Cat 6 and Wireless Access Points

[Stringman_uk]

Over the distances involved cat5 will support 1G quite happily so shouldn't need immediate replacement, I'd not if it involves lifting loads of board etc.
You may also find that wireless coverage from one access point in the home office alone may cover the whole garden quite happily so whether it's worth running an additional cable to the summerhouse for another wireless access point or wired access is a tossup really depending on how easy/tidy the run is.

For the home office you can either run multiple cables back to the kitchen or one and install a small switch in the home office.

Thanks for the reply
I didnt realise how cheap switches were! though the POE ones are slightly more expensive.
Evolving the idea slightly;
The cable that runs to the kitchen might reach the point where i will install the switch.
If this is the case could I install a cheap switch (merely to avoid putting a ethernet joiner in line) run a new external cable to a POE switch in the office which will feed the wap in the office and, if required, a wap in the summerhouse and a hard wired connection to the office

 

[robinbanks]

Now that we have upgraded to fibre wifi I am hoping to replace the cat5

Won't make a difference. Over the distances you're talking about your cat 5 will support gigabit

could I put in an ethernet switch in the kitchen and then feed off to the separate wap?

You'd put the switch in the office, on the other end of the cable from the spare port in the kitchen, and then plug multiple things in in the office.

Put an outdoor grade access point (perhaps Google "Ubiquiti unifi") on the office to cover the garden, and (so long as he office isn't a faraday cage) the office too. If the cable in the kitchen won't reach the router in the kitchen, consider extending the cable rather than paying for electricity forever more just to extend a cable. An RJ45 wall socket plus patch cable is merely as much of an extension as an inline joiner, so don't shy away from a joiner

 

[Stringman_uk]

Won't make a difference. Over the distances you're talking about your cat 5 will support gigabit

You'd put the switch in the office, on the other end of the cable from the spare port in the kitchen, and then plug multiple things in in the office.

Put an outdoor grade access point (perhaps Google "Ubiquiti unifi") on the office to cover the garden, and (so long as he office isn't a faraday cage) the office too. If the cable in the kitchen won't reach the router in the kitchen, consider extending the cable rather than paying for electricity forever more just to extend a cable. An RJ45 wall socket plus patch cable is merely as much of an extension as an inline joiner, so don't shy away from a joiner

Thanks for the reply robin
I dont actually have a router in the kitchen so I was going to buy a cheap switch just to join the cable.
I get that cat 5 will support gigabit but wont the speed and bandwidth be lower than if i used cat6/7?
I am looking at ubiquiti wap and poe switch. Are you suggesting toput the wap on the outside of the summerhouse?
This goes along with what i was thinking as the office will be insulated with foil backed pir but the desk will be by the window so should get good signal ( plus there will be a wired connection inside)

 

[robinbanks]

5 will support gigabit but wont the speed and bandwidth be lower than if i used cat6/7

I don't understand - the speed is 1 gigabit, the bandwidth is 1 gigabit. Is 1gigabit not fast enough for your home network? It's highly unusual for a residential property to have internet faster than a gigabit, and even, it's fairly unusual to have a home network that can/needs to sustain transfer speeds faster than a gig.

If you're doing lots of video editing and you keep 6ir files remotely (eg a NAS) to the computer you work on then maybe

Ubiquiti APs usually come with a PoE injector, so there may not be any need to lay out on a switch that is PoE. If you do, I would say a couple of things- Ubiquiti switch gear is insanely expensive, and keep a close check on which PoE spec your switch and AP are compatible with

but the desk will be by the window so should get good signal

Now this sounds like you're planning on running the office on Wi-Fi, so the video editing/need for huge bandwidth on the home network is out the window.. What do you need faster than a gig for?

 

[Millwright]

I did this to my house, find somewhere suitable for a patch panel and a switch and run maybe two cat 6 points to each room. Ubiquiti for access points too.

 

[Stringman_uk]

I don't understand - the speed is 1 gigabit, the bandwidth is 1 gigabit. Is 1gigabit not fast enough for your home network? It's highly unusual for a residential property to have internet faster than a gigabit, and even, it's fairly unusual to have a home network that can/needs to sustain transfer speeds faster than a gig.

If you're doing lots of video editing and you keep 6ir files remotely (eg a NAS) to the computer you work on then maybe

Ubiquiti APs usually come with a PoE injector, so there may not be any need to lay out on a switch that is PoE. If you do, I would say a couple of things- Ubiquiti switch gear is insanely expensive, and keep a close check on which PoE spec your switch and AP are compatible with


Now this sounds like you're planning on running the office on Wi-Fi, so the video editing/need for huge bandwidth on the home network is out the window.. What do you need faster than a gig for?

Ok so confession time i was reading the spec of cat5 etc on the phone and completely cocked up with my 00 and 000 so you are ( as you well know ) completely correct. Our wired speed is 300 and we may go up to 900.
The office will serve a dual purpose, my wifes office most of the time ( planning to have it so well insulated it will be cheap to heat in the winter) but also a "summer house as and when) hence the thought of having the wap on the outside for greater coverage. the wifi mught not be that great in the office , but she will be hard wired, so it will be occasional use of streaming etc.
I appreciate your comments on the switchgear. I was looking at second hand units but they only give 24v poe ( the wap i am looking at UAP-AC-M takes 24v poe) but I want to confirm that all i need is a poe switch and the uap ac m and nothing else.
What other brands of wap/switch would you reccomend?
Thanks

 

[Millwright]

I use a Netgear Prosafe switch, managed, which is useful for if there are issues and I'm not here, I can get in and do things remotely with it.

 

[robinbanks]

Ubiquiti often use 24v, but there isn't a need to buy a 24v PoE switch(i.e. one of theirs) - you can use an injector like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185967027184
.. if you buy a new UAC AC M it will come with one

Most other gear you look at with PoE (hp, dell, Cisco, netgear etc) will be 48v+

 

[Stringman_uk]

I use a Netgear Prosafe switch, managed, which is useful for if there are issues and I'm not here, I can get in and do things remotely with it.

Thanks for that I will look into that, but I suspect that might be beyond my it skills lol

 

[Millwright]

Thanks for that I will look into that, but I suspect that might be beyond my it skills lol

My set up is a bit mad really, CAT6 terminated into patch panel, VPN router, managed switch, couple of servers, Ubiquiti WAP, but it's all great.