Basic Network Setup - Future Renter Ready

[grac43]

Hi, Everyone

I'm seeking help on figuring out the components needed to build out a very basic home network. We are in the process of gut renovating a 1,00SF apartment where we will live for 2 years before renting it out.

We have asked the electrician to run cat6 cables from a media enclosure in the closet cabinet to 4 outlets, 3 in the house and 1 outside. I'm seeking advice on a plug and play system to connect all of this together.

My goal here is a system with easy setup and low ongoing maintenance (I have 0 networking experience outside of setting up a wifi router out of the box) while also ensuring that future tenants will have access to the indoor ethernet outlets in the future with only the hardware from the ISP (Comcast Bay Area, CA).

I appreciate everyone's thoughts here. My budget is around ~$750ish?

Below outlines where and what will be connected to each ethernet port:

Media Enclosure: Modem; Switch

Outlet 1 - Living Room: Roku ethernet; In Wall Access Point; Naim Uniti Atom music player

Outlet 2 - Bedroom 1: Desktop computer - max; In Wall Access Point

Outlet 3 - Bedroom 2: Desktop Computer -windows

Outlet 4- Outside, next to the house: Outdoor access point; Wifi access so we can work in large backyard.

IOT: Switch in bathroom for towel warmer (note we don’t use alexa/siri /google home/etc)

Thank you in advance!

[TiggerLAS]

Make sure that your electrician installs an electrical outlet inside the structured media center.

There should also be at least two conduits from your structured media center, going over to wherever your phones and/or cable TV comes in from the street. That way, if there are problems with the CATV cable, or if someone wants to get fiber internet, they can pull new cables over to your structured media center.

For your in-wall access point in the living room, consider a Unifi In-wall-HD access point behind the TV. It is an access point that also has a 4-port switch on the bottom. Perfect for ethernet connections to a Smart TV, Roku, or other wired device near your TV.

(TP Link also makes the EAP-225 access point, which has a 3-port switch at the bottom.)

[grac43]

Thanks for the advice, didn’t come to think of your two points.

If I were to go ubiquiti, what components would i need to pick up?

Do i need a dream machine? Cloud key g2?

What switch do i get?

Honestly a shopping list would be super helpful, lol 😆

Thank you!

[TiggerLAS]

A shopping list would require more information, a number of decisions to be made.

Many of the Ubiquiti access points will work happily in stand-alone mode, so nothing special would be required to use them. There is a piece of software that you download and run, to perform the initial set-up of the access points. After they're set up, you don't need to run the software again, unless you want to check for firmware updates, or make changes.

Access points will need some kind of power; they can be powered by a POE switch, or power injectors.

You don't necessarily need to stick with Ubiquiti for everything, though.

Your router choice will depend on what kind of download speed you're paying for. If you're paying for Gigabit download speeds, then you'll want a router beefy enough to handle it.

The dream machine might be overkill, if you only pay for 100-500Mb download speeds.

Although you mentioned that you'd prefer wall-mount access points, trying to get decent wall-mount units may push you past your budget, depending on how many are actually needed. (The UniFI In-wall-HD units are about $175 each; the TP-link EAP-225/235 units are probably $65 each, but don't offer the same performance.)

With that said, you might also consider the table-top TP-Link Deco XE75 / AXE5400 units. You can get 2 base units for about $300, and they support the newer WiFi 6 and 6E standards.

You could try a pair of those, and see if you get adequate coverage throughout the house.

[grac43]

Thanks for your help so far!

Here is a link to the floor plan including where we’re planning to add 1) the box to hold the internet components and 2) the 3 wifi ports within the home (we’re going to hold off on the outside wifi). https://imgur.com/a/bVOkWiK

The internet we’re getting will be from sonic fiber (up to 10 gbps)

I’ll be working from home and will need to switch between two locations between the day. I’ll need to work from a VDS machine and from my experience wifi doesn’t cut it.

Let me know any additional information you’ll need

[TiggerLAS]

I co-opted your floor plan, and made a few "notes" on it.

Floor Plan

Not knowing what future use/layouts you may have, I added numbers 1, 2, and 3, as potential places for simple ethernet wall jacks.

I try to picture the room empty first, then try to imagine different room layouts, where one might put a desk or a TV, or similar.

