Door opening onto 2nd floor landing

[OwainDIYer]

m trying to send you a private msg, but I think you have conversations switched off?
I'd love to know more about your setup and what items you are using and where you got it from as it looks like I'm doing the same thing, i.e. bringing everything back to a patch panel (Node Zero for those of us geeks).

got the stuff wherever was cheapest on ebay at the time. Patch panel is just 24 way 1 rack panels on a home-made wooden frame, hinged on one side to swing out for access to the wiring. I've added more wires since the photo. The space at the right will be used for a little shelf to house network switch etc.

 

[u587162]

got the stuff wherever was cheapest on ebay at the time. Patch panel is just 24 way 1 rack panels on a home-made wooden frame, hinged on one side to swing out for access to the wiring. I've added more wires since the photo. The space at the right will be used for a little shelf to house network switch etc.

View attachment 91676

What is the purpose of a switch if you have the patch panel all connected up - do you plan to use PoE (power over Ethernet)? Can you not just connector the main Virgin Media/BT etc hub directly?

Have you located this in a ground floor room above a door and taking cables from rooms above through the coving?

 

[u587162]

Cat 5e can do 1gbps. I think that's enough for most homes at the moment, plus it's easier to terminate.

I have 4 points max (i.e. 2x2 in lounge, 2x2 in study, master bed and dining, plus 1x1 in other beds) plus separate telephone, as I'll end up with huge holes in the joists otherwise.

You can always buy a hub for local splitting at the TV or something.

I've dropped my ceiling by 150mm to accommodate a mechanical heat recovery and ventilation system everywhere so perhaps I'm lucky I won't need to drill as many holes.

However the cost difference between a 305m reel of Cat5e and Cat6 is about £20 so you're better off future proofing with a high spec cable (which also allows up to 10 gigabit speed.....which I know is not needed for homes right now but bandwidth usage will get higher later).

Terminating might be a little more cumbersome with the thickness of the cable but since it is not shielded unlike Cat5e (shielding not required in homes anyway unless you're planning to run an MRI or other heavy duty microwave system) or Cat6 with the latter significantly thicker and require an earth drain.

 

[OwainDIYer]

What is the purpose of a switch if you have the patch panel all connected up - do you plan to use PoE (power over Ethernet)? Can you not just connector the main Virgin Media/BT etc hub directly?

Have you located this in a ground floor room above a door and taking cables from rooms above through the coving?

Using a switch because the BT router is elsewhere (and only has one ethernet port). POE is possible in the future.

The coving is used to get cables over a couple of doorways because I'm in a flat with concrete floor and ceiling. They then drop in conduit to socket level. Other cables go in the duct down to floor level and then behind skirtings.