Best way to build a home network with CAT 6 cable already fitted

Prolog

Standard Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Just finishing off a new build house with CAT 6 cable available in each room. I have also got speaker cables to each room. All cables return to a central cupboard.
My question is 'what options do I have so that music can be streamed to each room in the house, allowing for different selections to be played simultaneously? I would like to be able to control the selection from the appropriate room.
Hope someone can help.
 
Without getting into specific products I can see three options. You could rack all of your kit in the cupboard including amplifier and sources and then just connect that up to the speaker cables. You'd probably need some kind of IR, RF or maybe wifi remote control system and some speaker switching system but this would minimise the visibility of pretty much everything except the speakers. Or you could just install a switch in the cupboard and use that to connect systems in each room to music libraries on a server, NAS or just your existing Macs and PCs. If you have a server or NAS then my advice would be to hide that in the cupboard too. A third option is to use a mixture of the two other options.

Obviously if you're going to put lots of kit in the cupboard then you'll need to think about ventilation / cooling.
 
A NAS to store your music/videos/computer backups and one Sonos Connect:Amp per room.

With the Sonos units wired to your wireless broadband router you will be able to choose what music track/Internet radio station you want to listen to in each room, using an Apple iPhone/iPad or Android phone/tablet as a remote control.

Cheap is something else, but it's certainly worth it IMO.
 
Last edited:
My question is 'what options do I have so that music can be streamed to each room in the house, allowing for different selections to be played simultaneously? I would like to be able to control the selection from the appropriate room.
Hope someone can help.

Do you want to be able to synchronise the selections as well? i.e. have the same thing playing throughout the house at the same time.
 
Without getting into specific products I can see three options. You could rack all of your kit in the cupboard including amplifier and sources and then just connect that up to the speaker cables. You'd probably need some kind of IR, RF or maybe wifi remote control system and some speaker switching system but this would minimise the visibility of pretty much everything except the speakers. Or you could just install a switch in the cupboard and use that to connect systems in each room to music libraries on a server, NAS or just your existing Macs and PCs. If you have a server or NAS then my advice would be to hide that in the cupboard too. A third option is to use a mixture of the two other options.

Obviously if you're going to put lots of kit in the cupboard then you'll need to think about ventilation / cooling.

Thanks for this. Sounds like I have a fair bit to think about. With the remote would there be the ability to select tracks from different rooms?
 
Do you want to be able to synchronise the selections as well? i.e. have the same thing playing throughout the house at the same time.


I hadn't actually thought about that but I guess that there could be a need for it. Why do you ask?
 
A NAS to store your music/videos/computer backups and one Sonos Connect:Amp per room.

With the Sonos units wired to your wireless broadband router you will be able to choose what music track/Internet radio station you want to listen to in each room, using an Apple iPhone/iPad or Android phone/tablet as a remote control.

Cheap is something else, but it's certainly worth it IMO.

Sonos was on my possibility list. What I'm not sure about is whether or not it would make the speaker cabling redundant and if so is there a way to remotely control a NAS from each room?
 
Prolog said:
Thanks for this. Sounds like I have a fair bit to think about. With the remote would there be the ability to select tracks from different rooms?

There's almost certainly a product out there that will do that if that's what you want. And you'll probably be able to use your cat 6 cables to do it. might not be cheap though.

Personally though I would (I do) have a central server connected to the network that streams music an movies to various systems around the house. Those systems range from Apple TVs in the bedroom and one living room to an expensive Naim system in the main living room. I've also got various iThingies streaming over wifi.
 
Sonos was on my possibility list. What I'm not sure about is whether or not it would make the speaker cabling redundant and if so is there a way to remotely control a NAS from each room?
The Sonos Connect Amps would sit, stacked on top of each other, in the cabinet where the speaker wires end. Only the speakers that are installed in each room and the remote controls will be visible as one walks around the house.

If your internet router will not be in the same cabinet as the Sonos boxes you will also have to run a Ethernet cable/Homeplug connection/use a Sonos wireless Bridge to connect the Sonos Connect Amps to it.

In order for the Sonos remote controls to work everywhere, you will need to make sure that your wireless router covers all the rooms and place additional wireless access points where there are wireless dead spots.

The NAS is just for storage. The Sonos app on your phone/tablet will give you a nice interface, allowing you to effortlessly choose between playing songs stored on the NAS/networked computers or listen to Internet radio stations.
 
Last edited:
Sonos was on my possibility list. What I'm not sure about is whether or not it would make the speaker cabling redundant and if so is there a way to remotely control a NAS from each room?

It depends :) Normally you don't use a central amplifier/distribution system, but have a separate device in each room.

You should also look at the Logitech Squeezebox devices (similar capabilities to Sonos, although Logitech look to be reducing the range of devices available). Basically you don't control the NAS, what you control are the playing devices in each room. Each device then requests the files/audio streams required from the NAS. I'm more familiar with the Squeezebox range, which uses a bit of server software running on the NAS as the mechanism to convert from the audio files on the NAS to the audio streams running over the network.

