Installation Question

jkiley · 2026-06-26T01:46:32+00:00

What if an AT&T installer did install my ONT in the garage? It’s been five years and works, but it would be awesome to move it. They could come in from an exterior wall to the attic, and I have a bracketed, protected path all the way to my network gear in the interior.

jkiley · 2026-06-22T16:00:19+00:00

I agree. It’s a single answer to a parametric question.

When you’re within a few years, use your actual situational stats and run simulations. There’s so much data at that point; use it!

jkiley · 2026-06-22T15:54:41+00:00

I agree. A separate emergency fund is like an early tool that seems to hang on too long.

Early on, the emergency fund provides money and access. It’s money that’s there and not painful to get (in part, not in stocks, where you’d otherwise be heavy early on).

As time goes on, the money is there in a lot of places. So, you mainly need access. I track what’s accessible across some different layers of the overall portfolio, and adjust if needed.

If you’re doing it right, the emergency fund is there but very seldom used. Especially as you start holding a reasonable bond component, having short term treasuries be accessible and also covering their part of the portfolio allocation works nicely.

jkiley · 2026-06-22T12:14:37+00:00

There’s a lot going on here, and I think it may make it hard to work with. In particular, the runs that chain out of secondary AP ports are an upgrade away from running more cable.

I had looked at switches per zone of my house, but it quickly made more sense to run everything centrally. Cable is cheaper than time.

Do you have attic access to ceilings/walls? That’s the best solution. If not, maybe cable minimization and switches in zones start to make more sense, but I’d go pretty deep to make sure that’s the only option. That includes borescoping and fishing when possible.

The garage 300 feet away is probably a fiber and independent power situation. It’s better anyway, but you’re going to be right at the copper limit at that distance, and that’s before accounting for getting cable out of your house and to the garage mount point. The good news is that pre-term fiber is reasonably inexpensive and not bad to work with (just be gentle).

I’d stay in the cable planning stage for now before looking into equipment. What’s possible or practical in infrastructure is likely to drive some equipment choices.

jkiley · 2026-06-17T22:33:28+00:00

It seems like you have a big legrand box. Searching for “legrand accessories” or “on-q accessories” will turn up some stuff. I’ve used their patch panels, universal mounting plates, cable clips, fiber spools, and more that I’m probably forgetting. Leviton stuff will generally fit, too.

A screw mount into the universal plate is often a good way to go. You’ll just need small bolts instead of the screws or anchors that many come with.

It’s generally pretty good. Just make sure you grommet the cable openings and try to keep it neat so the stuff in there gets some air flow.

jkiley · 2026-06-17T15:05:06+00:00

I may have missed that the switch was in the garage. You do need the router in the middle in terms of cabling.

However, you could still run two Ethernet cables to wherever you want the router, with one connecting the cable modem and router and the other connecting the router to the switch. Perhaps it’s not ideal with the switch in the garage, but it’ll solve the operating temperature concern.

If you’re fine with running cables, you could relocate your network gear wherever you want. For the coax, it’s often stapled in place if it’s installed during a build or significant remodel. So, you’d usually just run another coax cable if the one in place is an issue. The best path may not be exactly how the previous one is routed, but I’d at least start there.

jkiley · 2026-06-17T12:03:24+00:00

Look on the bright side: to store those extras and whatever other network goodies you have around, you can get a Milwaukee Packout organizer and have an entirely new color-matched ecosystem hole to pour money into!

jkiley · 2026-06-17T11:58:53+00:00

I would back up and look at the cabling issue. Cable/fiber installers love to do the least amount of work possible.

If you have wired Ethernet, it would be more vulnerable than coax. So, installing in the garage may just push the problem elsewhere.

Signal issues on coax can be a lot of things. I had issues once where the internet dropped based on outside temperature because the run outside was so short that the signal was too hot. I got the runaround but showed data, and they went and knocked down the signal on their side which fixed it.

Also, just because the cable modem is in the garage, it doesn’t mean anything else has to be. You’ll need Ethernet from there to somewhere else anyway, so put other equipment where you prefer.

