Multiple or single cable run?

[kamaran]

I'm thinking about running some cat6 from my office to my bedroom and living room, to do away with the homeplugs.

As redecorating is not an option, I'm thinking of running it around the side and back of the house.

Now all my equipment in both the Bedroom and living room are grouped together, see attached diagram:

So the questions:

(1) should I run multiple cables to each room or will 1 suffice? I'm confident I'll be able to keep 1 cable to each room tidy looking externally, but not if I'm running 4-5 to each room.

(2) If I only run 1 cable to each room, will I lose much in performance by connecting all devices via a converted router (access point)?

(3) Any recommendations on the type of cable I should buy for running externally?

Thanks!

 

[CaptainSTX]

A single cable to each location should be fine assuming that the routers shown to be re-purposed as switches have gigabyte LAN ports.

If it wasn't a problem to hide all the cables I might pull a spare cable to each location just because you never know what the future will bring and if something happens to a cable all that is necessary to be back in business is terminating the spare cable. The cable is always the cheap part of the project.

 

[kamaran]

Thanks any input on (2) and (3)?

 

[stevech]

I'd run all cables to a gigE switch. They're low cost. Then run the switch to your router. That way, you are not dependent on the goodness of the switch built-into your router, nor are you limited to # ports on the router.

If you are doing many rooms, perhaps you can plan for a switch near the rooms to simplify runs, then one cable from switch to router.

switch can go in a closet, in attic, behind furniture, etc.

Can run cat5 along eaves too, in some homes.
Flat cat5 cable allows you to run under base boards, under carpets, etc.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fla...i-bin%2Fkeemux%2Fcat5e-sf-3-shld.html;300;300

 

[rs6mra]

As a general rule you must always run 2 cables as you never know when you will need a 2nd especially if the 1st fails which is highly unlikely.

If I were in your position and looking to just run 1 cable to each room (which i wouldn't do anyway) then make sure you run that cable back to the main router as it is always recommended that you have a "star" topology rather than 'daisy chaining' stuff.

If running externally then one option you have is running the cable in a conduit.

 

[kamaran]

Thanks I was thinking of connecting everything to my layer 2 switch and then connecting the router to that, I presume that will be ok? or is that what you meant by daisy chaining.

EDIT: Diagram attached

 

[sinshiva]

the logical topology is independent of the physical topology. use whatever works for you in regards.to the physical topology

 

[stevech]

Thanks I was thinking of connecting everything to my layer 2 switch and then connecting the router to that, I presume that will be ok? or is that what you meant by daisy chaining.

EDIT: Diagram attached

You can daisy-chain switches (uplink to next switch), with copper/cat5. In consumer uses, it'll work as well as home-run cabling to one switch. Daisy-chaining multiple small switches can simplify wire runs a great deal, vs. home run all - which is a luxury.

 

[matthelm]

If you can, use a star style layout.

If you can't, running 1 wire to a point, placing a switch/AP/router and hooking everything local there will work fine. Just remember that you now have a single wire for all those devices. Unless you are moving large files around, you'll never see any issues. (streaming online content is small % of gigabit.) In other words, don't do this if you are moving 30GB files back and forth all day long over that 1 wire, keep them on there own wires, or even better, their own network.


An example, I currently have (because I rent) 1 wire to the living room, then 2 switches there (because I ran out of ports). So a few of my devices are 3 switches from the router. Of course, all of these are almost never used. (Blu-Ray, TV and ???, mainly just firmware updates, and such) All my other devices are down where I can run them all directly to my main switch.

 

[Motofixxer]

This is an old thread but for the benefit of anyone that might read this later...It's best to wire anything new with a Home Run. Essentially meaning run all new jacks to a centralized location in the home. Generally in a basement or near the breaker panel.

The idea is to future proof the home as much as reasonably possible. Imagine you have a fancy room you're using as your office with lots of racked goodies then you start adding wiring to your next room over which is your home theater living room area. Then the wife says hunny we need to talk and suddenly that office is being turned into a nursery and all that wiring terminates there...not a good situation.

So if you're adding new wiring a couple of things to keep in mind. If you're needing 1 port...pull 2...if you're needing 2 pull 4. And run everything back to a centralized location where most of your networking equipment can sit. The future users will thank you.

Another good idea wiring a home before sheetrock goes up is to use some sort of conduit runs through inaccessible areas. Examples are the plastic conduit or the Smurf Tube aka blue flexible stuff that snaps right into the low voltage boxes. If you ever have to rewire stuff...you will be very happy.

I even worked with a friend and convinced him to add 2 3" pvc pipe from basement to attic for future wiring needs...be sure to cap them when unused and sealed up when in use. If you ever wanted to add ceiling or wall speakers etc...you will be very thankful.

Be sure to add plenty of extra data ports. You always need more.

 

[azazel1024]

Certainly good suggestions. One thing though, if you are adding conduit, you need to add wiring pulls (IE strong nylon string), otherwise conduit doesn't do a whole lot for you.

My best suggestion is to always add a conduit from basement to attic, though 3" is way overkill. a 1.5-2" conduit is more than enough.

I'd deffinitely suggest always terminating everything in a basement utility room (or 1st floor utility room if you have no basement). For your own uses and future homeowner's uses, it makes things a lot easier.

Multiple runs are also a good idea if you have the time, space and money to do it. That said, even for most demanding users, a single run with a switch at the end to serve multiple devices is generally fine. I'd focus more on coverage than density (IE get 2-4 runs to every room, or every room that might ever need a wired connection, rather than 2-4 runs to a single box in the room. That way you have options for where to locate equipment in a room and aren't stuck with a single location, or stuck running a cable all around the perimeter of the room).

Obviously sometimes it is best to do both. I am doing an addition in around 2 years, but I will not be terminating all runs back in my basement at my patch panel. I'll terminate all runs in a closet in the addition with 4 runs back to the basment patch panel/switch. Considering coverage and density goals in the addition, I'd have to run 8-10 runs back, which would roughly increase my total wiring by 2-2.5x in terms of cost and also a fair whack of extra time in wiring. 4 uplinks should be more than enough to cover me, though I only plan on having 2 active. Cat6 wiring for all except two of the uplinks, which will be fiber (just cause). I'll leave the fiber dark unless or until I either need 2 more uplinks or need fiber for some other reason (I'll probably also run 1 fiber from the closet to where it is very likely I'll have my desk setup in the addition, though my office, for now, is staying in the basement. Things change though).