Building a new house - do I need an antenna?

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#1841781 9-Aug-2017 12:08

nofam:

Not bothering with cat6 to the bedrooms (just the lounge and office) as I've invested in Unifi networking gear (AC Pro access points, PoE switch, gateway and cloud key) so my wireless infrastructure will be sufficient. To be honest, I doubt my 2 year old will ever know what a network port is. Even the TV will be sitting directly under one of the AP's, so using this via wifi should be a smooth experience with band steering etc

Do you need the gateway and cloud key? Can't you just run the UAP off your existing modem/router and set it up with the free management software? I'm wondering if I am up for more expense than just buying the UAP?

DarkShadow

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#1841786 9-Aug-2017 12:16

kryptonjohn:

nofam:

Not bothering with cat6 to the bedrooms (just the lounge and office) as I've invested in Unifi networking gear (AC Pro access points, PoE switch, gateway and cloud key) so my wireless infrastructure will be sufficient. To be honest, I doubt my 2 year old will ever know what a network port is. Even the TV will be sitting directly under one of the AP's, so using this via wifi should be a smooth experience with band steering etc

Do you need the gateway and cloud key? Can't you just run the UAP off your existing modem/router and set it up with the free management software? I'm wondering if I am up for more expense than just buying the UAP?

You don't. You can just use the smart phone app to manage it, or you can use the community cloud controller that michaelmurfy kindly set up

CutCutCut

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#1841824 9-Aug-2017 13:10

nofam:

RunningMan:

As long as you have the option to add one later, don't bother if you don't need it now. Now is the time to run the cable though - perhaps some runs from the roof to a central networking location, then out to any place you may want a TV. Run some network cabling at the same time out to every room, and a conduit to bring fibre / copper in to this location from outside.

Not bothering with cat6 to the bedrooms (just the lounge and office) as I've invested in Unifi networking gear (AC Pro access points, PoE switch, gateway and cloud key) so my wireless infrastructure will be sufficient. To be honest, I doubt my 2 year old will ever know what a network port is. Even the TV will be sitting directly under one of the AP's, so using this via wifi should be a smooth experience with band steering etc

I haven't got conduit from the ETP to the comms/power cupboard in the middle of the house, but the sparky's have run the fibre already, so it could be used as a draw wire in the future if need be?

Interesting to hear you're thinking this. I'm going to be building next year so I'm thinking about this stuff, and I had come to a similar conclusion, about not bothering with running Cat 6 to the bedrooms (maybe just the master), I think I probably will run it to any possible TV locations and the study, and using some kind of APs to fill in the rest of the house. How many APs are you using and how big is your house (if you don't mind me asking)?

kryptonjohn

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#1841826 9-Aug-2017 13:15

I think with our house we can get away with a single UAP but it does need to be connected to the router by cable. If your router isn't in a suitable location in the house that cable may need to be run to a central position.

Or... if you use a mesh of APs then it probably doesn't require any cables to be run at all.

davidcole

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#1841830 9-Aug-2017 13:22

kryptonjohn:

I think with our house we can get away with a single UAP but it does need to be connected to the router by cable. If your router isn't in a suitable location in the house that cable may need to be run to a central position.

Or... if you use a mesh of APs then it probably doesn't require any cables to be run at all.

Only disadvantage I can see with not running ethernet everywhere, is the potential to put something there that's POE, maybe some sort of music device, raspberry pi for media. POE is a really handy way of powering low voltage devices when there's no power plugs, or if they might look ugly.

Also I like wireless as much as the next guy for phones/tablet etc, but not for media devices.....I prefer those wired to a gigabit network.

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nofam

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#1841879 9-Aug-2017 14:56

kryptonjohn:

I think with our house we can get away with a single UAP but it does need to be connected to the router by cable. If your router isn't in a suitable location in the house that cable may need to be run to a central position.

Or... if you use a mesh of APs then it probably doesn't require any cables to be run at all.

Yeah, I am having 2 cables terminated in RJ45's to each location in the ceiling where the AP's are going, and the UniFi Pro AP's run on an active PoE system, hence me using their switch. It also leaves me an extra PoE port on the switch for a camera to go at the front door (wiring in place for that also)

nofam

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#1841882 9-Aug-2017 14:59

CutCutCut:

nofam:

RunningMan:

As long as you have the option to add one later, don't bother if you don't need it now. Now is the time to run the cable though - perhaps some runs from the roof to a central networking location, then out to any place you may want a TV. Run some network cabling at the same time out to every room, and a conduit to bring fibre / copper in to this location from outside.

