Q: Cat5 v WiFi
-
I would install, without hesitation, both Cat5e and multimode optical fiber. Copper connections have reached and surpassed their theoretical maximum throughput; that deserves kudos to the engineers who managed somehow to push past the theory, but their excellent luck won't last forever. The next level of interconnection will have to be optical, simply because the Nyquist Theorem has never been proven wrong. In order to propagate information at rates that are ever increasing, we'll have to make use of carrier frequencies which are far higher along the electromagnetic spectrum. We've run out of radio frequencies, so we have to move on to optical frequencies.
Will Rogers never met me.
Roger Wright wrote:
Copper connections have reached and surpassed their theoretical maximum throughput; that deserves kudos to the engineers who managed somehow to push past the theory
No, it never surpassed any theoretical maximum, they just used a new method with a different theory behind it.
Light moves faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright, until you hear them speak. List of common misconceptions
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
I would atleast make sure I have all the necessary pipes in the walls to pull the cables through. That way you can upgrade anytime at will.
Light moves faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright, until you hear them speak. List of common misconceptions
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
Cat5 isn't gigabit-certified, and Cat5e is "yesterday". I would run Cat6 (capable of 10gb ethernet). I don't do wireless if I can help it, but since it's wireless, you can always add it to your wired network. I would also run the network cable to every wall in the living room where your TV might sit. Once the house is built, it's will be impossible to run Cat6 to outside walls (insulation and cross-members prevent it), so planning ahead is the key.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997 -
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
I'd put a wired network in; as others have said, it does no harm if you don't use it, it's cheap and it does give a better connection. However, I'd definitely have wireless as well and I'd mostly use that, because it's a lot more convenient than messing around with cables and the connection is better than the one from my router to my ISP (for any reasonable internet service) anyway.
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
We had a burst pipe in the attic before xmas, and the wife pushed the insurance company to cover a full rewire. So while all the walls were opened up for new wiring, I paid a bit extra for cat5 in all the rooms, except the kitchen. Dunno if our wireless router was a bit crap or if the position in the house wasn't ideal, but it was always a PITA to get a connection from my laptop, so now I have cat5 to plug straight into the network and a Boxee for streaming HD to the telly. :-D
Pete
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
On Saturday, I backed up 2.5GB from my wife's laptop by WiFi (which I placed next to the router) - it took 4 or 5 hours. Then I backed up my desktop using ethernet - similar volume of data but only took 20mins. I haven't wired my house - I use HomePlugs (www.solwise.co.uk)that use the mains wires as the medium. I only have 85Mbps plugs and work in the diagonally opposite corner (in 3 dimensions) to my router on a different ring main; but the HomePlugs are more than adequate for Internet and accessing files / printers around the house. They handle VPN traffic as well. The plugs are portable (so you can use them wherever you have a mains socket), cheap (~£16 each [you need one for the router and one per active device]), and require no drilling, wiring, connection plates etc. There are faster models and ones with multiple ethernet ports per device; but for me these are as good as anything - faster than my work's network!
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
Like everyone else put wiring in Cat5. WiFi is nice; but, unless you seriously put WiFi units (multiple)... you will always find a place where you can't get a good signal. I also have problems because our neighborhood is riddled with WiFi ... I often find myself reconfiguring the channels now and then to help my end. But, with 15-20 other WiFi networks in my neighborhood things get crowded.
-
I would use wiring, every time.
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob! "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
I would use cat6. About crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f, it is easy... with BT5 and a good graphics card (GPU) ... and parallel processing ...
NKS
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
I went beyond hypothetically .. I did CAT 5 .. Pothetically :) And yes its a no brainer in my book, wired all the way.
The only thing unpredictable about me is just how predictable I'm going to be.
-
Others have specified cable vs wireless, with which I concur... except that I would recommend running conduit between some major sections of the house. CAT-5, CAT-6 or CAT-47 will not be 'current' standards forever, and if you plan on being in the house for a decade or more, you will wish you had a way to add the latest cable standard without tearing out walls.
-- Harvey
Future-proofing - and that's how most software projects end up bloatware... ;P
'As programmers go, I'm fairly social. Which still means I'm a borderline sociopath by normal standards.' Jeff Atwood 'I'm French! Why do you think I've got this outrrrrageous accent?' Monty Python and the Holy Grail
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
Cats do not play with the cables if you have WiFi :laugh:
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
Cat5, never. Maybe Cat5e or Cat6. If it's a new home. If it's not, it's too much of a hassle to wire it all up, specially if the place has tight conduits available. I'd also consider using the FTP versions of both if the place has high EM noise which would mess with both wired and wifi options. The FTP are also good if you're wiring it alongside electrical cables.
"To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
I totally agree with the rest, install at least Cat5e, Cat6 is even better. You might consider also running COAX while you are at it. I know it is old but it is still the way cable, satellite, and dish TV providers like to pump the video to your TVs. This is even the case with FIOS. Shortly after I moved into my house I ran two Cat5E and two coax to three walls in each of the three bedrooms and the living room. All the wires converge in a large box in the closet of one of the bedrooms where I have my router, phone break boards, etc. It is just as easy to run two wires as it is to run one so wire more than you think you need. I used one of the Cat5E wires for phone and the other for Ethernet. Because of this, when I had FIOS installed, they were able to use the wires that existed and didn't have to drill new holes through my house. I was also set up to do things like build a HTPC that recorded both off of the cable box as well as from over the air HD using the attic antenna. I was then able to broadcast the HTPC to all the rooms in the house using the now defunct CableCaster devices. I never would have been able to do that sort of thing without running as many wires as I did. I was also able to set up a personal PBX system in the closet that let us send a receive calls both over VOIP and the phone system from any phone in the house. Of course, I did this on an already existing house and it was a huge pain. But there are a few lessons that apply to new construction. - Buy a central box at least one size bigger then you think you will need. - Be very meticulous about labeling everything. Even label the outlets in the rooms (you can always put the label on the underside of the plate if you don't like the looks). - Use real cable labels. I had a standard labeler that I tried to use and many have since fallen off - Run power to the central box and make sure there is room for a power strip - Create a map and tape it to the inside cover of the central box. This is particularly true if you use a distribution board for the Ethernet and phone - Don't forget you don't have to use the Cat5e cables only for Ethernet or phone. I've seen people who have successfully run VGA and speakers off of Cat5. Once the wires are there a whole realm of possibilities open up.
