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!
Hi, I definitely agree that four outlets are too few, but I would look at it in a more differentiated way. Personally, I think a network connection in the kitchen is a bit excessive. I would base it more on the expected traffic. In my estimation, a fridge or coffee machine won’t need a huge amount of bandwidth and won’t be constantly communicating, so I feel Wi-Fi will be future-proof enough here, even though I personally don’t believe I’ll ever have an “internet-connected” fridge. Same goes for the coffee machine. The first network-enabled ovens, for example from Siemens, are just coming to market: don’t they rely mainly on Wi-Fi? In other words, do they even have a wired Ethernet port?
Regarding the living room, I’m currently conflicted. On the one hand, I would probably want 4 to 6 LAN ports there. But honestly, I find such clusters of 4 to 6 outlets plus about 6 power sockets quite unaesthetic and excessive. Do you then have two-row arrangements of power and LAN outlets?
At the moment, I’m leaning toward using a quad outlet (for example from Gira) and then putting a small switch in the cabinet. This seems like a more balanced approach to me.
For basement rooms, children’s rooms, and bedrooms, I plan at least one double outlet each. It’s also important to me to have at least one outlet per floor in the hallway or somewhere similar for potentially necessary access points. I’m also running a network cable out at every corner of the house for future cameras (PoE). Another one will go near the front door/bell. For the bathrooms, Wi-Fi is sufficient for us.
Just as a side note: I definitely wouldn’t forgo satellite cables in the living room, and possibly also in the bedrooms/children’s rooms, and would also install double outlets (twin receivers), even if the satellite signal is fed into the LAN network.
Regarding the living room, I’m currently conflicted. On the one hand, I would probably want 4 to 6 LAN ports there. But honestly, I find such clusters of 4 to 6 outlets plus about 6 power sockets quite unaesthetic and excessive. Do you then have two-row arrangements of power and LAN outlets?
At the moment, I’m leaning toward using a quad outlet (for example from Gira) and then putting a small switch in the cabinet. This seems like a more balanced approach to me.
For basement rooms, children’s rooms, and bedrooms, I plan at least one double outlet each. It’s also important to me to have at least one outlet per floor in the hallway or somewhere similar for potentially necessary access points. I’m also running a network cable out at every corner of the house for future cameras (PoE). Another one will go near the front door/bell. For the bathrooms, Wi-Fi is sufficient for us.
Just as a side note: I definitely wouldn’t forgo satellite cables in the living room, and possibly also in the bedrooms/children’s rooms, and would also install double outlets (twin receivers), even if the satellite signal is fed into the LAN network.
2x living rooms + 8-port switch (yes, yes, I know, but I need that many)
1x dining room
1x kitchen
1x storage room
1x attic hallway
1x bedroom
1x children's room each (2)
1x bathroom
1x loft
1x at each roof corner (4)
once the house is finished, there will be 1x in each basement room
In total, 18 Cat 7 cables will end up in the basement and will be connected to the patch panel
1x dining room
1x kitchen
1x storage room
1x attic hallway
1x bedroom
1x children's room each (2)
1x bathroom
1x loft
1x at each roof corner (4)
once the house is finished, there will be 1x in each basement room
In total, 18 Cat 7 cables will end up in the basement and will be connected to the patch panel
W
WilhelmRo28 Nov 2017 09:09Evolith schrieb:
Let me guess. You don’t live with two teenagers, right? I already explained what was running simultaneously during the test. What else would you want to run at the same time to be satisfied?
And during this test, I still had a stable ping of 50ms while gaming. What more could you ask for?
Best regards
We (mainly I) opted for a higher level of equipment:
Each children’s room has 2 double sockets, the office has 3 double sockets, and behind the TV there is 1 double socket, the same in the bedroom TV area. The built-in media cabinet for the TV has 2 double sockets. In the kitchen (for Sonos and TV), at the dining table, and in the basement near the washer/dryer, there is one double socket each.
Additionally, there is a socket mounted on the ceiling in the dressing room/hallway on the upper floor for Wi-Fi access points, as well as connections for Sonos speakers in the bathrooms.
All connections are initially terminated together in the network cabinet on patch panels. In total, 39 ports on the two patch panels are in use.
For switches, I have a 24-port and an 8-port switch with 4 Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) ports.
These power the Ubiquiti access points in the dressing room on the ground floor and the hallway on the upper floor, as well as the door station and a KNX device.
In the children’s rooms, bedrooms, kitchen, etc., some ports are currently disabled; if needed, they can easily be swapped with an unused port on the switch.
Wi-Fi is only for mobile devices or the laptop on the couch. Everything else I want to run via wired LAN.
I am completely fed up with poor Wi-Fi and surface-mounted cable installation.
The Fritzbox is located in the network cabinet, Wi-Fi is disabled, and the DECT base is active.
Each children’s room has 2 double sockets, the office has 3 double sockets, and behind the TV there is 1 double socket, the same in the bedroom TV area. The built-in media cabinet for the TV has 2 double sockets. In the kitchen (for Sonos and TV), at the dining table, and in the basement near the washer/dryer, there is one double socket each.
Additionally, there is a socket mounted on the ceiling in the dressing room/hallway on the upper floor for Wi-Fi access points, as well as connections for Sonos speakers in the bathrooms.
All connections are initially terminated together in the network cabinet on patch panels. In total, 39 ports on the two patch panels are in use.
For switches, I have a 24-port and an 8-port switch with 4 Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) ports.
These power the Ubiquiti access points in the dressing room on the ground floor and the hallway on the upper floor, as well as the door station and a KNX device.
In the children’s rooms, bedrooms, kitchen, etc., some ports are currently disabled; if needed, they can easily be swapped with an unused port on the switch.
Wi-Fi is only for mobile devices or the laptop on the couch. Everything else I want to run via wired LAN.
I am completely fed up with poor Wi-Fi and surface-mounted cable installation.
The Fritzbox is located in the network cabinet, Wi-Fi is disabled, and the DECT base is active.
WilhelmRo schrieb:
I already wrote what was running simultaneously during the test. What else would you want to run in parallel to be satisfied?
And during this test, I consistently had a stable ping of 50ms while gaming. What more could you ask for?
Regards Try running two teenagers on the console, streaming YouTube on a phone, and maybe having Ben and his friends over—on top of your usual activities. Our Wi-Fi couldn’t handle it and slowed down significantly. I barely got any connection. Then I handed everyone a cable, and suddenly I had a chance again.
W
WilhelmRo28 Nov 2017 09:25Evolith schrieb:
Let’s put two teenagers running the console, using their phones on YouTube, and maybe have Ben’s friend over as well. Along with your stuff. Our Wi-Fi couldn’t handle that. I barely got any connection. I ended up giving everyone a cable, and then I had a chance again.I’m just imagining the teenagers. They’re not sitting at a desk with a tower PC. They’re lying in bed surfing on a laptop, most likely without a LAN cable plugged in.
And as I already mentioned – 4 streaming phones, 1 streaming TV, 1 streaming radio, and a laptop gaming with 50 ms latency all at the same time, over Wi-Fi in a 75 m² (800 ft²) area. Then 2–3 devices on one floor usually work fine without issues.
But at 120€ — what was it for? 40 ports in the house? Then I would install them too!
Best regards
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