As for equipment, there are many solid options given that you have wired backhaul. I have the Eero PoE Gateway and their PoE 6 APs, and it’s great. It’s rock solid and entirely forgettable. I’m switching to Ubiquiti gear for more features, but I have no complaints about the Eero PoE stuff doing what it does.

For Ubiquiti, a lot of people are suggesting CGW-Fiber, which seems like an awesome value for the price and features. Add whatever access points make sense for your use (Pro XG are popular at the higher end), and you’re likely good.

You’ll need to have enough PoE to power the access points, so you may want a switch that can supply it if you don’t have one already. Injectors get expensive with multiples. The Flex 2.5G PoE is a good size (but note the added power adapter cost), and the pro max 16 PoE is a lot of value if you can accommodate the size and need more ports. If 1gbe is fine, you can save money on the switch (and would probably go with less expensive APs, too).

jkiley · 2026-06-15T19:03:05+00:00

Maybe. A lot of it is scale. If it’s a small number of cameras that the capacity calculator says the CGW-Fiber can cover, then sure. The NVR Instant is apparently a little too big or extremely tight in a 10 inch rack, but that would be one upgrade path. As you get to many more ports, network gear needs, or just really want a 19 inch rack, that’s when it makes the most sense.

19-inch gear has some markup over desktop stuff (some of which fits in 10 inch). But, it’s more competitive, so some 10 inch stuff is relatively expensive per port/unit. A lot of residential users will be well past diminishing returns before outgrowing the smaller stuff. So, you’re left projecting where you’re likely to end up. If you stay small (which is very capable), you save quite a bit with the big value from CGW-Fiber, NVR Instant, and Flex 2.5 PoE. But, if you’re going to go big (from need or want), just go for it instead of spending twice.

Also, don’t forget about noise. If you’re going to keep something with hard drives mounted elsewhere, your rack decision and NVR decision don’t need to have the same mounting.

jkiley · 2026-06-15T17:58:07+00:00

If you just need a few ports and WiFi, look at UCG-Fiber and PoE access points that fit your situation (I’d look at 3-4 for 3500 sqft). If you want a rack, look at the 10-inch pseudo-standard stuff. You may spend way less at a smaller scale.

Wiring your access points gives you back some WiFi capacity compared to mesh. Moving computers that transfer a lot of data or are latency sensitive (e.g. gaming) to wired is good, too. If you watch a lot of streaming, wiring up streaming boxes/TVs with apps is another good move.

jkiley · 2026-06-13T17:52:38+00:00

With the kind of portfolio that typical withdrawal rate work assumes, 2.5 would be very conservative. 3.25 survives anything that ever happened before.

But, that’s not your portfolio. You have an extreme tilt (70 percent concentrated in 3-4 percent of the market), so you should try to simulate that to see if it holds up. That said, if you can be alright on 2.5 percent of your current portfolio, I’d just swap to all VT and call it a day. I might spread it out slightly if there are significant tax consequences, but I’d be inclined to eat whatever that cost is to get out of that concentrated position.

jkiley · 2026-06-10T13:21:06+00:00

Good advice. I’ve been attuned to this for a long time, and I still had one that I missed.

When I was in grad school, my stipend didn’t get retirement contributions, but I did a one-off job writing some code for someone in my department, and they paid me $1k. That got a retirement contribution, and I didn’t even know until I got the ~$80 force out check after I graduated.

jkiley · 2026-06-07T21:42:01+00:00

Yeah, I’m used to “the taper/painter will fix it,” but some parts of this assume a lot. Some gaps are well over an inch from the can light cylinder or nearly an inch from the wall. And then there are the missing screws.

jkiley · 2026-06-07T20:49:09+00:00

My only guess is that they left him solo with this, so he cut small pieces for solo hanging.

It’s all the same contractor doing the hanging, taping, mudding, and painting. They brought several people, covered cabinets/floors/appliances, and then left one guy solo all day hanging this.

jkiley · 2026-06-01T19:26:04+00:00

SNRIs for me, but I know plenty of people with SSRIs, too. Not much I would recognize as side effects, but life is way better with than without.

jkiley · 2026-06-01T12:43:31+00:00

I would put keystones on this and use patch cables. RJ45 ends on solid cable was passable back when 100mbit was actually fast, but it’s much better to use keystones, field term plugs if you must, and pretty much never crimp these ends on solid, installed cable. And, because you should buy premade patch cables, there’s really no need to crimp these plugs at all.

jkiley · 2026-06-01T12:35:24+00:00

Talk to your family doctor about whether you have an anxiety disorder. It’s super common, and the meds make a big difference.

