ᐅ Number of RJ-45 Wall Sockets ("Network Outlets") – What Makes Sense?
Created on: 27 Nov 2017 21:39
B
baumhaus815
Hello everyone,
A week ago, we met with the electrician to plan the electrical installations for our new build. Everything is clear regarding the sockets, switches, and lighting outlets. However, we are still considering the topic of communication outlets.
The situation is as follows: Fiber optic cables are being installed in our new development. We want to take advantage of this, but without having to install and pay for too many (unnecessary) RJ-45 (or even TAE) sockets.
As I understand it, in a three-story single-family house you could basically get by with only four RJ-45 network outlets:
Basement: one for the router
Ground floor: two — 1x telephone; 1x Wi-Fi access point
Upper floor: one for Wi-Fi access point.
This way, all end devices (computers, smartphones, TV) would connect via Wi-Fi without using LAN cables. The telephone connection could also be accessed on the ground floor through one of the four RJ-45 outlets.
So, throughout the whole house, we would only need these four RJ-45 outlets (plus 2 satellite sockets for TV). Telephone sockets could be omitted. We plan to do the wiring with CAT 7 cable. In the long term, the satellite TV sockets could be replaced by Wi-Fi TV, according to the plan.
From your point of view, is this planning reasonable? If so, why is it often recommended to install many more RJ-45 outlets when signals can also be accessed via Wi-Fi?
By the way, a home network with only one network printer or other "smart" applications is not currently planned.
Thanks in advance for your replies!
A week ago, we met with the electrician to plan the electrical installations for our new build. Everything is clear regarding the sockets, switches, and lighting outlets. However, we are still considering the topic of communication outlets.
The situation is as follows: Fiber optic cables are being installed in our new development. We want to take advantage of this, but without having to install and pay for too many (unnecessary) RJ-45 (or even TAE) sockets.
As I understand it, in a three-story single-family house you could basically get by with only four RJ-45 network outlets:
Basement: one for the router
Ground floor: two — 1x telephone; 1x Wi-Fi access point
Upper floor: one for Wi-Fi access point.
This way, all end devices (computers, smartphones, TV) would connect via Wi-Fi without using LAN cables. The telephone connection could also be accessed on the ground floor through one of the four RJ-45 outlets.
So, throughout the whole house, we would only need these four RJ-45 outlets (plus 2 satellite sockets for TV). Telephone sockets could be omitted. We plan to do the wiring with CAT 7 cable. In the long term, the satellite TV sockets could be replaced by Wi-Fi TV, according to the plan.
From your point of view, is this planning reasonable? If so, why is it often recommended to install many more RJ-45 outlets when signals can also be accessed via Wi-Fi?
By the way, a home network with only one network printer or other "smart" applications is not currently planned.
Thanks in advance for your replies!
We were also divided on this issue. You often read recommendations like "as many network connections as possible," but we thought that was excessive. However, having only four network ports in the entire house seems clearly too few to me (barely acceptable if it’s a three-story house).
Our current network setup is as follows (I’m always referring to individual ports, not double outlets):
3 × living room
1 × dining room
1 × bedroom
2 × each children’s room
2 × home offices
We decided against network ports in hallways, bathrooms, and the kitchen. Especially kitchen and bathroom seemed excessive for us. Even if, for example, we were to buy a network-connected refrigerator in 15 years, the data rates involved would likely be so low that Wi-Fi would handle it easily. We considered hallways but ultimately chose not to install any ports there.
The existing outlets should meet our needs. If more capacity is ever required—which we do not currently expect—a network switch can be added, or Wi-Fi can be used “exceptionally.” There are worse problems to have.
In the end, everyone has to decide for themselves and find the right solution for their situation. I suspect that our network setup is roughly average compared to all new builds in recent years. Four network ports in a three-story house and 40 ports in a typical single-family home represent extremes (which, of course, can be absolutely the right choice for the individual builder and their requirements).
Our current network setup is as follows (I’m always referring to individual ports, not double outlets):
3 × living room
1 × dining room
1 × bedroom
2 × each children’s room
2 × home offices
We decided against network ports in hallways, bathrooms, and the kitchen. Especially kitchen and bathroom seemed excessive for us. Even if, for example, we were to buy a network-connected refrigerator in 15 years, the data rates involved would likely be so low that Wi-Fi would handle it easily. We considered hallways but ultimately chose not to install any ports there.