Not bothering with cat6 to the bedrooms (just the lounge and office) as I've invested in Unifi networking gear (AC Pro access points, PoE switch, gateway and cloud key) so my wireless infrastructure will be sufficient. To be honest, I doubt my 2 year old will ever know what a network port is. Even the TV will be sitting directly under one of the AP's, so using this via wifi should be a smooth experience with band steering etc

I haven't got conduit from the ETP to the comms/power cupboard in the middle of the house, but the sparky's have run the fibre already, so it could be used as a draw wire in the future if need be?

Interesting to hear you're thinking this. I'm going to be building next year so I'm thinking about this stuff, and I had come to a similar conclusion, about not bothering with running Cat 6 to the bedrooms (maybe just the master), I think I probably will run it to any possible TV locations and the study, and using some kind of APs to fill in the rest of the house. How many APs are you using and how big is your house (if you don't mind me asking)?

No problem - I'm actually blogging about the house build, so will talk about this in more detail on the blog. House is 249m2, and we have two AP's, which should be more than enough. The UniFi gear ticked all the boxes for me - really good performance, a nice aesthetic, and pretty good management software and feature set. Being able to have VLAN's etc will help with security for guest access and IoT devices too.

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Goosey

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#1841889 9-Aug-2017 15:11

Personally I would fit the small UHF high gain at build. If you use it so be, but it would be much more expensive later to retrofit (given these days nobody is going to climb up the roof without sufficient expensive protections (given current HSE requirements).

When building my mothers house, I noted the roofers were informed ahead of the build to accommodate the rooftop UHF and as such was installed when they put the roof on inconjunction with the sparkeys. Neat and tidy however unused as said Mum has fibre TV...but it is handy when fibre outages occur.

Long term, it is much cheaper at build time to install and you wont have to worry about someone banging a hole in the roof later (as the roofers work would be subject to your project manager / building companies sign off for weather tightness).

RunningMan

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#1841900 9-Aug-2017 15:14

@nofam @CutCutCut bear in mind that that cabling could have uses other than network outlets, and WiFi should supplement not replace cable.

nofam

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#1841903 9-Aug-2017 15:20

RunningMan:

@nofam @CutCutCut bear in mind that that cabling could have uses other than network outlets, and WiFi should supplement not replace cable.

I've used that truism in my professional life (and still hold to it for corporate scenarios), but for home, I can't see what I'd ever need it for - I know you can do HDMI over ethernet etc, but I can't honestly think of a use-case for that kind of thing?

kryptonjohn

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#1841908 9-Aug-2017 15:24

You said... A/V distribution.

Wireless HDMI is still pretty bad.

nofam

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#1841918 9-Aug-2017 15:47

kryptonjohn:

You said... A/V distribution.

Wireless HDMI is still pretty bad.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not planning anything of the sort - as I said, I can't think of a use-case where that would be preferable to just streaming over wifi. I'll never have Sky etc that I need to send to another room, and my media can all be accessed via network share for laptops/tablets/PC's etc

Jase2985

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#1841928 9-Aug-2017 15:59

@nofam you are well overdue a blog update :)

nofam

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#1841952 9-Aug-2017 16:37

Jase2985:

@nofam you are well overdue a blog update :)

Don't I know it - to be honest, there hasn't been a lot happening of note recently; roof's on and wiring is pretty much all done, but mostly just sorting out annoyances and details with the builder while he straightens frames etc. It'll be all on in a few weeks once windows go in though.

tehgerbil

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#1842978 9-Aug-2017 17:56

Think about it like this - if Mr Jo Bloggs was looking for a house, would they miss this feature and thus be turned off your house?

If yes - you're best to install it.

I know many people don't/wouldn't use an antennae, however I daresay they'll be used for a few years yet, and you'd be foolish to turn away potential buyers over a simple/cheap decision now which would work out to be a very expensive one down the line to retrofit.

I know you're designing your house to be 'yours' but the simple fact of the issue is nothing stays the same and you have no idea if you receive an amazing work offer from overseas/elsewhere and need to sell/rent your house.

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