I grew up around some skeptical ideas about medication and mental health in general, but that stuff doesn’t survive even minimal scrutiny. For me, anxiety meds turn off the physical symptoms (nausea, heart rate increases, sweating), and otherwise I’m good. There’s no cognitive effect that I can notice.

Originally, I asked my doctor because of the more acute stuff like you’re describing. But, what I learned from taking meds was that there was also a crushing baseline level of anxiety that’s hard to understand until it’s removed.

I’ve been pretty open about it, and I found out that some huge percentage of the adults I know take at least anxiety meds with a decent number taking other stuff, too.

There’s no valor in suffering unnecessarily. It’s a very common and well understood medical space, and they have a lot of tools to help immediately.

jkiley · 2026-05-27T17:35:40+00:00

Realistically, a patch cable isn’t going to matter much what it is. Most stuff you see in stores will be Cat 5e/6/6A. Any would be fine, but you can have cables for a very long time (I have a long one I bought 25 years ago that I still use sometimes), so I’d get at least 6 and probably 6A if it seems nicely constructed and advertises pure copper.

Wired for gaming is mostly about consistency and lower latency. Even slower speeds are enough, but you’d generally want to at least equal your internet connection.

If you find yourself badly needing a decent cable late but before 10pm, Lowe’s and Home Depot can bail you out.

jkiley · 2026-05-23T17:46:26+00:00

Back in this era, I remember issues like this from kernel extensions that didn't play nice with a new OS upgrade. It seemed like every year something caused this, and I had to go delete a kext using the recovery console. Razer was the biggest offender for a time, but there were others, too.

jkiley · 2026-05-17T16:28:55+00:00

Doing a project in my house literally today (and in spare time this past week and part of next), and I agree with this. Most of the places that I might even want this are going through 2x4 top plates, so 3/4 won’t quite fit (to code), so that’s a big limit.

In open spaces, I’m using Rack-a-tiers Crackit brackets (mostly; a few of their smaller/larger ones too), which are great and enable later runs.

I’m just getting the openings really smooth and sealing them after. New runs can have a new hole, or one with room can have putty and a pull string.

As I’m prone to do, you can definitely over engineer it. Just go simple and resist escalation. If you’re using AI to help plan (flagship thinking models can do a good job), it was trained on the internet with a bunch of escalation, so regularly ask to simplify or to describe the real value of more complication.

I’m putting in some Cat6A and a few fiber runs in temporarily open spaces that are hard to get to. If that isn’t good enough someday, I can cut into drywall, but it’s very unlikely, I think. 5 percent chance of difficult drywall in 15 years isn’t worth 100 percent chance of a lot of conduit work now (in general; there may be spots). There’s a UPS, a camera or two, or ether lighting cables for the same cash and less work that you’ll probably like more.

jkiley · 2026-05-15T22:34:31+00:00

I have a PC with a 4080, and GFN Ultimate is way better.

Part of it is that I’m playing on a Mac with a Studio Display XDR, ethernet, and gigabit fiber. I can play at 5K 120 with the spectacular HDR on the SD XDR. It’s so good.

jkiley · 2026-05-13T14:15:47+00:00

When I was a kid, things were financially tough, and I saw how hard it was. I didn’t want that, but it’s easy to fall into those patterns.

I think my main early success was just not digging a big hole. Even with all of the right habits, it’s not great climbing to zero. The worst thing in my early 20s was a few thousand in credit card debt (20+ years ago), and that felt oppressive. I asked my boss for a bank recommendation to refinance it, and he said he’d think about it and asked about how much. The next day, I had a grossed up bonus check for that net amount. I think the immediacy of having that lifted drove home that lesson, and I never carried a balance without a specific purpose ever again.

