ᐅ Are Ethernet ports still relevant today? Wi-Fi and wireless connections are the future!
Created on: 29 Jan 2020 21:06
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Bauherr am L
Hello fellow cable enthusiasts and Wi-Fi addicts,
I already confessed in the SAT discussion that I consider coax outlets and satellite dishes completely outdated since entertainment is streamed nowadays, and I’m not planning to include them in our new build (more on that in the SAT discussion). But that’s not what this is about.
Right now, I’m trying to smartly distribute LAN duplex Cat 6a and Cat7 cable outlets throughout the rooms (1st floor: 2 kids’ rooms, kids’ bathroom, master bedroom, dressing room, master bathroom, hallway; 2nd floor: open living/dining/kitchen area, hallway, entrance area, guest restroom).
On one hand, I feel like none of the rooms really fit the outlets perfectly, like: “the desk could go here…” But what if the TV ends up in that corner instead?
On the other hand, I’m looking at our current devices and very few still have LAN ports: MacBooks, iPhones, tablets, or devices that have LAN options but mostly connect via Wi-Fi anyway, like Sonos, printers, TVs.
So the question arises whether LAN ports in rooms are still that important today. I’m not talking about the Wi-Fi access points, which of course should be connected via LAN in a convenient location, or special cases like PoE cameras and door intercoms. I’m mainly referring to the LAN outlets in individual rooms. Most end devices are mobile anyway, and the outlets will be in the wrong place 99% of the time.
I read (yes, I spent some time researching this) that the cost of LAN outlets is negligible. Well, if I install duplex outlets in all those questionable locations, the cost for switches and everything else adds up to a nice chunk.
I would be interested in your opinion on this. Since I am straightforwardly skipping any traditional TV (in our case only satellite would be possible) and the corresponding connections, wouldn’t it be consistent to also counteract the outlet overload regarding LAN?
Looking forward to your comments, thanks!
I already confessed in the SAT discussion that I consider coax outlets and satellite dishes completely outdated since entertainment is streamed nowadays, and I’m not planning to include them in our new build (more on that in the SAT discussion). But that’s not what this is about.
Right now, I’m trying to smartly distribute LAN duplex Cat 6a and Cat7 cable outlets throughout the rooms (1st floor: 2 kids’ rooms, kids’ bathroom, master bedroom, dressing room, master bathroom, hallway; 2nd floor: open living/dining/kitchen area, hallway, entrance area, guest restroom).
On one hand, I feel like none of the rooms really fit the outlets perfectly, like: “the desk could go here…” But what if the TV ends up in that corner instead?
On the other hand, I’m looking at our current devices and very few still have LAN ports: MacBooks, iPhones, tablets, or devices that have LAN options but mostly connect via Wi-Fi anyway, like Sonos, printers, TVs.
So the question arises whether LAN ports in rooms are still that important today. I’m not talking about the Wi-Fi access points, which of course should be connected via LAN in a convenient location, or special cases like PoE cameras and door intercoms. I’m mainly referring to the LAN outlets in individual rooms. Most end devices are mobile anyway, and the outlets will be in the wrong place 99% of the time.
I read (yes, I spent some time researching this) that the cost of LAN outlets is negligible. Well, if I install duplex outlets in all those questionable locations, the cost for switches and everything else adds up to a nice chunk.
I would be interested in your opinion on this. Since I am straightforwardly skipping any traditional TV (in our case only satellite would be possible) and the corresponding connections, wouldn’t it be consistent to also counteract the outlet overload regarding LAN?
Looking forward to your comments, thanks!
B
Bauherr am L30 Jan 2020 10:07Tamstar schrieb:
I’m not sure if I’m allowed to chime in here: Are you concerned about electromagnetic pollution? Or do you consider it a conspiracy theory?Neither. However, I think the discussion sometimes gets out of hand (see post by @fragg) and moves far away from an objective perspective. Electromagnetic pollution cannot currently be assessed objectively. Avoiding it has essentially become impossible.
