Just Sharing This Network Upgrade (Ongoing)

[Llew]

I've been spending a fair few days changing and re-routing my LAN network, replacing CAT5 with CAT6 cables. This entailed running the four cables from the equipment (two PC's, downstairs and upstairs plus the Dreambox, and a spare point for my miscellaneous STBs and laptop upstairs).

The cables now converge adjacent to the BT master plug in readiness for the BT fibre router, to be installed in March (at last). The re-routing wasn't trivial - floorboards had to be lifted to route the cables, whereas with the original CAT5 cables I ran years ago, I could crawl under the floorboards. Out of the question now - if I managed to get under them, I would most likely still be down there now

With the old router temporarily connected (a BT Hub will replace it), Wireless connectivity has markedly improved on my Nexus 10 tablet now it and the router are in the same room rather than with the router being upstairs.. Also the CAT6 seems to have improved network download speed a little, up from 3Mb/s to 4Mb/s. For me, BT quote 30Mb/s when I'm upgraded, although the nearest fibre-to-exchange cabinet to me appears to be at the top of the adjacent street, so my copper pair runs for several hundred metres, notwithstanding an extra DP cabinet in the route I think.

 

[timo_w2s]

Hmm, I've been wondering about may network cables. I've still got CAT5e running everywhere and still installing new bits when needed. I thought it was good enough for gigabit ethernet but I had thought maybe I should be buying CAT6 now but it just seems to cost more for little benefit? Bearing in mind most of my equipment and switches are still only running at 100Mbps and my internet isn't likely to approach those speeds for a long time yet.

 

[A nonymous]

The way i have looked at it is until i have over 100mb broadband there is little point upgrading my network for 100mbs cat5e. I did experiment a few months back using an Allied Telysyn based fibre optic back bone between my router and bedroom, until one of the fibre to cat5 converters packed up, as i still had the cat5 cable in place between my router and bedroom i just reconnected it.

I will get round to fixing it again although i will need to get two converters unless i can find one the same as the one that broke.

 

[Llew]

Upgrading the cable spec wasn't really a pressing concern; I couldn't use the existing runs as they went different routes to the intended one, so I may as well replace with CAT6.
Thicker than CAT5, I found it difficult to make it look tidy where the four terminate on the router on the windowsill (nowhere else to hide it really).

 

[Llew]

I did experiment a few months back using an Allied Telysyn based fibre optic back bone

That sounds like a nice solution, although I might not be able to justify using them for the fairly small distances the cables run here.

 

[archive10]

When I refurbed the house in 2010, I took the opportunity to rewire the house complete with CAT5 and 6.
I've got most rooms connected with at least one CAT6 and one or two CAT5s.
Why the mix?
Well I had all this pristine CAT5 and CAT6 cable lying about just waiting to be instaled, so I went for a mix.
Plus the fact that CAT6 is stiffer and more tricky to install, so CAT5 was easier.
I have 30+ termination points throughout the house, so some of the cabling was easier done in cat5, I have to admit.
The main CAT6 need was near the sitting room TV to cater for the HDMI extender, that required two CAT6 cables to work.
Turned out it worked fine on CAT5 to when I tried.
I've since gone over to coax signal path, so not of much use.
Most Ethernet equipment connected is 10/100, so I really don't make much use of the potential bandwidth,

But one things has been confirmed multiple times in the past 5 years.
Wired Ethernet wins hands-down over WiFi all the time, any day. It just works so much better and easier with a cable.
There just is no degradation when more devices are added, there are no blind-spots, there are no hard-to-reach areas etc.

So when it comes to streaming video over IP, I am very happy I put proper wired Ethernet in every room of the house (excluding the bathrooms - they'll have to do with WiFi!)

 

[A nonymous]

(excluding the bathrooms - they'll have to do with WiFi!)

So what will you do if the bathroom is in a blind spot, you'll have to read a newspaper whilst your sitting on the can

 

[timo_w2s]

I agree about the wifi. I only use it on devices that don't have a physical Ethernet socket, ie tablets and phones.

 

[Llew]

I've been spending a fair few days changing and re-routing my LAN network, replacing CAT5 with CAT6 cables. This entailed running the four cables from the equipment (two PC's, downstairs and upstairs plus the Dreambox, and a spare point for my miscellaneous STBs and laptop upstairs).

The cables now converge adjacent to the BT master plug in readiness for the BT fibre router, to be installed in March (at last). The re-routing wasn't trivial - floorboards had to be lifted to route the cables, whereas with the original CAT5 cables I ran years ago, I could crawl under the floorboards. Out of the question now - if I managed to get under them, I would most likely still be down there now

With the old router temporarily connected (a BT Hub will replace it), Wireless connectivity has markedly improved on my Nexus 10 tablet now it and the router are in the same room rather than with the router being upstairs.. Also the CAT6 seems to have improved network download speed a little, up from 3Mb/s to 4Mb/s. For me, BT quote 30Mb/s when I'm upgraded, although the nearest fibre-to-exchange cabinet to me appears to be at the top of the adjacent street, so my copper pair runs for several hundred metres, notwithstanding an extra DP cabinet in the route I think.

BT Hub's been cabled up for a few days now, settling in and performing reasonably well. Over 30 Mb/s d/l speed most of the time compared to 4 - 5 Mb/s over the old copper run to the exchange.

 

[Channel Hopper]

So what will you do if the bathroom is in a blind spot, you'll have to read a newspaper whilst your sitting on the can

There'll be something to hand.....

 

[Vipersan]

...Well ...I guess I have 1 up on most then ..as I have cat5 in my bathroom ...
It's for the mediaplayer next to the TV ..
Sad aint I
Btw wots WiFi ?????
;)

 

[2cvbloke]

Btw wots WiFi ?????
;)

Handy...

 

[Archive4]

...Well ...I guess I have 1 up on most then ..as I have cat5 in my bathroom ...
It's for the mediaplayer next to the TV ..
Sad aint I
Btw wots WiFi ?????
;)

I bet cats 1-4 are relieved by that, anyway, you should buy more toilet paper and let him out!

 

[Vipersan]

I bet cats 1-4 are relieved by that, anyway, you should buy more toilet paper and let him out!

Now _thats_ my kinda humour ..
Toilet Humour ..
luvin it..