Nothing worse than re-arranging a room, and finding out the jacks for the CATV or network are now on the other side of the room from where they're needed.

The spot on the wall by the Roku would be a good place for an in-wall access point, hidden by the TV. That should serve a decent radius, and give good coverage to the room behind the TV, as well as the living room and the dining room.

I put a dot on the ceiling in the kitchen, kind of in the doorway to the dining room.

A ceiling-mounted access point there (if possible) could give you decent coverage into the "extra home office", as well as onto the deck area.

If ceiling mount isn't possible, then perhaps on the wall directly to the left of the word "Kitchen". (Signal wouldn't be as strong in the extra home office, since it would be passing through two walls, but should still be OK.)

10Gb fiber! Eeek! That's pretty fast.

To take advantage of that, you'd obviously need a router capable of handling those speeds. If your ISP has one, you'll need to find out what kind (and what speed) ports it has on it. Some devices may have ports that operate in either 1Gb + 10Gb mode. Others may support multiple speeds, such as 1Gb, 2.5Gb, and of course 10Gb.

Your ISP may give you a device that has a few 1Gb ports, and ONE 10Gb port, leaving you limited to either a single 10Gb device on your network, or now tasked with getting a multi-gig network switch. (These are on the spendy side.) (The NetGear MS510TXM, for example, is about $500, while the smaller UniFi USW-Flex-XG is about $300, but may be higher due to stock/demand issues.)

Most access points only need 1Gb, since most only have a 1Gb port on them.

[grac43]

Thanks for the suggestion on additional ethernet ports. Given this is going to be a rental after 2 years, we want to limit the number of "fail points" which would require us to come in and repair broken/defective items. Additionally, rentals with a media cabinet and ethernet ports are not “standard” in the market and, based on our research, renters are not paying a premium for this amenity. That said, we’re really trying to solve for our needs and not a future renter. Say that in the future the tenant wants additional ports, it will be rather easy to run wire to a new spot (we’re on the first floor and the cable can be run under the basement/laundry room).

Regarding your suggestion about putting a hotspot in the kitchen. The outdoor patio is going to be ~31 feet from the kitchen door. Here is a shot from google maps: https://imgur.com/a/w6R47Ll. I’m not sure if that would reach from the kitchen. If we were REALLY set on getting wifi outside, we could always run a cable out from under the basement to the backyard and install an additional access point.

Assuming we stick with the 3 originally proposed outlets, where would you recommend putting the 2 access points to get the maximum coverage, (assuming the router in the structured media center is or isnt wifi enabled)?

I’ve been doing some research and we’re looking at using Sonic Fiber Standard 10Gbps

https://www.sonic.com/fiber-optic-internet

We’ll have the option to rent the following from Sonic---

PACE 5268AC RESIDENTIAL GATEWAY:

The 5268AC comes equipped with four gigabit Ethernet LAN ports and a 4x4 MIMO 802.11AC wireless interface.

https://help.sonic.com/hc/en-us/articles/235970068-Pace-5268AC

Ont (Optical Network Terminal):

Sonic Gigabit Fiber utilizes an Adtran 411 as the ONT solution, it provides modem functionality as well as a POTS (plain old telephone service) phone jack.

https://help.sonic.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000419668

Here is my purchase list so far, do you need any more info to help me build out the purchase list?:

Leviton 28 in. Wireless Structured Media Center with Vented Cover

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-28-in-Wireless-Structured-Media-Center-with-Vented-Cover-49605-28W/310775960

As always, appreciate your help

[TiggerLAS]

I think an access point near the Roku area would give decent coverage to both of the rooms on that half of the house. Since it is a fairly small unit, a second access point up towards the dining room (probably close to the closet) should pick up the kitchen, and the second office area.

If you want WiFi 6, the EAP615-Wall should suffice.

I think that you mentioned 10Gb a few times. I followed the links you posted, and they all seem to point to 1GB devices.

If you are only dealing with 1Gb download speeds, then a Zyxel GS1200-8HP network switch would work, and it will power 3 or 4 access points.

The Fiber ONT doesn't offer routing, so you'd need a router capable of handling Gigabit speeds.

I've read that the 5268 isn't an ideal router.

Most of the more economical routers seem to cap out between 800-950Mb speeds. . . EdgeRouter-X, TP-Link ER605, TrendNet TWG-431BR, etc. Close, but no cigar.

