Planned Home Network [Cabling]

Talk about setting up your home network.
ruff_hi

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#41

Post by ruff_hi » Mon Nov 24, 2014 6:12 pm

That looks toasty warm. How much stuff do you have in there?

At the most, I will have the following:
- patch panel (zero heat)
- 24-port switch (powered, so ... heat)
- wireless access point (heat)
- sonos bridge (heat)
- power board (heat)

At the minimum (ie hub in basement), I will have the following:
- wireless access point (heat)
- sonos bridge (heat)
- power board (heat)

So ... moving the hub to the basement will move the switch (and the non heat producing patch panel).
Last edited by ruff_hi on Mon Nov 24, 2014 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

CBO

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#42

Post by CBO » Mon Nov 24, 2014 6:26 pm

4 systems on top of the networking equipment. Also the closet door is next to the door that leads to the garage so sometimes it get closed by accident.

ruff_hi

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#43

Post by ruff_hi » Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:33 pm

Update: Don't run Ethernet cable by yourself. Get a buddy to help. I have just spend 2 days walking between the basement, the lounge and the study ... and back again, and again. Tools are spread all over the house ... so it takes ages to do anything ... where did I put the wire cutters?

Anyway, I've decided to move the hub to the basement. That means that every Ethernet cable now must go down to the basement. The cupboard under the stairs will be the home of the wireless router and the sonos bridge. It is pretty much the dead centre of the house. Hopefully the cupboard isn't lead lined.

Anyway, so far, I have 1 run from the study, 1 run from the master bedroom and 1 run from the TV room. I also have 2 big holes in the dining room wall. I managed to creak open the hidden doors (did I mention that? See below) and pull the door out ... but I couldn't really use the room to run the cables. I had hoped to run a conduit between the basement and the cupboard under the stairs in the study just behind the panel that hides the door - not going to work.

So ... I had to crack open the panel 2 or 3 over. Thus the two gaping holes of death. Lucky for me the wife is away for 3 weeks ... just means I have to catch some youtube videos about repairing holes in walls. I am confident that she won't even spot the patch. Misplaced? We will see.

I have some smurf tubing and I am going to run 2 or 3 conduits from the cupboard down the basement. The hole(s) in the cupboard will be behind a false panel wall so only I will know it is there. I did get some Schedule 40 PVC that I have put up in the basement. The Ethernet pops out for basement ceiling, turns right and will head into the conduit. The conduit runs the cable over the main walking area in the basement, dumps it out at the required beam and then it heads to the hub in the corner.

Now - here is where I am looking for help, ideas, suggestions.

I have a corner in the basement just right for a cabinet. It is 20" (or so) deep and 20" (or so) wide. It is just around the corner from the electrical panel and the new coax panel. I will have enough area beside this cabinet / thing for any service loop(s) so you don't have to include that in the cabinet. What should I put here? I need to house the following:
  • cable modem
  • patch panel (24-port, 1U mounted)
  • switch (24-port)
  • vonage box
I also want to plan for a NAS in the same unit (a future project).

Other considerations ...
  • The patch panel is hinged, so it can swing out easily. I image that it is a pain adding a new cable once every thing is set up as the switch that will sit right about the patch will also have to move (swing) or all of the patch cables will need to be removed. Is this right?
  • I want to be able to get to the power cords on the cable modem, vonage box, switch without killing myself - I am thinking of shelves that I can pull out (see pic below).
    This will mean that the cables behind will need some 'play'
  • When the NAS goes in, I want to go a step further and put it on a pull our shelf with a lazy Susan (I just googled for a picture and found the ideal solution).
Image

Lazy Susan solution ... http://www.amazonsupply.com/capacity-be ... od_descrip

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Crash2009

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#44

Post by Crash2009 » Sat Nov 29, 2014 4:46 am

Call your electrician and run a dedicated breaker for the toys.

CBO

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#45

Post by CBO » Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:27 am

Nice kitchen! I would look on eBay for an open rack that allows air flow. I found a small 1/4 size network / av rack for under 100 bucks. If you need to make more holes in your walls google pumpkin cuts for drywall. That will help you a lot down the road when it comes time to repair.

ruff_hi

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#46

Post by ruff_hi » Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:49 am

Crash2009 wrote:Call your electrician and run a dedicated breaker for the toys.
Really? For 4 items? Ok - something else to research.

ruff_hi

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#47

Post by ruff_hi » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:04 am

CBO wrote:Nice kitchen! I would look on eBay for an open rack that allows air flow. I found a small 1/4 size network / av rack for under 100 bucks. If you need to make more holes in your walls google pumpkin cuts for drywall. That will help you a lot down the road when it comes time to repair.
I've just finished running (future proof) conduits using smurf tubing as well as running two Ethernet cables into the dining room (I have no idea why at the moment ... the opportunity presented itself so I took it) and 2 cables into the lounge room (possible future TV location). All up - a good day of cabling. Much more satisfying than yesterday.

I did a bit of googling using "diy server rack", clicking on 'images' and then browsing. It is interesting what sort of stuff you can find.

Image

This has to be the front running at the moment. I will need panels, doors, etc as my basement is semi-finish (and that is being generous) so I have to attempt to keep the dust out.
Last edited by ruff_hi on Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

CBO

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#48

Post by CBO » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:11 am

Yeah if it's dusty then I could see why you want to enclose it. 3 weeks huh your on a tight schedule!

ruff_hi

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#49

Post by ruff_hi » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:21 am

I don't need everything finished in 3-weeks ... I just need to get the house looking like it did before I started cabling. The end is in sight ... 4 more cables and then it is tidy up and patch time.

BTW - Encounter at Farpoint is on BBC America at the moment ... what a sucky first episode. Parts of the dialog changed too ...

Encounter at Farpoint: Captain's log, supplementary: blah blah

Later Episodes: Captain's Log, supplemental: blah blah

ruff_hi

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#50

Post by ruff_hi » Tue Dec 02, 2014 11:25 am

Part A (the destruction) of my Ethernet cabling task is available for shits and giggles.

Image

ruff_hi

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#51

Post by ruff_hi » Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:29 am

Lounge room repaired.

Can you see where the patch is?

Image

CBO

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#52

Post by CBO » Mon Dec 15, 2014 1:23 pm

Behind the painting?

ruff_hi

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#53

Post by ruff_hi » Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:21 am

CBO wrote:Behind the painting?
Golly, the internet is funny. I posted this at another forum and someone said exactly the same thing.

Answer: No. The hole was above the pic ... but some patch work, spackle, sealer and color paint later ... gone. I am particularly pleased with my DIY home maintenance work here 8-)

CBO

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#54

Post by CBO » Tue Dec 16, 2014 2:21 pm

It looks good cant tell anything was opened in that spot.

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