-
hypothetically... if you were building a new house, would you install cat5 in all the rooms, or would you just use WiFi ?
I would put Cat5e or Cat6 in. I have an old house and wireless doesn't work to well in it. Luckily it was pretty easy for me to run cable to most of the rooms. I also did it in a way that if I want I can pull the wire out and replace it if I need to with out having to resheet rook the wall. The only reason I am able to do that is because I already removed the sheet rock in most of the rooms. If you do that cabling is easy everything else is hard. Wouldn't recommend doing that unless you need to remodel your house any way. Which was the reason I did it. Plus having it wired adds value to house. For new construction I would recommend wiring the house only if you are doing it your self. Looked at having contractors doing it for me and it was very expensive. Also the contractors where I live knew less about running Cat cable than I did so I chose to do it myself.
-
I totally agree with the rest, install at least Cat5e, Cat6 is even better. You might consider also running COAX while you are at it. I know it is old but it is still the way cable, satellite, and dish TV providers like to pump the video to your TVs. This is even the case with FIOS. Shortly after I moved into my house I ran two Cat5E and two coax to three walls in each of the three bedrooms and the living room. All the wires converge in a large box in the closet of one of the bedrooms where I have my router, phone break boards, etc. It is just as easy to run two wires as it is to run one so wire more than you think you need. I used one of the Cat5E wires for phone and the other for Ethernet. Because of this, when I had FIOS installed, they were able to use the wires that existed and didn't have to drill new holes through my house. I was also set up to do things like build a HTPC that recorded both off of the cable box as well as from over the air HD using the attic antenna. I was then able to broadcast the HTPC to all the rooms in the house using the now defunct CableCaster devices. I never would have been able to do that sort of thing without running as many wires as I did. I was also able to set up a personal PBX system in the closet that let us send a receive calls both over VOIP and the phone system from any phone in the house. Of course, I did this on an already existing house and it was a huge pain. But there are a few lessons that apply to new construction. - Buy a central box at least one size bigger then you think you will need. - Be very meticulous about labeling everything. Even label the outlets in the rooms (you can always put the label on the underside of the plate if you don't like the looks). - Use real cable labels. I had a standard labeler that I tried to use and many have since fallen off - Run power to the central box and make sure there is room for a power strip - Create a map and tape it to the inside cover of the central box. This is particularly true if you use a distribution board for the Ethernet and phone - Don't forget you don't have to use the Cat5e cables only for Ethernet or phone. I've seen people who have successfully run VGA and speakers off of Cat5. Once the wires are there a whole realm of possibilities open up.
good info. thanks.
-
I would put Cat5e or Cat6 in. I have an old house and wireless doesn't work to well in it. Luckily it was pretty easy for me to run cable to most of the rooms. I also did it in a way that if I want I can pull the wire out and replace it if I need to with out having to resheet rook the wall. The only reason I am able to do that is because I already removed the sheet rock in most of the rooms. If you do that cabling is easy everything else is hard. Wouldn't recommend doing that unless you need to remodel your house any way. Which was the reason I did it. Plus having it wired adds value to house. For new construction I would recommend wiring the house only if you are doing it your self. Looked at having contractors doing it for me and it was very expensive. Also the contractors where I live knew less about running Cat cable than I did so I chose to do it myself.
sadly, i know nothing at all about running cables.
-
On Saturday, I backed up 2.5GB from my wife's laptop by WiFi (which I placed next to the router) - it took 4 or 5 hours. Then I backed up my desktop using ethernet - similar volume of data but only took 20mins. I haven't wired my house - I use HomePlugs (www.solwise.co.uk)that use the mains wires as the medium. I only have 85Mbps plugs and work in the diagonally opposite corner (in 3 dimensions) to my router on a different ring main; but the HomePlugs are more than adequate for Internet and accessing files / printers around the house. They handle VPN traffic as well. The plugs are portable (so you can use them wherever you have a mains socket), cheap (~£16 each [you need one for the router and one per active device]), and require no drilling, wiring, connection plates etc. There are faster models and ones with multiple ethernet ports per device; but for me these are as good as anything - faster than my work's network!
i use powerline networking in my current house. works great! but i do consider it a work-around for not having real connection (and not being able to keep WiFi connections stable).
-
sadly, i know nothing at all about running cables.
It isn't that hard. I would suggest getting a book on networking specifically one that gets you ready for the Net+ certification. That is how I learned and it worked out really well for me. I would also recommend starting to make your own network cables before you start running wires through the wall. That will help you to understand how the cable works and give you a way to start over if you mess something up. I hope that helps out some.
-
I would use cat6. About crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f, it is easy... with BT5 and a good graphics card (GPU) ... and parallel processing ...
NKS