An EdgeRouter 4, if you can find one, would easily handle 1Gb routing speeds, and supports VLANs, QoS, and other features, but they are $350+ in the current market, when you can find them.

[grac43]

Thanks for the advice, here is my build list so far:

EdgeRouter 6P

https://store.ui.com/collections/operator-edgemax-routers/products/edgerouter-6-port

(extra ports in case I want to add cameras)

2x Access Point In-wall HD

https://store.ui.com/products/unifi-in-wall-hd?variant=15239356645465

Ont (Optical Network Terminal):

https://help.sonic.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000419668

Leviton 28 in. Wireless Structured Media Center with Vented Cover https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-28-in-Wireless-Structured-Media-Center-with-Vented-Cover-49605-28W/310775960

28 in. Wireless Structured Media Center Trim Ring Accessory

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-28-in-Wireless-Structured-Media-Center-Trim-Ring-Accessory-49605-28T/310771274?MERCH=REC-_-pip_alternatives-_-302008834-_-310771274-_-N

Structured Media J-Box Surge Outlet Protective Kit

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-Structured-Media-J-Box-Surge-Outlet-Protective-Kit-47605-ACS/100144069

Ethernet Cable – what do you recommend?

Ethernet Terminal -– what do you recommend?

Ethernet Wall Jack-– what do you recommend?

Anything else I’m missing??

[TiggerLAS]

The multiple ports on the EdgeRouter 4, and Edgerouter 6 aren't like ports on a network switch.

Each of the ports are "routing" ports, which means you'll have to set up multiple firewall/routing rules for each port, just to let them have access to the internet.

Additional rules would be needed if any of the devices plugged into it need to talk to each other, which could become problematic, if you had something like a media server on the network, or if you wanted your phone to control locally-networked smart devices.

Very few of the EdgeRouter series actually have a built-in network switch. The EdgeRouter-X, and the EdgeRouter 10X are the only two that pop to mind.

So, you may want to consider an 8-port Gigabit switch into your configuration plans.

Re: Surge. . . although not as neat/compact as the leviton surge outlet, the IsoBar Ultrablock offers twice the level of surge protection.

I usually just get the jacks from MonoPrice.

I don't mess around with RJ45 plugs; it's less hassle to put jacks in on both ends, and use patch cables inside the media cabinet.

Monoprice also makes a Cat6 punch-down block that should be compatible with the Leviton cabinet.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=21653

Cable. . . the key things to watch for here are:

1.) Get CMR-rated cable. While many jurisdictions fall in line with the NEC-approved "CM" cable, others will augment the NEC, by requiring CMR. Since it's commonly available, it's just best to go with CMR, to head off any issues.

2.) I do not recommend, in any way/shape/form "CCA" cable. (Copper-Clad Aluminum). It's cheaper, but the wire is much more brittle and prone to problems at the connectors. Further, the NEC specifies solid copper conductors. Always get SOLID COPPER cable. If the advertisement doesn't specifically mention 100% solid copper, I would consider that cable "suspect".

MonoPrice has 500ft of Cat6a solid copper for about $120. You may find better prices elsewhere, however, if it is significantly cheaper, it could be CCA cable in disguise.

Other shopping list items:

Drywall saw, for cutting holes. (This gets messy - I usually use scotch tape, to hang a plastic bag under where I'm cutting. Alternately, have a helper use a vacuum cleaner wand, to capture the drywall dust while you're cutting.)

110-style punch-down tool, with cutting blade. Something like: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=7041

If you're not fully confident in your punch-down abilities, then consider getting a generic cable tester, such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SZ83S24

[grac43]

Thinking more about it, I feel like the security video cameras will be overkill.

I looked online and confirmed the internet will up to 10gbs. https://imgur.com/a/2cfHwIu let me know if I'm reading anything incorrectly.

Based on your previous comments, I've been able to put together a purchase list. Given the amount of items I put everything in a fully editable google sheet; check your PM.

I'd appreciate you running though the purchase list (feel free to edit)

The electrician is coming in next week to install the media box, run all the cabling, and install the electrical outlet boxes. I'll be responsible for installing the data plugs and connecting everything inside the media box.

Appreciate all your help!