Home network setup

Nutty_Death · 21 May 2019 at 20:46

Looking for some advice on networking hardware.

I'm buying a new house and doing some renovation including rewiring the house. My plan is to run some shielded cat6a at the same time for a gigabit network. I'm thinking I'll need.

24 port switch and patch panel
Router
2 wireless access points

Would likely need Poe for the APs but unlikely to need it for anything else. So I don't mind using injectors for a few ports.

I've been eyeing up UBIQUITI networks unifi products and the price adds up quickly. I'm ok to stretch price wise but tbh I just think it will be overkill. My needs are fairly basic, wanted basic network management (DHCP, DNS etc) but with good transfer speeds and seemless WiFi handoffs

I feel like I'm leaning towards ubiquiti just for the wireless APs but then I'd need a software controller?

For reference I was thinking Ubiquiti unifi.

USG
24 port managed switch
2x nanohd

But the USG seems like a weak point

bremen1874 · 21 May 2019 at 20:51

Install that cable if you want, but it's overkill and will make the job more difficult and expensive than that it needs to be.

There's no pressing reason to use anything better than Cat6 UTP.

You don't need anything special for the UniFi software controller. I have mine cloud hosted and it costs peanuts.

Nutty_Death · 21 May 2019 at 20:53

Figured with pulling it through with electric cables it was worth using shielded

Stephanie Peterson · 21 May 2019 at 20:55

I am just rebuilding mine at the moment.
So far i have.
A zyxel gs1900-10hp - 10 port (2 spfs), you might want the 16 way or bigger.
A TP link AP, runs off POE which the zyxel give and is cheep as chips (30 quid), is fully manageable like the switch and ceiling mounted (well cupboard ceiling in my case)
An 8 port patch box for the stuff i do cable.
An old second hand HP microserver for Pfsense(routing and firewall), DNS stuff with pihole and network shares.

The HP box is getting hooked up to the switch by an HP spf dual socket card for it and will uplink to the Zyxels two Spf ports at 10Gb, ok i know its overkill for the old HP box but i will likely get a new one if this works well and can reuse those components... plus its cool.

In addition i am running cat6 upstairs and additional stuff in my lounge for the TV And pc which sit in the cupboard. Upstairs i intend to have one of my pi's - prob the big Xu4 on POE with an SDR ADB-s reciever and antenna for flight radar 24 or just nosying about. I also will run a catv estension outside to a roof mounted camera dumping back to a cctv app on the server box.

Have already ran the power in, dual 13amp sockets with usb and moved the bt master socket in there as well extended by network cable soldered to the incoming BT line in the junction box by the window. Best doing this as telephone extensions normally used can drop your data link speeds. Moving the and extending the cable to the master socket was simple. AP is up and working as well.

bremen1874 · 21 May 2019 at 20:56

Deaths_Calling said:
Figured with pulling it through with electric cables it was worth using shielded

You shouldn't be running it with electric cables even if it is shielded.

Give it the proper separation it needs (which isn't much).

DBT85 · 21 May 2019 at 21:59

I literally just have the sky router, a 24 port patch panel and an unmanaged switch in the loft, with 2 injectors feeding 2 unifi ceiling warts. Transfer speeds are about what you'd possibly get from gig network so there's no slowdown. Maybe if I was running an office for 20 people things would be different.

I installed the unifi software on my media server, configured them and haven't been near it since.

Probably should see if there are newer firmwares but it's been fine for a few years.

Obviously some need more stuff than I do. But I also don't doubt some think they need more than they actually do. That bits up to you.

Mine is just cat 6 pulled in pairs. If it's parallel with electrics then it's at least 2in away.

Nutty_Death · 21 May 2019 at 22:08

Interesting, that helps actually. I could install the ap controller on my microserver running freenass then just have a switch connected to my virgin router. At least initially anyway to see if I have greater needs. Would certainly be a hell of a lot cheaper.

Stephanie Peterson · 21 May 2019 at 22:18

If your getting a switch get one with poe, its great not having to run power cables to stuff like APs

Those HP microservers are getting expensive for the newer ones with the better cpus.

bremen1874 · 21 May 2019 at 22:35

Injectors have their place if you're only wanting to connect one or two APs.

If need larger capacity switches making them PoE adds a lot to the cost.

Stephanie Peterson · 21 May 2019 at 22:38

Yeah injectors are fine, bit of a mess/faf but imho poe will always be better from the switch.

But poe doesnt add much, here is the 24 (+2) port version of the one i have. Fully manageable and with SPF as well
https://www.amazon.co.uk/24-Port-Gi...t+Switch&qid=1558474654&s=gateway&sr=8-2&th=1

bremen1874 · 21 May 2019 at 22:53

From your own link, the 24 port PoE switch is almost double the cost of the non-PoE version. It's 3x the cost of an unmanaged 24 port switch (and most people don't need managed switches for home use).

