ᐅ Broadband connection / TV, radio, and LAN in every room?

Unfortunately, I am a complete beginner regarding the above-mentioned topic and quite uncertain:

We are currently building our house, which will be connected via a broadband connection from KEVAG Telekom (TV, radio, internet, telephone). I assume the main connection point will be located in the utility room (house without a basement).

In every living area, the following connections should be possible:

- TV / radio

- LAN

- Broadband modem (or do I only need this in the utility room?)

As part of the construction work, all living rooms are to be equipped with Cat 6 network cables (supporting 10 megabits to 1 gigabit), arranged in a star topology running to one chosen room (most likely the utility room).

Do I need any cables besides the Cat 6 network cable in a room to have TV, radio, and internet LAN connections there, for example, separate LAN cables?

What specific types of wall outlets should I have installed in the rooms?

I kindly ask for clear explanations. I am not young anymore and have no knowledge of this subject.

Thank you very much!
Gotthilf

There are many ways to achieve this. You should consult a trusted electrician for advice and potential solutions.

The router will be installed in the utility room at the telecommunications connection point. From there, the router connects to a switch, and network cables run out in a star topology to every room. This setup would cover the network requirements.

How TV and radio signals are distributed should be clarified by your service provider, as there are different options. Often, each end point requires its own receiver, but there are other solutions as well. A quick check with KEVAG suggested that it is standard cable TV. In that case, solutions that transmit the signal over the network might also work.

Gotthilf schrieb:
The construction work includes installing Cat 6 network cables (10 Megabit up to 1 Gigabit) in all living rooms

We had CAT7 cables installed in every room. I believe the additional cost was still reasonable. However, CAT6 is certainly more than sufficient for TV and radio. If socket outlets are installed in all living rooms, TV and radio access is possible there as well.

"Broadband modem (or do I only need this in the utility room?)"
=> This is an alternative to the cables mentioned above. If the house is not particularly large, a router placed at a central point can broadcast the signal throughout the entire house. In that case, one modem is enough; otherwise, you can use inexpensive devices called repeaters (signal boosters) plugged into free power outlets.

This is somewhat a matter of personal preference. If you want to avoid radiation inside the house (although radiation from outside sources like mobile networks likely still enters unless the house is specially shielded), then you connect everything via cables to the LAN outlets. If you are comfortable with radiation inside and outside the house, a router/modem in the utility room is sufficient. In the past, wired connections generally offered higher transmission capacity than wireless networks (Wi-Fi).

I think having LAN outlets in every room is a good idea. However, I would always go for a double outlet with two cables. It costs more but also offers more options. Having a central LAN outlet on each floor is also useful for installing an access point (Wi-Fi extender). This is done when the Wi-Fi signal from the utility room is no longer sufficient.

Unfortunately, I only know about cable TV from a distance. But if I’m not mistaken, the wiring is similar to satellite TV. This means coaxial cables running from every TV to the utility room where the cable connection is located. It’s best to discuss the exact options with an electrician.

Sounds reasonable so far.
Combine the LAN connections in the utility room and plan to install a network cabinet there.

I also think double LAN sockets are important, especially in places where a TV might be installed. This way, you are completely independent of cable providers. Moreover, more and more devices will be connected to the internet in the future.

Traumfaenger schrieb:

“Broadband modem (or do I only need this in the utility room?)”
=> This is an alternative to the cables mentioned above. If the house isn’t very large, a router placed in a central location can broadcast the signal throughout the house. In that case, one modem is sufficient; otherwise, inexpensive repeaters (signal boosters) can be plugged into free power outlets.

It seems Traumfaenger has confused something here. The broadband modem does not necessarily have anything to do with Wi-Fi. Regardless of what the device is ultimately called (modem, router, connect box), you receive an "internet reception device" from your internet provider, which should ideally be installed in the utility room. This device is connected by cable to a switch that then distributes the signal to all outlets in the house.

Often, the device also provides a wireless network (Wi-Fi) for mobile devices. In smaller houses, this is often enough to cover all rooms. If coverage is insufficient, please DO NOT use the mentioned repeaters. These tend to slow down the Wi-Fi unnecessarily. Instead, it is better to connect an access point (placed in a strategically advantageous spot in the house) by cable to the aforementioned switch.