAmble so maybe if I work out the total number of PoE outlets I will have get a Ubiquiti switch to cover these and another brand for all the non PoE stuff? For the latter is it an "unmanaged" switch I need? For the non PoE I will probably need at least 24 sockets - can you recommend anything cost effective for that?

Something like this will work perfectly fine https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/switches/3296-netgear-24-port-gigabit-rack-mountable-network-switch.html?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwgsqoBhBNEiwAwe5w0xk6VOuAfOVozqY4FmUmQ-jZ_fztsQ4rYIq3JBdI6k4hn5Tq9IKRnhoC3nMQAvD_BwE. but lots of other different options.    It depends how many POE ports you need and other ports ... you could just get a single switch which does both something like this https://www.4gon.co.uk/ubiquiti-unifi-48port-poe-switch-usw48poe-p-9283.html does 32 POE the rest not.  There is no problem running none poe stuff via a PoE Switch hence it reduces the number of components.    

 

btw a patch panel is just something that terminates all the cables at the cabinet, and then allows you to "patch" into the switches using a small patch cable.  it adds flexibility and neatness to the solution. 

[joth]

5 hours ago, PNAmble said:

I’d avoid mesh and use POE access points in the wall or ceiling personally

Be careful as there's some terminology ambiguity here. Most vendors still call it a mesh network even if you use wired ethernet for backhaul, which is what I think you're really recommending, as a mesh network has other advantages besides ability to seemlessly relay signal wirelessly. 

I've seen too many installs end up with a mishmash of APs connected via wired ethernet and inadvertently set them up as a few completely independent WiFi networks which perform very poorly.

 

So the easiest thing is to specify a single consistent Mesh technology from a single vendor (such as Unifi) and then opt to connect the APs wherever possible very wired backhaul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[joth]

5 hours ago, markharro said:

Thanks @PNAmble so maybe if I work out the total number of PoE outlets I will have get a Ubiquiti switch to cover these and another brand for all the non PoE stuff? For the latter is it an "unmanaged" switch I need? For the non PoE I will probably need at least 24 sockets - can you recommend anything cost effective for that?

 

Managed switch is useful if you want to setup VLANs and different SSIDs for different purposes (e.g. I have one with external internet access only, one with internal LAN access only, one with both)

 

If you want to keep it simple, unmanaged switch is fine. 

 

 

As you have a reasonable sized 19" rack, I'd probably opt for the patch panel. You terminate the solid copper installation cable into that (with fairly simple punch down process) and then use flexible patch cables to hook each run into the Poe switch, or wherever else it needs to go

[Pocster]

Unmanaged netgear poe switch - plug n play 😎

[Sparrowhawk]

I've got a patch panel on the marketplace if you want one

 

[Thorfun]

7 hours ago, markharro said:

your photo mirrors my situation right now. Lots of CAT6 cable in the plant room waiting to be connected up

here's mine!

 

 

and that's not including the the Green Cat6A for the Loxone system which runs to the wall behind the camera. 

[JohnMo]

1 hour ago, Thorfun said:

here's mine!

There's more wires there than I have in my whole house.

[Thorfun]

8 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

There's more wires there than I have in my whole house.

I may have gone a tad overboard with the number of network sockets planned. 🤷‍♂️😂

[Pocster]

10 minutes ago, Thorfun said:

I may have gone a tad overboard with the number of network sockets planned. 🤷‍♂️😂

Won’t post mine . But mine is bigger ! ; much bigger . Like big , bigger !

[PNAmble]

3 hours ago, Thorfun said:

here's mine!

 

 

and that's not including the the Green Cat6A for the Loxone system which runs to the wall behind the camera. 

What are you running? A cloud ? 

[MikeGrahamT21]

4 hours ago, Thorfun said:

here's mine!

 

 

and that's not including the the Green Cat6A for the Loxone system which runs to the wall behind the camera. 

I’ve seen server rooms with less cables than that! 😂 

[markharro]

4 hours ago, Sparrowhawk said:

I've got a patch panel on the marketplace if you want one

Hi could you maybe PM me to tell me how much you would want for this? thanks

[Thorfun]

2 hours ago, PNAmble said:

What are you running? A cloud ? 

Well I will have a number of VMs running on a NAS so I guess you could say that! 😂

[Pocster]

That’s it !

Cannot resist !

 

Winner !