G
Grantlhaua30 Jan 2020 10:15Tamstar schrieb:
Do you worry about electromagnetic pollution?Not really, generally no. But if I can easily reduce it a bit (putting my phone in airplane mode overnight, turning off Wi-Fi at night, etc.), I do.
Bauherr am L schrieb:
Once again: it's not about being stingy.
I question LAN as a future-oriented technology. Your insights on 5G mobile networks are new to me. Personally, I believe communication technology (by which I mean anything that communicates, including devices, not just people) is shifting away from fixed locations toward maximum mobile flexibility. To put it radically:
Anyone who still has a landline phone at home today is already outdated. Remote work is another example—no dependence on a fixed location, whether within the building or worldwide. The discussion here about LAN, bandwidth, and the need for wired connections reminds me of the story of telephone networks in industrialized versus developing countries. The latter basically skipped the technology of landlines altogether and went straight to mobile networks. Nobody there would even think of running wires from house to house... The comparison might be a bit stretched, but I do see parallels.
Regarding 5G, I recommend the article "Network: Why 5G is not better Wi-Fi" on Golem.de for a good introduction.
From professional, direct experience, I can say that the hype around 5G, cloud, and IoT is slowly meeting reality.
Connecting IoT devices to the cloud is too slow and too expensive; the cloud itself is costly. The current buzzword is Edge Computing, which basically means placing compact computing units as close as possible to the workload (i.e., the device) so that latency and costs are optimized again.
Here, 10-40 Gbit over copper or fiber plays a significant role; it is affordable, reliable, and works well. This is interference-free and reliably effective not only within 500 m (about 550 yards) of the next cell tower.
Regarding remote work, I can share some observations about the frequency of connection issues reported by users (employees) working from home. In 90% of cases, the problem lies in the home infrastructure—when the kid is streaming Netflix and the parent’s video conference starts to lag, often made worse by Wi-Fi interference. We politely but firmly reject such cases at the service desk and refer to an existing policy that home office is only allowed if the necessary technical requirements are verified through a self-declaration. We require an internet connection with at least 10/0.5 Mbit/s (down/upload) and continuous wired connections. If the employee does not agree to this, home office is no longer permitted.
Developing countries lack the necessary investment in wired infrastructure. Another obstacle is sparsely populated areas, which are more cost-effectively covered by wireless solutions. Building such infrastructure is also faster than digging trenches for cables.
In densely populated areas, the missing fiber expansion also hampers wireless networks. Take recent reports about the Telefonica network as an example, which not only provides the worst coverage but also the lowest bandwidth. It’s no surprise when a tower is connected to an old DSL line. Without fiber, no LTE/5G can perform at a high level.
Tamstar schrieb:
Do you have concerns about electromagnetic pollution? Yes. I recommend googling "Scientific evidence contradicts findings and assumptions of Canadian Safety Panel 6: microwaves act through voltage-gated calcium channel activation to induce biological impacts at non-thermal levels, supporting a paradigm shift for microwave/lower frequency electromagnetic field action."
Ultimately, everyone has to decide for themselves what matters most personally.
Bauherr am L schrieb:
Electromagnetic pollution is currently not objectively assessable That was also the case with asbestos and PCBs back in the 1970s. Anyone who spoke out against those was immediately labeled a pseudoscientist or esoteric fanatic. Or consider smoking in the 1950s....
Bauherr am L schrieb:
Avoiding it has become impossible anyway. Agreed. But minimizing exposure is always possible.
We also have several Ethernet outlets in the new build, and right now I would like to have more outlets in certain areas. What I didn’t consider back then was that a HUE Bridge also requires an Ethernet connection. The same goes for the bridge controlling our blinds.
Additionally, I have an older Denon receiver that can only be connected to the network via Ethernet. It’s used to stream internet radio during the weekends. One Ethernet outlet was assigned to carry the phone signal to our old existing telephone (this might not be relevant for you). Our parents always call there, and the line is included with the internet service.
Additionally, I have an older Denon receiver that can only be connected to the network via Ethernet. It’s used to stream internet radio during the weekends. One Ethernet outlet was assigned to carry the phone signal to our old existing telephone (this might not be relevant for you). Our parents always call there, and the line is included with the internet service.
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