As with all these things you have to take it on a case-by-case basis.

Stephanie Peterson · 21 May 2019 at 23:11

Well yes, its twice the cost but you are getting a managed 10Gbe switch with poe for under 200 notes.. Imho thats a bargain.

Ok most dont need managed switches but i am assuming the OP is a enthusiast who wants a full home lab/setup.

Nutty_Death · 22 May 2019 at 04:59

I wouldn't say I'm that much of an enthusiast. I don't want to spend time playing with the configuration or do things like make a vlan, DNS server etc. Just want it to be fast and as future proof as possible.

The amount of configuration I get via my ISP router is enough really. E.g. static ips.

Poe seems to double prices of switches and I'm happy enough to use something like https://www.eurodk.com/en/products/poe-injectors/poe-injector-8-port-gigabit-802.3AT-AF-MODE-A for the APs and whatever else might come up in the future

DBT85 · 22 May 2019 at 05:04

Deaths_Calling said:
I wouldn't say I'm that much of an enthusiast. I don't want to spend time playing with the configuration or do things like make a vlan, DNS server etc. Just want it to be fast and as future proof as possible.

The amount of configuration I get via my ISP router is enough really. E.g. static ips.

Poe seems to double prices of switches and I'm happy enough to use something like https://www.eurodk.com/en/products/poe-injectors/poe-injector-8-port-gigabit-802.3AT-AF-MODE-A for the APs and whatever else might come up in the future

You sound like me. Just get an unmanageed switch and put the injectors in the same cupboard/loft as the patch panel/switch since there is power there anyway. As you said way cheaper and you'll probably never upgrade it.

The only time I've looked at a poe switch is for our holiday cottages as I want to run 4 or 5 APs as well as ip cams off it so naturally it makes more sense.

If you're that worried, just buy a used switch to get going and buy shiny new toy later.

leoncc · 22 May 2019 at 22:01

I have just upgraded my home network with Ubiquiti, the initial cost is high and the setup/troubleshooting took me a little while to get used to and figure out!

The hardest part was routing the cables and spending time in the loft (soooooo hot), only took a day of light drilling. The ethernet face-plates are extremely easy and quick to wire up btw!

Everything is working flawlessly now though and I would recommend them!

USG
US-8-60W
NETGEAR GS305
AP AC PRO
x2 UVC-G3-Pro

I have the USG connected to VM behind the TV (stupid engineer), then a face-plate to the outside, cat5e to my room for a switch (PC/NVR) then it goes upstairs into a spare room in the loft for the PoE switch (AP/CCTV), the AP is in the hall in the middle of the bungalow!

I used the LAN2/WAN2 port on the USG for the TiVo so I didn't need another switch there.

A Cloud Key Controller Gen 2 Plus is on order to keep my NVR on 24/7 for CCTV instead of my PC.

https://imgur.com/gallery/hZBN5Fm

the-evaluator · 23 May 2019 at 09:52

You'd be better using a switch connected to LAN1 on the USG rather than bridging to LAN2/WAN2 as the bridging is done in software and it kills the performance.

Terrier_Jimlad · 26 May 2019 at 22:57

Could get yourself some AP-Lites, they come with their own POE injector now, then no need for a large capacity POE switch, run controller from a PC/Server/Pi and make changes when necessary - build it over time as and when you have spare cash. The Lites can be meshed as with most of the range - I cover my entire 3 bed semi with one.

pp111 · 27 May 2019 at 09:48

bremen1874 said:
Install that cable if you want, but it's overkill and will make the job more difficult and expensive than that it needs to be.

There's no pressing reason to use anything better than Cat6 UTP.

This.
My house is wired in Cat5e and I get flawless gigabit all over the house. Unless you have a real problem in the house with noise, or you are going for faster than gigabit then there isn't even a reason to go Cat6 ~ except one huge plus - future proofing. So yes Cat6!!!

DBT85 · 27 May 2019 at 14:57

pp111 said:
This.
My house is wired in Cat5e and I get flawless gigabit all over the house. Unless you have a real problem in the house with noise, or you are going for faster than gigabit then there isn't even a reason to go Cat6 ~ except one huge plus - future proofing. So yes Cat6!!!

Indeed. I do wonder what people think they are going to be doing that even worrying about 10g is necessary.

Jamauk · 27 May 2019 at 16:52

DBT85 said:
Indeed. I do wonder what people think they are going to be doing that even worrying about 10g is necessary.

It really is a difficult one with the future proofing aspect, potentially some decent copper Cat5e is good for 10G, but currently it must be rare that 1Gb/Sec is fully utilised given hardware constraints at either end of the cables. I wired the house fully with 5e just over ten years ago, if I were starting from scratch now I'd go down the 6 route. I've got everything in trunking so changing to 6 wouldn't be too difficult as it could all be pulled through and changing sockets, patch panels and patch cables would be the biggest hassle but could probably be done over a weekend.