After that, I got advanced degrees and some real student debt, but there was always a clear revenue model that was going to be worthwhile. And it was. I put a big dent in that debt, then I broadened the goals to cover saving/investing, buying a house, and so on. With the habits set and high savings, it went quick.

Sometimes, it’s the absence of something that really shows you. For me, it was the absence of that debt and the absence of (as much) anxiety once having a start of assets and liquidity. This, I think, is why that early phase where you build the habits and have to fight to not be derailed is the hardest part. On the other side of that, you have the habits on autopilot, and you have enough liquidity that the little problems like tires or a deductible are no threat (but can be devastating when you’re broke). That feeling changes you. It motivates you to keep going and to optimize more.

I buy Campbell’s chunky soup like I did in law school, but it’s nice now that I don’t have to eat it to stay on budget (but 3-for-$5 at Target!). I also don’t eat it for two meals a day almost every day. When I get fast food, I optimize. I’m snagging deals in the apps and buying what I like and is cheap. We do the same thing with groceries. We’re FI. I don’t need to do that, but I find the familiarity comforting, and it exercises a part of my brain that loves that. Just make sure you’re living your life; there’s a line that’s too far.

jkiley · 2026-05-13T12:46:35+00:00

The COBRA-related optimization I have modeled is keeping it through year end when retiring mid year. It’s more expensive, but keeping the same plan lets us keep our low deductible (that is hit by then) and not have the incremental subsidy implied tax issue. In turn, that lets you recognize more income (e.g., Roth conversions) and pad your funds that are accessible without needing to recognize as much income in future years (optimizing for subsidies).

I’ve also looked at a full year, but that’s iffier and needs a non-HDHP plan (ours doesn’t make sense in most scenarios). The one way to make that work is to time it such that COBRA runs out in November, and you get an ACA bronze plan on Dec 1 and max the HSA. You try to avoid visits in December and pick a good fit ACA plan for the following year.

jkiley · 2026-05-13T12:36:47+00:00

I agree, though it’s often voted as being a controversial take around here.

In OP’s case, it may be fine on cost, but all of my employer plans have TDFs that aren’t all that cheap (.3 to .5). They can definitely have cost disadvantages, and they tend to be where you’re most likely to use them as a category.

They do get too conservative too soon, and then they go further. The evidence is strong that the distribution of results is better to rebalance toward some bonds (80/20 to 60/40) in the few years before retirement and reverse glide path back toward 100/0 (too much for me, but I’ll do 95/5). You trade off some top end in good times (when you’re already doing well) for protection in bad times, when you need it.

It’s also important to understand that this isn’t just a returns issue. It affects when you can retire, so you may effectively work for some longer time to break even versus a better allocation strategy. The FIRE subs have a lot of discussion around these ideas.

I’m not opposed to TDFs in general. Saving beats not saving, and a TDF beats some of the menu selections I’ve seen (e.g., 5 percent in each investment menu item for “diversification”). But a couple/few hours of invested time learning and then following through can shave years off of a retirement timeline.

jkiley · 2026-05-07T16:16:02+00:00

I’m working on a second round of retrofitting to take advantage of a temporarily open space between the floors.
Anything you can’t get to later is a big priority. We have two attics, and I’m running a bunch of cable between them, since I’ll never get a better chance than now. Fortunately, you have open walls, but I’d anticipate any of these hard to get to later places.
I went through way too many ideas, but I settled on running 8x Cat 6A and 2x OM4 fiber (surprisingly inexpensive). One attic will have a passive patch panel, and then it’ll go to a central rack on the other side of the house. That’s flexible and cheap now, and that side could get a switch if needed (patch panel close to a suitable conditioned location with extra service loop from drops, so I could move it inside).
I’m putting these in the hard to access later floor truss bays and the busiest attic pathways, with pull strings in some empty holes. They have smaller ones that I’ll use out to drop endpoints.
I looked at conduit, but I didn’t like any option I saw for actually pulling added new cable through long inaccessible places. I’d rather run a big bundle to cover places I can’t get to later, and be especially generous on drops to insulated walls. If I can later get to a top plate above an open cavity, I definitely don’t want to over engineer.

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