Optimal hardware config for home network

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hardsell

9 posts

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#125694 16-Jul-2013 15:53

Have just signed up with Telecom's VDSL and also got a new Smart TV so thought now is as good a time as any to try and sort out best way to hook up our home network. Components are:

- Technicolor wireless VDSL router in study
- Panasonic non smart plasma hooked up to home theatre, MySky, and WDTV Live box in main lounge
- LG Smart Wifi TV in downstairs lounge with 2nd site non HD Sky Box
- Acer Netbook
- 2TB My Book HDD with whole lot of movies, TV, and my iTunes library on it
- iPhone, Galaxy S3, iPad, printer etc all connected to network

Doing renos in a few months and Smart TV will be in new living area etc, with non smart plasma staying in current location but still want t figure out how to get the best of what I have.

Key things are how do I get the most out of DLNA, apps for all devices, and most importantly what should the HDD be hooked into to get the most from it

Probably a hundred solutions, love to hear all of them

Cheers

hardsell

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#858270 17-Jul-2013 19:22

Ping, c'mon someone must be able to help!

cyril7

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#858277 17-Jul-2013 19:30

Hi, make sure you cable between the modem and the AV area, a couple of cat5e runs will do, the HDD is that a network attached unit or connected to a PC on the network?

Cyril

freitasm

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#858278 17-Jul-2013 19:31

Most importantly if you are doing renovations, is to get some nice structured cabling there. Don't fall for the "WiFi will do it" as you might find out later there are lots of interference from neighbours, cordless phones, walls, etc.

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kiwijunglist

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#862192 19-Jul-2013 15:25

Run conduit. Basically it's a hollow pipe in the wall. You can add + remove cables as needed.

Standard setup practice is to run 2x Cat5e from most rooms into a central area with a small cabinet/wardrobe. (star configuration). Obviously some rooms might benefit from more than one point etc. Also consider running hidden audio cable from 5-8 speaker locations in the lounge to where the AV receiver will sit. Also consider running conduit from behind TV to where the AVR receiver will go. If not using conduit then 2x HDMI cables is probably enough, and you probably don't need to run cat5e here since it's a small distance and cheaper+simplier to run HDMI. Also think about tv power cord. And power plug for the AVR receiver.

All this information is available via google. Broad questions like this don't need to be answered by anyone as they can be googled.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.