On Fri, 5 Sep 2003 23:33:24 +0100, Charles Lamont
wrote:
I want to install up-to-date non-power wiring as I work through this
(old) house with 'heavy redecorating'. I think I want a computer network
and whatever other services might be deemed necessary today, eg: tv,
fm/digital radio, phone.
What would be appropriate reasonably up-market future-proof services to
provide and standards to adopt?
For example, for the network, would 'structured cabling' (by which I
think I mean Cat 5 STP & RJ45's) still be appropriate?
The popular standard is CAT5e UTP (i.e. unshielded) cable. 300m will
cost you about £35. Shielded cable (STP) costs about three times
that.
You could also look at CAT6 infrastructure. Cable is approx. twice
the price of CAT5e. You do need to be careful to buy components that
are specified as being suitable, however.
For home or home office use, 100Mbit networking is likely to be enough
for a while. For internet access, the suppliers are struggling to
deliver 512k - 2Mbit access, so this is the main limitation.
However, if you envisage running file servers or home automation
servers perhaps including digital video, then 100Mbit is certainly not
too much.
These kind of cables can also be used for other services such as
telephone, audio and home automation. The cable is relatively cheap
in comparison to the disruption to go back and install more, so it's
worth thinking of what you want and then going back and doubling or
tripling it.
It is also worth putting in CT100 coaxial cable. You can either home
run it to your main distribution point or use splitters as part of a
tree structured distribution system if you want to save cable. Home
running allows for a central distribution device such as a satellite
multiswitch to be used. Thus you could have flexibility of satellite
or cable TV receiver placement.
I used a technique of having transition distribution points.
Basically I put in a large number of cables as bundles to 4 points in
strategic places around the house - typically in fitted cupboards.
http://www.krone.co.uk/products/pncop_p3.asp
Cables to individual outlets can be added in as rooms are decorated
without having to pull cable all the way back to the distribution
point.
A good solution is to use Euro standard modular face plates and
modules. A single plate switch sized plate will take two modules,
whereas a double (socket) sized one will take four.
Modules can be RJ45 outlets, BT phone sockets or even coax outlets
resulting in a very neat solution that can also be changed easily.
For example, for phone wiring you can use RJ45 outlets, but then these
need adaptors to BT connectors. I put in BT modules directly, but
could change them later if desired.
Most rooms will probably have the plaster skimmed, so there is no
problem with chasing in. I intend to install oval conduit for the
'extra' wiring, so that it can be replaced if it becomes obsolete.
I am not too happy about a wireless network on the basis of some fairly
feeble notions: more kit to buy, more to go wrong, probably not secure,
waste of electricity, stray rf is pollution.
I am not sure that there is that much of a price difference. If you
do CAT5/6 wiring properly, you will have the wall outlets, patch
panels etc. to cost in. This can be as much as a basic wired
network.
However, the wireless medium is shared so the 802.11b stuff only gives
a maximum of 3-4Mbit actual, shared across all the users, 802.11g
rather more. However, you may well need more than one access point.
I am not sure that there is inherently more to go wrong in a wireless
network. With cables you are dependent on all the connections being
perfect. The punch down stuff is good, as long as you buy a good
quality product, but can still have problems with faulty connections.
Security is a problem, depending on what level you are looking for.
The inherent WEP encryption is poor and easily broken by a determined
hacker, given enough data. Depending on what you are doing, and how
you are configured, it can be broken in a few minutes. Even
techniques like limiting MAC addresses to your own devices can be
overcome by somebody determined to break in. The real question is how
likely are you to be a target? If it's just home stuff, probably not,
and you can live on just changing passwords regularly. However, if
it's a business or SOHO environment then the prize may be interesting.
Even then, though, the interceptor would need to be sitting outside
your house or pretty close by to be within radio range.
You can fairly easily implement higher level security using VPN
technology which for practical purposes is raising the bar higher than
most hackers would bother to try to jump.
The electrical consumption is negligible - a few watts from the mains
and similar to fixed network equipment like switches.
The power levels are very low and bandwidths used very limited, so
pollution is not really an issue. You might be able to receive next
door's signal, but that's about it.
..andy
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