Devices can either be self contained (network audio streamer + amp + speaker(s)), or just the network audio streamer which connects as a source to an existing HiFi/Audio system. Controllers tend to be iPod touch/iPad or Android phone/tablet devices operating via WiFi. Using the controller you can browse your music library or run a pre-compiled playlist.

For example, I have a NAS upstairs in a spare bedroom, a Squeezebox Touch in the lounge connected to my main HiFi/Surround audio system. I can select what's playing on this either directly on the Touch itself, or via WiFi with an app on my iPod touch. I also have a Squeezebox Radio, which I can use in any room, again I can select the music directly on the radio, or via WiFi with my iPod. I could have other Squeezebox Radios in other rooms, and all could be playing different music from my NAS.
 
The Logitech Squeezebox Touch boxes would certainly save a lot of money. The Sonos system by comparison will be a humongous expenditure.

The thing I would be worried about is if the Squeezeboxe's amp is up to the task of powering more than a small set of table top speakers - there is a reason why the Sonos units are rather pricey.
 
Last edited:
It depends :) Normally you don't use a central amplifier/distribution system, but have a separate device in each room.

You should also look at the Logitech Squeezebox devices (similar capabilities to Sonos, although Logitech look to be reducing the range of devices available). Basically you don't control the NAS, what you control are the playing devices in each room. Each device then requests the files/audio streams required from the NAS. I'm more familiar with the Squeezebox range, which uses a bit of server software running on the NAS as the mechanism to convert from the audio files on the NAS to the audio streams running over the network.

Devices can either be self contained (network audio streamer + amp + speaker(s)), or just the network audio streamer which connects as a source to an existing HiFi/Audio system. Controllers tend to be iPod touch/iPad or Android phone/tablet devices operating via WiFi. Using the controller you can browse your music library or run a pre-compiled playlist.

For example, I have a NAS upstairs in a spare bedroom, a Squeezebox Touch in the lounge connected to my main HiFi/Surround audio system. I can select what's playing on this either directly on the Touch itself, or via WiFi with an app on my iPod touch. I also have a Squeezebox Radio, which I can use in any room, again I can select the music directly on the radio, or via WiFi with my iPod. I could have other Squeezebox Radios in other rooms, and all could be playing different music from my NAS.

Thanks CJed, I'll look into that option. Sound like I need to cost up the various options suggested and see whats affordable. I guess I could do it room by room and minimise the initial financial hit.
 
There's almost certainly a product out there that will do that if that's what you want. And you'll probably be able to use your cat 6 cables to do it. might not be cheap though.

Personally though I would (I do) have a central server connected to the network that streams music an movies to various systems around the house. Those systems range from Apple TVs in the bedroom and one living room to an expensive Naim system in the main living room. I've also got various iThingies streaming over wifi.

Thanks for this - no issues with mixing up various bits of kit?
 
The Logitech Squeezebox Touch boxes would certainly save a lot of money. The Sonos system by comparison will be a humongous expenditure.

The thing I would be worried about is if the Squeezeboxe's amp is up to the task of powering more than a small set of table top speakers - there is a reason why the Sonos units are rather pricey.

Thanks Summoner, there is an appeal in sticking with one piece of kit. Sounds like it could cost me though (appreciating that you get what you pay for). I'll pop into Richer Sounds to see whats involved.
 
Thanks for this - no issues with mixing up various bits of kit?

Some. One is that Apple products only really want to stream from other Apple products or things that pretend to be Apple products, like the Firefly iTunes server software found on a lot on NAS boxes or third party Airplay compatible kit. Most non-Apple streaming products support DLNA / UPnP. Apple products don't without third party apps.

So to get everything working requires both iTunes and DLNA software to be running on the server. They're both pointed at the same library of movies and music though and it seems to work well enough.

Another potential issue is file compatibility. Some devices won't play Apple lossless files. Others won't play FLAC files. You can use free software to convert to another. You could store multiple versions of the same track or you can convert everything to the lowest common denominater (MP3?). Some DLNA software will transcode media from one format to another on the fly, so that could be an option. In my case pretty much all of my lossy music is in AAC format. The lossless stuff is in FLAC. I have lower quality AAC versions of those FLAC tracks too.
 
I would suggest talking to Sonos/Richer Sounds about taking one of the Connect Amps home for a 30day trial. Sonos offer this for items purchased directly off their website, may be Richer Sounds will agree to it too.

I assume you have a working Wireless connection in the house and an iPod touch/iphone/ipad/android phone or tablet to install the Sonos App onto?
 
Last edited:
Another option that I'm going to play with tomorrow would be a £30 Raspberry pi in each room, can stream the music over the network, would need an amp though or speakers that can take a 3.5mm input.
Control it with an IOS/Android device.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom