First Fix Cat5/6 needed?

[Hecateh]

First fix in progress 

I keep seeing posts on here about cat 5 / cat 6 should I be having this fitted along with electrics?

[Carrerahill]

In a word, yes.

 

It won't cost you much for a drum or two - you only need to terminate if you decide to use! I have points that are not opened up, I know where the cable is and if I want to use it I simply get my padsaw out and fit a back-box and faceplate.

 

Put in a good deal of home runs to a location you can have a patch panel and switch, ideally all your comms will run back to this same area, including TV, any controls etc. 

 

When I renovated my 1960's house I ran in CAT5E into every room, roughly 2 points per room. Ideal for printers (wifi printers are usually rubbish in my experience) and computers, media servers - (I like to limit wifi traffic in my house) I can patch phone in, I can use USB over network, I can patch in controls to things and I think it cost about £90 all in!

 

 

[Declan52]

It's one of them items that you can easily do without but it all depends on your lifestyle. With having 3 kids that are constantly online using WiFi I have TV's ,Sonos , Android boxes, fire sticks  all hardwired using cat5. Otherwise the WiFi would grind to a halt and then it would be my head on the Chopping block. 

 

[le-cerveau]

Yes,

I installed 72 runs and I still don't have enough is some areas!!

You will be surprised at what you can use it for.

I hardwire everything possible so that Wi-Fi works when needed.

[Hecateh]

Electrician is happy to do it if I want - at a cost of course but doesn't think it necessary

Thing is, there is only me here and it is a small property (Footprint only about 64 sqm).  Wireless works fine in my current house.  

[Bitpipe]

2 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

Electrician is happy to do it if I want - at a cost of course but doesn't think it necessary

Thing is, there is only me here and it is a small property (Footprint only about 64 sqm).  Wireless works fine in my current house.  

 

The old adage is that things that move (laptops, phones, tablets etc) should use wireless, things that don't (TVs, printers, media boxes) should be wired.

 

It's very cheap to do it now, it's very expensive to do it later.

 

Think also if you ever want to sell on.

[newhome]

I would put them where you intend to put the TVs or a printer at the very least. A point where you will mainly sit might also be useful (wish I had one). 

 

 

[Carrerahill]

18 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

Electrician is happy to do it if I want - at a cost of course but doesn't think it necessary

Thing is, there is only me here and it is a small property (Footprint only about 64 sqm).  Wireless works fine in my current house.  

 

I am a consultant electrical engineer working in the construction industry, I deal with all sorts of building related issues (even non-electrical) and the thing I come across weekly is bloody electricians who think they know best. 

 

I think the issue with most of them, not all I hasten to add, but most, is that they don't have the imagination to foresee requirements such as data and signalling etc. I have a young chap who we use to do remedial work where the electrical contractor cannot be trusted to fix things properly. He will take instruction well so it works out, but he cannot understand why anyone would want lighting controls, he cannot understand why anyone would want data in every room, his reply, "I have wifi in my house, does my phone and my laptop" . I explain to him that I have a media/data server in my loft, I have lighting control, I have a network of laptops and PC's throughout the house, I have ability to have a landline phone in any and all rooms in the house (including the garage when it is done). I have 6 and 8 core cable running everywhere for wired TRV's etc. Only then he can begin to see why throwing all this extra cable in for such a small outlay is worth it.

 

I hate and love wifi - but I would not have it in my house at all if it was not basically necessary for iPad's and things. I don't like wireless control, I like copper!

 

I would say for your house as a bare minimum at least 2 maybe 4 at your TV area, 1 or 2 in the kitchen where you may want to temporarily plug in laptops or a phone, 1/2 in each bedroom, 1 the hall next to where tables or sideboards etc. may be located, more in offices or dens, some to the loft even if just coiled up for now, you may opt to put in NAS units or something up there. It may only be 100m of cable and 6/7 runs in your case. I would also make sure they are near power.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2018 by Carrerahill

[jack]

19 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

I would say for your house as a bare minimum at least 2 maybe 4 at your TV area, 1 or 2 in the kitchen where you may want to temporarily plug in laptops or a phone, 1/2 in each bedroom, 1 the hall next to where tables or sideboards etc. may be located, more in offices or dens, some to the loft even if just coiled up for now, you may opt to put in NAS units or something up there. It may only be 100m of cable and 6/7 runs in your case. I would also make sure they are near power.

 

Also consider whether you'd ever have CCTV. If so, a couple of cable runs for that would be useful.

 

One other thing you need to consider carefully is where all this cabling comes back to. @Hecateh, do you have somewhere that you could put terminate all these cables and position a router/switch? Ideally it'd be somewhere near where your phone/internet comes in.

[lizzie]

I would do it while you are first fixing and try and get a termination point in your plant room or utility.  Even you on your own may find it is  benefit and for the cost of the cable runs you are future proofing a bit.  Generally electricians are not the best to advise on if its worth it or not.

Edited August 2, 2018 by lizzie

[le-cerveau]

42 minutes ago, jack said:

One other thing you need to consider carefully is where all this cabling comes back to

There are two options:

1. terminate it all by your master phone socket:
   You need the space to fit the networking gear, more than just your BT Hub.
    
2. Terminate all at a central/convenient location:
   You need min 2 runs from the BT master socket to here, one for Data and one for Voice, you have the modem at the BT socket (max speed) run data to the central point and then distribute.  You can also run your voice (over Cat 5/6) to the central point and distribute as required.

You don't need to put in phone cable, again just use Cat 5/6 to all points you conceivably want a phone linked back to the central point.

 

With your size house Wi-Fi penetration shouldn't be a problem but if you want good Wi-Fi coverage, think about where you want the Access Points.

Also Internal and External CCTV points, these can all be powever over Cat 5/6 (PoE) with the right equipment.

[PeterW]

A run to the tv. 

A run to where a pc may live

A run to where the printer may be

A run to where an bedroom tv may be

All run from the location of the router / telephone point. 

 

This is is a standard house, not a data centre...

 

The bigger issue is most people forget the plug socket next to the telephone entry point and routers need power ... 

 

I have a spare reel of cable - when does the sparky need it ..?

[Hecateh]

Plug in Fire TV only works wireless I think

I have a PC but only use my laptop, tablet and phone.  

Printer can go close to the router - probably only use once or twice a month

 

The one thing that I think would be useful is CCTV and sound to the front door.  Future proofing, as I am getting older.

 

He's here tomorrow and Monday.  I'd be happy to come and pick up the reel Peter, if it is spare

 

 

[lizzie]

Get some CCTV I love mine!  I can see the garden and I can see if I have left the car boot open and all sorts and I can see it when I am out so I know if someone is at the gate.  I'm a CCTV groupie....love to see the night vision with the animal life pottering around.

[PeterW]

TBH unless you are very savvy, I would use WiFi cctv for one or two cameras on a small property as wiring for a true cctv system is a professional job. 

 

In any case you need to get power to it - that is what needs planning first ..!

[Hecateh]

33 minutes ago, PeterW said:

TBH unless you are very savvy, I would use WiFi cctv for one or two cameras on a small property as wiring for a true cctv system is a professional job. 

 

In any case you need to get power to it - that is what needs planning first ..!

I'm not that savvy, and was only thinking of being able to see who is at the door - and then being able to ignore them or ask them to give me some time to get upstairs - hopefully won't need that facility for another 20 years or so though ?

Edited August 2, 2018 by Hecateh

[PeterW]

So you would be better with a WiFi video doorbell. 

[jack]

The Ring video doorbell system seems reasonably well reviewed. I know a couple of people who have them and are happy with the performance.

[Hecateh]

23 minutes ago, PeterW said:

So you would be better with a WiFi video doorbell. 

 

20 minutes ago, jack said:

The Ring video doorbell system seems reasonably well reviewed. I know a couple of people who have them and are happy with the performance.

 

Yep that looks like it will do the job.  £89 on Amazon

[lizzie]

11 minutes ago, Hecateh said:

 

 

Yep that looks like it will do the job.  £89 on Amazon

My nephew has a system like this with cameras he loves it.  Was from Amazon and really good price.

[Bitpipe]

We bought an internet radio / streamer - Revo. It struggles to connect to wifi (keeps dropping out) and it's in the only part of the room with no cat 5/6!

 

Data points are something of a commodity now and while you genuinely may never see a need, the next person who buys your house likely will so may as well first fix them for pennies and only second fix them when you feel the need.

 

[pudding]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

TBH unless you are very savvy, I would use WiFi cctv for one or two cameras on a small property as wiring for a true cctv system is a professional job. 

 

In any case you need to get power to it - that is what needs planning first ..!

 

Why is it a professional job? I've got CAT 6 and use power over ethernet and have 8 Hikvision cameras connected to a NVR. All it involved was connecting the cables together, nothing professional required over and above what's being proposed with the CAT6 currently?

 

Also got a Ring 2 doorbell in my crashpad home, happy with it, but would be happier if I had cables to the front door so didnt have to rely on battery power and wireless. Get pwr and CAT 6 to the front door too just in case.  

 

Also, i use these cameras there - https://www.amazon.co.uk/YI-Camera-Wireless-Security-Surveillance/dp/B074395R84 and https://www.amazon.co.uk/YI-Wireless-Security-Surveillance-Available/dp/B07437XNQH/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_lp_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JKJY1HND7GY2Z1Z80924, bought on offer for even cheaper prices than that. V happy with them, records to sd card, app on my phone and get an alert each time motion is triggered.

Edited August 2, 2018 by pudding

[lizzie]

The other thing to consider is all the insulation etc can cause problems with wifi, dead spots etc. Not usually a problem in older houses but in our new state of the art cosy warm insulated spaces  can be an issue. I cant get wifi in my office (aka bed 3) of all places but thankfully I am cat cabled so hardwired.

[lizzie]

@pudding I have a set up with Hikvision cameras, very pleased with them and the installer had them sprayed to match my soffits so the are very low impact visually.

[pudding]

Yeah they're good, ive no complaints at all. I've got a variety of different cameras, initally bought 4 cameras and the NVR from Aliexpress. Then a few more cameras from the UK here, some are indoor some outdoor. All good. Not thought about spraying them, nice idea.