ᐅ Are Ethernet ports still relevant today? Wi-Fi and wireless connections are the future!
Created on: 29 Jan 2020 21:06
B
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I already confessed in the SAT discussion that I consider coax outlets and satellite dishes completely outdated since entertainment is streamed nowadays, and I’m not planning to include them in our new build (more on that in the SAT discussion).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I already confessed in the SAT discussion that I consider coax outlets and satellite dishes completely outdated since entertainment is streamed nowadays, and I’m not planning to include them in our new build (more on that in the SAT discussion).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!
The hardware isn’t that expensive anymore. Fiber optic cable doesn’t cost much anyway, but copper has become reasonably affordable as well. Running the entire network at 10 GB is currently a bit excessive in my opinion, so just having a few suitable ports would be sufficient.
Yes, in some areas, for example in the office (10 Gbit), the NAS, switches, and other devices are connected to each other via 20 Gbit (link aggregation). The NAS is connected with one 20 Gbit, two 10 Gbit, and three 1 Gbit links for different networks. Nowadays, there are also more affordable switches available. I also have a 10 Gbit router, so it makes sense even within VLANs. My entire setup is from Unifi.
T
T_im_Norden7 Jan 2021 14:53Not to forget the underfloor heating; with small spacing between the pipes, it also blocks quite a bit of water flow, plus a concrete ceiling, and not much gets through anymore.
For example, in my case, a Zigbee bridge on the first floor cannot transmit through the floor to the room below.
For example, in my case, a Zigbee bridge on the first floor cannot transmit through the floor to the room below.
S
SteffenBank8 Jan 2021 06:26@rick2018 I would say you are operating on a completely different level here, far beyond what an average user needs. I don’t know what kind of business you run, but who really needs a 10 Gbps cabling system inside their home? Regular users definitely don’t need that for streaming and similar purposes. May I ask what kind of internet connection you have?
I don’t run a business from the house; it’s purely private. Anyone installing Cat7 or Cat8 cabling today already has a 10Gbit-capable network.
I use it myself. Especially for large data transfers like backups or photo editing (raw data processing), it makes a big difference. Due to the cameras, we also have a constant load on the network (separate network).
This wasn’t really about LAN cabling itself. 1Gbit is still fully sufficient today.
Wi-Fi is a complement to the LAN. So, everything in the property should be wired, and the rest covered by Wi-Fi. In most houses, one access point per floor and one outside is enough. But not centrally located—rather where the highest speeds and most clients are (living room, office, etc.). That’s where you get 5GHz coverage. The 2.4GHz signal reaches further. Just plan a few cable runs during construction. The cabling costs almost nothing...
Start with 2-3 access points and expand if needed.
Your Deco M3 currently offers about 867Mbit (single) on the 5GHz band. Modern access points reach nearly 2000Mbit and already provide 800Mbit on the 2.4GHz band.
Wi-Fi 6 systems are slowly becoming available now, offering significantly higher speeds.
For internet, we have cable, telecom, and LTE. Currently, only cable with 1Gbit (with higher upload and native dual-stack) and LTE fallback are in use.
I use it myself. Especially for large data transfers like backups or photo editing (raw data processing), it makes a big difference. Due to the cameras, we also have a constant load on the network (separate network).
This wasn’t really about LAN cabling itself. 1Gbit is still fully sufficient today.
Wi-Fi is a complement to the LAN. So, everything in the property should be wired, and the rest covered by Wi-Fi. In most houses, one access point per floor and one outside is enough. But not centrally located—rather where the highest speeds and most clients are (living room, office, etc.). That’s where you get 5GHz coverage. The 2.4GHz signal reaches further. Just plan a few cable runs during construction. The cabling costs almost nothing...
Start with 2-3 access points and expand if needed.
Your Deco M3 currently offers about 867Mbit (single) on the 5GHz band. Modern access points reach nearly 2000Mbit and already provide 800Mbit on the 2.4GHz band.
Wi-Fi 6 systems are slowly becoming available now, offering significantly higher speeds.
For internet, we have cable, telecom, and LTE. Currently, only cable with 1Gbit (with higher upload and native dual-stack) and LTE fallback are in use.
S
SteffenBank8 Jan 2021 07:07Wow, you also work in this field professionally, right? Definitely a cool hobby :-) I know my Deco setup isn’t anything special, but I barely have any devices that use 5GHz, and it’s sufficient for streaming on my two TVs in the bedroom and guest/office room. The main TV in the living room and the PCs are connected via Ethernet cables. In the office, they are currently connected via LAN to one of the Decos, but I plan to run an Ethernet cable there as well. Even with the current setup, I get the full 200 Mbit/s internet speed that I have.
Similar topics