Wiring new build house – home network\AV?

[Pugs1]

We are buying a new bungalow and I want to ask the builder to incorporate cat6 cable to some of the rooms as well as add speaker points in the living room for 7.1. It is also a chance to tidy up the mess behind the AV\HiFi systems...hopefully

I'm thinking that the main components I need for a home network would be

1. Network Switch
2. Switch Panel
3. Router\ADSL Modem
4. Cat6(?) Cable\Wiring
5. Termination\wall sockets

Rooms to be networked

1. Living room (AV, HiFi, Xbox, Sky HD, Blu-ray, TV – the last four have internet access)
2. Study (home working)
3. Bedroom 1 (TV, possibly Sky)
4. Sunroom\kitchen (TV)

The main network components can be hosted in a hall cupboard where the main fuse box is situated but I think I'll need two twin electrical sockets added. However, since the router\modem will be in here, should I have main BT point terminated here?

My idea is just to have one cat6 cable running to the rooms above, is that enough, should I have 4 network points (RJ45) in the living room? Should I run twin runs to the other rooms, esp Study?

What would be the correct way to terminate this lot?

Main Components for AV – All using HDMI

1. AV Amp – not networked
2. Plasma TV – RJ45 connection
3. Blu-ray – RJ45
4. Xbox360 – RJ45
5. Sky HD – RJ45
6. HiFi – TAG McLaren
7. 7.1 speakers (main front left\right are shared between the HifI and AV)

Obviously in this case, most of the equipment will be on one main wall. So requirements will be

1. Extra electrical sockets perhaps 4 x twin sockets
2. RJ45 sockets
3. Speaker sockets for rears\surrounds and possibly the sub (Single RCA termination)
4. Connections between HiFi and AV – would need long set of RCA cables
5. Anything else?

Even though new cat6 points and speaker sockets would be installed, how else can I cable manage the rest of the connections i.e. HDMI out from components to AV amp and\or TV and optical connections etc?

Now to the nitty gritty, can anybody recommend the correct cabling for this lot. I know that there are certain Cat6 cable suitable for in wall installation
I would need a few details on suppliers or where to purchase

1. Rolls CAT6 (7?) In wall cabling
2. Longer RCA Cabling
3. Suitable network switch and panel
4. Suitable sockets\plates
5. Rolls of suitable 'in wall' speaker cable

Is it worth asking the builder to add a dedicated electrical line to the main fuse box for this lot?

Thanks for helping out

 

[Crooksey]

Right.

In your understairs cupboard, you want at least 2x DP 13A sockets, you also want your BT master socket in their.

You will need a patch panel to terminate the cables in the wall, and a network switch. You can get a cat6 patch panel for around 25 quid, and the same price for an unmanaged switch.

The CAT6 cable that goes in the walls is just called cat6 solid, it has a hard bit of plastic in the middle, its not the same stuff you use for making patch cables.

I would have 8 cat 6 points in the lounge, then 4 in the study and 2 in every other room.

As far as the wiring for the AV kit goes, you wont need it on its own ring main, thats over kill. 5 bedroom houses run all the sockets (bar kitchen) off of one ring main and they are fine.

 

[MassiveJim]

To expand on what Crooksey has said.

1 - make sure you buy solid copper core CAT6 not CCA. CCA is copper coated wire and is not as good quality.
2 - run at least 2 cables to each point you want networked as the cost difference is minimal it seems daft not to.
3 - add more network ports than what you need, at this point in time it is faaaaaaar easier to add cable then afterwards.
4 - choose your "Node 0" location wiseley, think about where the cable will come through the wall (if you will be terminating the cables yourself ask the builder/sparky to leave at least 2 meters at the node 0 end and 50cm at the other end.


I am in the process of buying a house and I got the sparky to run cat 6 for me, I didn't do number 4 and he hadn't left me enough cable sticking out of the wall at node0 for a couple of the cables. I also left it to him where to put node0, i said under the stairs or if it is going to be too dofficult to do that put it in bedroom 2 (which will be my office), he has put them in the office but in a real crap place and I regret it now as it is too late to change it. right under the window which is also right next to the radiator and about 20cm off the floor. so I am going to have a network cabinet basicly right above the skirting board attached to the wall right next to the radiator blocking all the heat and also soaking up the heat potentially overheating my switch.

 

[Pugs1]

Cheers guys,

When you mean Node0 are you talking about the network switch panel?

I'm going to add this lot to a cupboard, probably where the electrical fuse box for the house is located, failing that I have another cupboard but that has the immersion heater in it!

Cheers

 

[jamesc123]

When you mean Node0 are you talking about the network switch panel?
Cheers

A Node 0 is a central place where all one's network equipment is and where all the cables run to.

 

[stevos]

Wouldn't it be wiser to have Cat ports in every room?

Things change and more and more parts of our lives are coming connected, having extra flexibility is always a good idea for what i assume won't be a huge extra cost.

 

[bryanchicken]

Wouldn't it be wiser to have Cat ports in every room?

Things change and more and more parts of our lives are coming connected, having extra flexibility is always a good idea for what i assume won't be a huge extra cost.

Yes, but these need to be connected to something on the other end. They need to be connected back to a node0 to be plugged into a switch/router or they are just cables in the wall.

 

[Pugs1]

Cheers guys.

Moving on to the main living room where the AV\Stereo will sit - Stereo over on the right corner, is it feasible on what i have quickly drawn up i.e. is the sparky going to complain about anything etc

 

[A8RICK]

Hi, looks like your doing something similar to myself, im currently researching as im a novice with this stuff but good luck with it all!

Couple of questions if you dont mind, if the majority of the main electrical items are being stored in a separate location in the hall, is there a reason for all the power sockets? are you just keeping your options open?

Also do you plan to run speaker cable to a main wall plate in the lounge, then from wall plate to each speaker? Is it not better to run cables direct from AV unit to each speaker?

cant make out what all the other wall plates are but there looks to be plenty!

Im just trying to compare notes

Cheers,
R.

 

[Pugs1]

This is just the one wall for the AV equipment (I like to see my HiFi..lol). The network patch box\router etc will be hidden in a cupboard.

The above piccy isn't a false wall or anything special, just getting the right amount of points in at the beginning including those needed for networking and hidden speaker cabling. I'll still have an Atacamma stands for both AV and HiFi.

So, instead of electrical lead extensions everywhere, I have come up with this design. I'm planning to run the speaker cables in the walls from the speaker input points to the 7.1 speaker socket you can see in the middle and then very short runs of cable to the amp. I think this way you have a few more options should you have to move anything in the future (in this room, this wall is the best place for all of this equipment). You could just have a 'brush' socket and run the cables through that, either way you want the speaker points (on the walls) terminated nicely. Not shown in this picture is the rest of the speaker point sockets which will be for the surround and back speakers but they will be a similar setup.

Hope that makes sense? Open to other suggestions though

What I'm worried about is all of the vertical runs of conduit and cabling, hope the sparky wont complain or aginst regulations or something silly

The single RCA point for the sub is on the left hand wall (twin elec sockets already there). I can then run RCA cable to wherever the sub will be positioned in that area.

There are four twin CAT5e sockets in this arrangement.

 

[Pugs1]

Can anyone recommend a suitable patch panel that can be sat on a shelf and a network switch for the home?

 

[Crooksey]

Patch panels cant sit on a shelf really, due to the nature of what they are, you are best off getting a 2U mini server rack, and sitting that on a shelf.