Info On Fibre Ethernet Systems for Homes

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MikeAqua

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#300761 3-Oct-2022 09:12

I'm hoping someone can recommend a good resource for me to learn about available fibre ethernet options for a new home build.

To be clear I'm taking about a fibre LAN, within the home.

I've done enough research to learn that I know so little, I don't know where to start 🤠.

Mike

froob

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#2976606 3-Oct-2022 10:20

This YouTube video gives a pretty good overview of what would be involved: https://youtu.be/CWDz-3gHXpI

Any particular reason you're looking to install fibre? If it's practical, installing conduit to allow new cables to be pulled through would give the best future-proofing, and allow fibre to be installed if and when required.

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olivernz

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#2976726 3-Oct-2022 11:22

I've just installed OM4 cable in my house from server rack in garage to my office (~20m). I also have a Unifi fibre aggregation switch that does all the distribution. Using AliExpress SFPs and cables. Looks all good so far. Within the rack I use SFP+ DAC cables. I have quite a bit of cabling and SFPs left if you need it quicker 10m, 30m OM4 cables).

cyril7

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#2976727 3-Oct-2022 11:27

If you are using 10,20,30,50m patch leads in roof or under floor space then put it in conduit, otherwise rodents will cause high attenuation issues.

Cyril

olivernz

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#2976743 3-Oct-2022 12:45

cyril7 LOL!!!! Hadn't thought of that. What if I install cat? The furry kind LOL.

I don't think we have rodent issues under the roof as far as I know but good idea, will put out some bait. Do they also like to nibble cat6 cables? I mean there is a lot of cabling under the roof of all sorts. Or is fibre a real delicacy?

MikeAqua

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#2976745 3-Oct-2022 12:58

froob:

Any particular reason you're looking to install fibre?

I'm still in the considering whether we need/want it phase.

I'm currently in my second house in a row that has no hardwired network. The new house will 100% have a hard wired network so it's a choice between copper and fibre, or a mixture of both (depending on the purpose of the various outlets).

Mike

MikeAqua

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#2976749 3-Oct-2022 13:06

cyril7:

If you are using 10,20,30,50m patch leads in roof or under floor space then put it in conduit, otherwise rodents will cause high attenuation issues.

Everything will be going in conduit.

I'm doing the drilling of holes and installing of conduit, so I can afford to install more conduit, for more things than is typical if paying the sparky to do it.

Mike

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froob

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#2976760 3-Oct-2022 13:37

MikeAqua: I'm currently in my second house in a row that has no hardwired network. The new house will 100% have a hard wired network so it's a choice between copper and fibre, or a mixture of both (depending on the purpose of the various outlets).

You’ll definitely want to put in some copper network cabling, even if putting in fibre as well. Otherwise, without the copper, you’ll need switches or media converters around the house to connect each device with an RJ45 port.

Edit: And you’ll also need copper to run power over ethernet for wireless access points, etc.

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olivernz

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#2976768 3-Oct-2022 14:06

2nd that with laying copper too.

Before our building plans went up in smoke I had planned on tripple redundant fibre backbone and Cat 6 & 7 runs. Laying cat 7 is really REALLY hard man, that stuff is inflexible as and seeing you can get 10Gbit over about 30m with Cat 6 I wouldn't bother. But when you're building cable is cheap. I'd run 2 Cat 6 to all power points (even if you just leave them behind the wall and get them out when you need them. Attach small magnets to the ends then you can find them with a magnet later). At least one per room. 4x cat 6 to TV and fibre to all TVs, office to wherever your server cabinet is. If the house is large then think about a central router to shorten cable lengths but that is 300sqm+ I'd say. But I'm IT not a builder ;-)

MikeAqua

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#2976770 3-Oct-2022 14:24

froob:

You’ll definitely want to put in some copper network cabling, even if putting in fibre as well. Otherwise, without the copper, you’ll need switches or media converters around the house to connect each device with an RJ45 port.

Edit: And you’ll also need copper to run power over ethernet for wireless access points, etc.

Yep. I'm thinking: -

Copper to all the low volume outlets - WAP, cameras, irrigation, pi-hive, etc etc; and

Copper plus fibre to the high-volume outlets - NAS, Smart AV devices, work stations etc. I'm not sure how soon fibre connectable devices will become available. Currently it looks like you can get/build fibre connectable NAS, servers and PCs; I've seen the odd TV that is fibre connectable, but not from any of the major manufacturers.

Mike

olivernz

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#2976773 3-Oct-2022 14:41

@MikeAqua, it's more likely that TV's will get 10Gbit Ethernet or loose physical ports completely. You need the copper to the TV if you want to send HDMI&USB signal back to rack. I'd also suggest running fibre and copper to anywhere you'd be running a projector

MadEngineer

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#2977020 3-Oct-2022 23:09

We’ve started selling powered fibre cable

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

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MikeAqua

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#2978561 7-Oct-2022 12:55

olivernz:

@MikeAqua, it's more likely that TV's will get 10Gbit Ethernet or loose physical ports completely. You need the copper to the TV if you want to send HDMI&USB signal back to rack. I'd also suggest running fibre and copper to anywhere you'd be running a projector

Thanks. I don't have any plans for a central AV device (other than a NAS server), so no need to worry about carrying HDMI or USB signal between rooms.

I won't have a projector but I could run a couple of conduits to a likely spot for one.

Mike