[Tfug] OT: cabling

[Bexley Hall]

Hi Zack,

--- On Mon, 9/21/09, Zack Williams <zdwzdw at gmail.com> wrote:

> > Currently, we have CATV, phone and CAT5 drops everywhere
> > (i.e., all three in each drop).  The CATV and phone (CAT1?)
> > lines will just be pushed back into the wall (in case someone,
> > someday, decides to revert back to more conventional wiring).
> > So, all of the media traffic will appear on the CAT5 cable.
> 
> The phone wiring is probably Cat3.  So you could run
> 10baseT on it if you really wanted to.

No, it's plain old "quad".  :>

> > Is there any reason why we would want to run a *second*
> > length of CAT5 to each of these locations (besides covering
> > our backside for cable failures)?  I.e., would there ever be
> > a need for two active drops in the same location?
> 
> Wired computer and wired printer? A wired IP phone, and a media
> frontend in one room?  Blu-ray players often take an ethernet
> connection as well.

The phone design allows a passthrough to a PC, etc.
Likewise, the media client also supports a passthrough
(to a phone which could then pass through to a computer, etc.).

And, on top of all that, there are already several drops in 
each room (different locations to accommodate locating phone, TV, etc
in different spots as you rearrange furniture, etc.).  I.e.,
there are 27 drops in this place (yet only 3 bedrooms  :> )

"Wire is cheap"

> While you could put switches on the end of each drop when
> you need more ports, it's nicer from a bandwidth perspecitve 
> to have one big switch.

Yes, but how realistic is it to have multiple appliances
in the same place *and* other places in the same *room*?

E.g., each bedroom has at least two drops -- some three.
Living room has four.  Family room has three.  Etc.  So,
I really don't even envision needing the passthrough
capabilities of phone, media client, etc.  Put TV in one
corner, phone in another, computer in a third, etc.

> My home office has 4 Cat-5 drops, and all are being used
> right now.

I put a 16 port switch in my office (I think there are
2 free ports on it currently  :-/ ) but that is the only
place I really *expect* to find lots of network nodes in
a small area (three different printers, four servers, a
pair of PC's, etc.).  And, given the high equipment density,
I figure it is "acceptible" to deal with cables running
around the periphery of the room along the floor.

OTOH, I don't consider it acceptable to run wires around
a bedroom or living  room just to accommodate different
appliances in different locations within the room (hence
the large number of drops in each room).

> The cost of the actual cable is small compared to the cost
> of running it.

Agreed.  But, duplicating 27 drops is another 1500 feet of
cable to run and terminate.  Even if I don't attach it to a
switch "now".

> Always run more than you think you'll need, and
> you'll generally be happy you did.

<grin>  I guess I was hoping the 27 drops was "more than I
think I will need"...  :-/

--don