ᐅ Small Home Network – Suggestions for Solutions?

Hey,

I’m currently trying to figure out how to solve the following setup:

There are 5 double network outlets and one single network cable for an access point. I have 50cm (20 inches) of space in a corner of the utility room for a network cabinet. A 10-inch cabinet is no problem, but since I need a 16-port PoE switch, those are too wide for it. A 19-inch cabinet is at least 2cm (0.8 inches) wider, so it won’t fit either.

My idea is to use the 10-inch cabinet with a 10-port PoE switch and connect one double network outlet to the router (e.g. FritzBox), and connect the rest plus the access point to the switch.

Would that be a workable plan, or does anyone have another suggestion?

Thanks!

You can also install multiple switches in the network cabinet. Do you need PoE everywhere? Probably not.

Or you can buy a 19-inch rack from the event technology sector. These are narrower. For example, try searching for 'K&M 19" rack 12 U'.

Yes, I just noticed the issue with multiple switches as well, which would require an additional power supply if a socket were connected through the Fritz device. Essentially, there would then be only one PoE device.

I would prefer not a cube-style switch but rather a rack-mounted unit, something taller around 60-70cm (24-28 inches). I have mostly seen this size in the more affordable models for 10-port switches.

Just now, I think I found a suitable option. The Zyxel ES1100-16P supports PoE, has 16 ports, and fits into a 10U rack because it is under 30cm (12 inches) wide.

I prefer the 19" version because there are more options available for the devices, but with the few ports you need, 10" will also work. If there is space next to the cabinet, choose one where the side panels can be removed.

Now regarding the switch: for one to three PoE devices, I would use PoE injectors and a switch without PoE. You can rule out the ES1100 since it only supports 100 Mbit. Do you have Magenta TV, or is it planned? If yes, you will need a smart-managed switch that supports IGMPv3. If not, an unmanaged switch will be sufficient. I would definitely go with a switch that has 16 ports to allow room for additional devices (e.g., NAS, PiHole, etc.).

How will the phone be set up? If DECT is handled through the Fritzbox, the box should not be placed inside the cabinet. The same applies to Wi-Fi.

Of course, the 19-inch would be better, no question. But the 10-inch one I found opens from the side. It can be found on a major auction platform under the item number: 113707816584, as a 12U version.

In this case, it would initially just be an injector. The injector would be located in the network cabinet and not near the access point, right?

The phone is currently registered via FritzFon as DECT. The plan would be to put an older 7490 in (or on) the network cabinet, and the currently used 7590 would then be placed in the home office for the DECT registration.

It’s a pity about the ES1100, as it would have fit perfectly. But switches without PoE are generally much cheaper plus the additional injector. For the access point, I was thinking of a Ubiquiti, the AC Lite. Do I need to pay attention to anything with the switches to make sure the two work together, or does it not matter?

Use a 19-inch rack mounted vertically. That will be sufficient for your small network.
For the access points, it's better to go with the NanoHD models (faster, lower power consumption, smaller, newer, and longer support).
The switches should support full duplex Gigabit.
How large is the apartment/house? One access point seems rather low to me. Please don’t plan to use the Fritzbox inside the metal cabinet as an access point. You will mostly have slow 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi there.
Implement PoE using an injector. A PoE switch does not make sense for just one device.