The existing outlets should meet our needs. If more capacity is ever required—which we do not currently expect—a network switch can be added, or Wi-Fi can be used “exceptionally.” There are worse problems to have.
In the end, everyone has to decide for themselves and find the right solution for their situation. I suspect that our network setup is roughly average compared to all new builds in recent years. Four network ports in a three-story house and 40 ports in a typical single-family home represent extremes (which, of course, can be absolutely the right choice for the individual builder and their requirements).
Lanini schrieb:
Our network setup currently looks like this (I’m always referring to individual ports, not dual outlets): Dual outlets, of course, are always properly wired with two cables each, since Gigabit Ethernet does not work with cable sharing.
One more addition to my previous post about Wi-Fi: Air cannot be segmented. The entire house is a single collision domain. With wired connections, performance in the home office does not drop when the kids come home from school.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
Double boxes, of course, should always be wired with two cables; Gigabit Ethernet does not work with cable sharing. I have encountered this pitfall in several general contractor scope of work descriptions. I found it quite bold, especially since it was inconspicuously hidden among many terms like "multimedia," "modern," and "top," either to save a few euros on the cable or to charge exorbitant prices right before implementation.
K
Knallkörper28 Nov 2017 19:30One double socket per room, including the utility room, attic, bathrooms, and hallway. Large rooms have two double sockets. We have now decided against satellite wiring; everything is done via CAT7.
Knallkörper schrieb:
We have now given up on satellite wiring; everything runs over Cat7. ...and is it stable? How do you inject the signal into the IP network? Exip 414, Octopus?
I had also considered that option, but I find it too unreliable, with possible dropouts and such. I think the family would not appreciate that. Therefore, coaxial wiring as well… it’s not really expensive anyway...
B
baumhaus81528 Nov 2017 21:02Ok, so I understand that four network outlets are not enough. However, I don’t quite see why outlets would be needed, for example, behind the refrigerator or in the bathroom (?!). But neither of us are tech experts. Still, the setup should clearly be modern and reasonably future-proof.
We will probably skip the TAE sockets. We currently have a several-years-old standard analog DECT phone that works well for us, and we only plan to replace it when it breaks. Can I connect such a phone (via an adapter) to an RJ-45 jack, or would we need to buy a digital IP phone?
SAT TV: We will stick with two sockets, each SAT twin.
Now about the network outlets: Our electrician charges almost 124 euros (net) for a simple RJ-45 outlet including Cat7 wiring. Quite a hefty price, in my opinion.
We will probably install a total of six outlets in the house (office, guest room, two children’s rooms, and hallway), including one double outlet (living room). We might replace the single outlets with double outlets, but I’m curious about the additional cost. We are bound to this electrician (through a general contractor), so we don’t really have a choice…
For normal use, wouldn’t a double outlet with “cable sharing” be sufficient, or should there definitely be double wiring? In the end, people always say you shouldn’t cut corners, but first, every trade says that, and second, I wonder what the right place to invest really is…
We will probably skip the TAE sockets. We currently have a several-years-old standard analog DECT phone that works well for us, and we only plan to replace it when it breaks. Can I connect such a phone (via an adapter) to an RJ-45 jack, or would we need to buy a digital IP phone?
SAT TV: We will stick with two sockets, each SAT twin.
Now about the network outlets: Our electrician charges almost 124 euros (net) for a simple RJ-45 outlet including Cat7 wiring. Quite a hefty price, in my opinion.
We will probably install a total of six outlets in the house (office, guest room, two children’s rooms, and hallway), including one double outlet (living room). We might replace the single outlets with double outlets, but I’m curious about the additional cost. We are bound to this electrician (through a general contractor), so we don’t really have a choice…
For normal use, wouldn’t a double outlet with “cable sharing” be sufficient, or should there definitely be double wiring? In the end, people always say you shouldn’t cut corners, but first, every trade says that, and second, I wonder what the right place to invest really is…
Similar topics