Home Automation

79 readers

2 users here now

Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

Rules

No abusive behaviour. This is a forum for friendly discussion; personal attacks will not be tolerated and you will be banned without warning.
Referral/affiliate links are NOT ALLOWED!
NO POLITICS! There are plenty of other communities to discuss them; this is not one.
When posting project details must be included. Posting a video or image without detail will result in a removed post and may result in a ban.
Crowdfunding links are not allowed.
Reposts, low-effort content and karma farming may be removed at the discretion of the mods. Posters may be banned without warning.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

communick@selfhosted.forum

Cat5 Ports Help (alien.top)

submitted 11 months ago by Sufficient_Manner_91@alien.top to c/homeautomation@selfhosted.forum

16 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hi y’all,

I’m getting a new house built and builder has asked me if I want cat 5 connections installed. I am thinking of having these cat 5 ports installed where the tv’s will be and where my office will be. Wifi for rest of the devices. It’s a three story house. Would cat5 wiring be run separately from each port to a central location in the basement? Im guessing that my main internet line to the house will come into basement.

Would I install modem in the basement and individually connect all these cat5 wires into the modem? Do I require anything else from the builder side? Does a wifi booster need a cat5 port? Anything else you guys foresee I should get before the drywall goes in?

Sorry for the noob questions. House is in Canada if it matters (we have optic)

Thanks!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] silasmoeckel@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Not at least by the terms used.

A modem converts say cable/dsl/fiber to ethernet.

A router plugs into that and does NAT to hide your internal network from the world. Technically it's a firewall but typically misused term is router in home networking.

A switch plugs into that.

Wireless AP's plug into that along with any wired devices.

Your ISP will often give you one box thats all of these things in one.

The modem in the basement connected to a router with one more more AP's around the house. I have 4700 sqf on 3 levels it's 3 AP's to get excellent coverage.

[–] Sufficient_Manner_91@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (2 children)

That makes sense! Mine is 2200 sqft. I think with modem in the basement and AP on the main-floor via cat, I should be good

[–] ScandInBei@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

It depends on the wall materials and thickness. It may not reach the far corners on upper and lower floors.

You will likely also see significantly reduced wireless speeds. At the moment with best in class wifi you may be able to reach 1.5Gbps near the router, but that could be 200Mbps or less a few rooms away.

I agree with others that you should run cat6a to all rooms. But atleast run to each floor so you can connected wired access points for better wifi.

You should never use a wifi extender, and mesh may not work good if distances and building materials attenuate the signal too much. Nothing beats wired for reliability.

[–] StillCopper@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

Not even close. Think of everything else you will want hard wired for. Extenders are not worth the trouble if you can get a good wired AP to various locations.