New build - No ethernet wiring - first world problem?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › New build - No ethernet wiring - first world problem?

Shindig

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#300626 23-Sep-2022 07:21

Interested in a house here in sunny Auckland.

On the plans received from the agent, approved by AKL council I see a 'proposed' data board\panel and on a subsequent page, again the data panel has been drawn.

Upon physical inspection of the place, there isn't a data board where a ONT would be installed and terminate etc. I know that the premises is in a UFB area and can see the Chorus + Hexatronic conduit outside the house. Also there is a green pipe with a black inner that the agent says, is for fibre. I assume threading the fibre through the green pipe for the ONT.

Upon a second inspection and confirmation from the agent, that the green pipe goes to an upstairs cupboard, which happens to have the alarm system box installed, 2 electrical sockets and a blanking plate, which assumption is the other end of this green pipe. Thinking about it now, I can request additional asbuilts from the developer and also, attending the open home on Saturday I can pull the blanking plate off.

So UFB terminates upstairs and the cupboard is quite handy to hide the majority of the hardware, like a comms cabinet one could assume. But no ethernet cabling throughout the house?!?!

Question is, is it first world problem? I appreciate there is wireless and that is fine, but the connectivity options of even two ethernet ports upstairs and two downstairs in the living areas would be extremely welcome and almost expected in a modern 2022 built house!??! Also, there doesn't appear to be the electrical sockets in the places where a TV is likely to be installed!

Modern new build but corners cut?

The little things make the biggest difference.

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#2971932 23-Sep-2022 07:54

I'd prefer ethernet cabling as well, but would not let it make or break a decision on a house purchase.

Spyware

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#2971943 23-Sep-2022 08:15

Walk away.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2971953 23-Sep-2022 08:32

Cut some holes in the plasterboard, drill a few holes and stick cabling where you want it. Being a new build and freshly painted, getting it looking pristine again shouldn't be an issue.

xpd

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#2971954 23-Sep-2022 08:34

Friend just took possession of a new build in South Auckland, same situation.

He's getting someone in to run cabling and install some ports.

I think a majority of companies are still working off plans where ethernet didn't exist in the home ;)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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davidcole

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#2971955 23-Sep-2022 08:36

it did sound like cost cutting to me. I thought houses had to be "future proofed" in respect to telecommunications.....so phone outlets/network.

Just need to evaluate how important it is to you, I wired our house up before we moved in (not a new build though), it wasn't a small exercise and I have the ability to get into the roof space and underneath. Where the current trend of slabs make that difficult.

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wellygary

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#2971974 23-Sep-2022 09:13

If you push hard they will say, no one asks for it and everyone uses "Mesh wifi"

Have a look for phone wiring, these will likely have been done with Cat 5 so if you can run a leg from the ONT location to one of the phone sockets you "should" be able to look at standing up a 100mbs network...

On the other hand thou, the accountants may have simply decided that "no one has a landline any more" and simply nixed all the internal T/com wiring

cyril7

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#2971985 23-Sep-2022 09:29

wellygary:

If you push hard they will say, no one asks for it and everyone uses "Mesh wifi"

Have a look for phone wiring, these will likely have been done with Cat 5 so if you can run a leg from the ONT location to one of the phone sockets you "should" be able to look at standing up a 100mbs network...

On the other hand thou, the accountants may have simply decided that "no one has a landline any more" and simply nixed all the internal T/com wiring

This is a new build, Cat5 has not be sold in over 15yrs if not more, and as we all know cat5 upward supports GigE.

Cyril

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Shindig

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#2972006 23-Sep-2022 10:09

Spyware:

Walk away.

I like the end sentence in your signature! Hence the real need for wired

The little things make the biggest difference.

robjg63

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#2972015 23-Sep-2022 10:26

wellygary:

If you push hard they will say, no one asks for it and everyone uses "Mesh wifi"

I would hazard a guess that 95% of the general population would go down that path.

GZ users ... a somewhat lower figure.

To be fair, the Mesh WiFi systems are getting pretty good and cost effective these days.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Bung

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#2972048 23-Sep-2022 11:31

robjg63:
To be fair, the Mesh WiFi systems are getting pretty good and cost effective these days.

The wifi may be good enough when it comes to devices like tablets, phones and pcs but we have TV that always seems to lose the password and is clumsy to set up. Ethernet solved that nuisance.

Shindig

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#2972135 23-Sep-2022 13:38

It is general consistent throughput that is provided when needed

The little things make the biggest difference.

sen8or

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#2972145 23-Sep-2022 14:04

Must be really penny pinching developers to not even put a few Cat6 terminals and a 8 port patch panel in the coms cupboard, talking $1-200 at most for materials / labour during build stage, all on an Auckland property that likely cost in the many hundreds of thousands to build (as with any property anywhere).

If they cut those sorts of corners, what other corners have been cut to keep costs down......

rphenix

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#2972159 23-Sep-2022 14:12

If they are penny pinching this badly - imagine what else is missing or skipped you don't know about :)

decibel

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#2972164 23-Sep-2022 14:32

I first struck this a few years ago while helping a developer who was technically illiterate.

Her electrician had told her that cabling wasn't necessary anymore as EVERYONE uses WiFi EVERYWHERE !!

I made sure my new house had Ethernet EVERYWHERE !

tweake

2391 posts

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#2972165 23-Sep-2022 14:35

Shindig:

Interested in a house here in sunny Auckland.

On the plans received from the agent, approved by AKL council I see a 'proposed' data board\panel and on a subsequent page, again the data panel has been drawn.

Upon physical inspection of the place, there isn't a data board where a ONT would be installed and terminate etc. I know that the premises is in a UFB area and can see the Chorus + Hexatronic conduit outside the house. Also there is a green pipe with a black inner that the agent says, is for fibre. I assume threading the fibre through the green pipe for the ONT.

Upon a second inspection and confirmation from the agent, that the green pipe goes to an upstairs cupboard, which happens to have the alarm system box installed, 2 electrical sockets and a blanking plate, which assumption is the other end of this green pipe. Thinking about it now, I can request additional asbuilts from the developer and also, attending the open home on Saturday I can pull the blanking plate off.

So UFB terminates upstairs and the cupboard is quite handy to hide the majority of the hardware, like a comms cabinet one could assume. But no ethernet cabling throughout the house?!?!

Question is, is it first world problem? I appreciate there is wireless and that is fine, but the connectivity options of even two ethernet ports upstairs and two downstairs in the living areas would be extremely welcome and almost expected in a modern 2022 built house!??! Also, there doesn't appear to be the electrical sockets in the places where a TV is likely to be installed!

Modern new build but corners cut?

typical shortcutting by sparky.

under quote to get the job then leave out as much as they can to make profit.

check everything thats doesn't have legal requirements. ie all low voltage systems. very very very common for them to use the cheapest nastiest cable they can lay their hands on. back in the day i would fix just about every single new home i worked on due to that.

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