Help with routing wiring to loft

[majnu]

Hi

I currently have :

- hp procurve 1810g-24 j9450a (24 port switch)
- 24 Port Gigaband Cat 6 High Density Patch Panel
- Asus RT AC66U router, Huwaei modem for Plusnet ISP internet

I want to feed 5 cat6a wires to the loft (I wanted to future proof so I am aware that I won't get 10Gigabit speeds yet and am limited to gigabit).

Should I feed 5 wires from the patch panel to the loft?

Or can I add another 6 port switch in the loft and have 1 wire feeding to the patch panel from it (would I still get gigabit speeds to all devices connected in the loft if I do it this way)? If I can do this which switch would you recommend? The HP switch I have even though old has served me well for donkey's years, although I can't remember if it is managed or unmanaged, so what type of switch would I need for the loft (if indeed this routing method can be done)?

Thank you

 

[azazel1024]

First off, run Cat6, it will run 10GbE on it up to 55 meters. Saves money and makes the wiring run MUCH easier. Next, run all 5 wires. If you care at all about 10GbE in the future, there is no reason to limit your link to the loft to a single wire. Run 5 now and you have 5Gbps of linkage to the loft and possibly 50Gbps in the future. Run 1 now and you have 1Gbps of linkage now and at best 10Gbps of linkage in the future.

I'd toss the HP and either get a newer procurve, or something like a Trendnet TEG-160sw, TP-Link SG2216 or similar. Or even a semi-managed 8 port switch. That old Procurve if all ports are in use pulls down about 30 watts. A slightly smaller, much newer semi-managed switch is going to do you up maybe 15-16 watts if all ports were in use. Most of the semi-managed 8 port switches loaded up are more like 6-8 watts. It isn't necessarily much, but it can be a $5-20 a year difference in your electric bill, depending on how many ports you are using and what you'd replace it with.

Since you don't even know if that HP Procurve is managed, I assume you have no need for management capabilities. So to save even more money, you could get a new 8/16 port dumb gigabit switch, save money on the switch and use even LESS power than a new semi-managed 8/16 port switch.

 

[majnu]

thanks, I already bought the cable a long time ago and unfortunately I cannot toss the procurve away due to expense. However you have given me food for thought in the future when budget permit an upgrade

 

[Terry Kennedy]

I want to feed 5 cat6a wires to the loft (I wanted to future proof so I am aware that I won't get 10Gigabit speeds yet and am limited to gigabit).

As mentioned by azazel1024, Cat 6A is a pain to deal with and likely overkill for this application. I can understand having a spool of cable, but you also need fancy termination tools and oddball connectors. For Cat 5 / 5E you can purchase a crimper and connectors at your local hardware store and likely get good connections on your first try.

Should I feed 5 wires from the patch panel to the loft?

Or can I add another 6 port switch in the loft and have 1 wire feeding to the patch panel from it (would I still get gigabit speeds to all devices connected in the loft if I do it this way)? If I can do this which switch would you recommend?

This is a subject of frequent debate. In my opinion, if you have a clear cable path (you don't have to try to fit everything inside a narrow wall opening / conduit / etc.) you should just run a bunch of cables. If you have to rip walls open to do the run, I'd say that it is even more important to run a bunch of cables while you have the wall open. You might want to include some coax (cable / satellite TV) and some fiber (50/125, the aqua colored stuff). You don't have to put ends on the extra cables now, just have them in the wall so if you need them later you can put appropriate connectors on.

Here is my reasoning for multiple cables vs. one cable and an additional switch: When you have multiple switches (particularly if some / all of them are unmanaged) you have to run around to figure out where a problem is. If you run all of the cables back to a central location, it is a simple matter of looking at the port LEDs on that switch to see where a problem is. And if you decide in the future that you want to use multiple VLANs, QoS, etc. you only have to configure them on one switch rather than on multiple switches (if they all even support those features). Lastly, if you decide to upgrade your switch(es) to fancy managed ones, you only have to replace one switch.

The only reason to install additional remote switches is when there's some constraint in the middle (like fiber to another building) or where you want to isolate your main switch from possibly abnormal behavior (that's why I have a switch on my workbench instead of connecting directly to my main switch).

 

[azazel1024]

Also don't forget the reasoning of "cable once". If you realize you need more runs because of bandwidth limitations on a single run to a switch, you have to reopen everything.

The only time I do a single cable run to a location is, as mentioned, it is much more difficult to run multiple. Example, I was redoing my basement. On the exterior walls I have a single cabling run with RG-6 and a single Cat5e. This is because the only room to run wiring is through a 1/2" conduit, since the wall is made of cinderblock with 3/4" foam board insulation and furring strips. All that fits in a conduit is a single cat5e/6 and an RG6 and I really didn't want to run two conduits down and try to fit the wiring in to a reduced thickness box (three cables in to the box probably wouldn't have fit and it didn't look like a 3rd cable would have fit in the conduit, not without possibly damaging them running them through). The single network cable and single coax barely fit in the box as it is. Electrical was done the same way (with a pair of 14/2 Romex BARELY fitting in the conduit. Like, be VERY careful not to strip the wire running it through tight).

The other times it is acceptable to me is when the wiring run is easily accessible to re-pull wire later. I have several locations where I only have a single cable run, where in the future it is perhaps possible I might want 2 or more networked devices at that location. However, I have access through the unfinished storage room in my basement to all of those for 90+% of the wiring runs and it would be easy to attach some string and pull it through for the few feet I can't access and then re-pull the original + new wires to the box.

Every other location in my house I've installed 2-4 wires, even if I think I only need 1, because it is an infinite pain to do the initial install, including having to open walls and/or baseboards in some cases. I generally only install a single RJ-45 keystone jack there and leave the other wires coiled up in the box/wall (some locations I use 20cu-in enclosed boxes and some I used low voltage wiring brackets. Just depends).

 

[Cloud200]

The 1810 is a kinda sorta managed switch. It will do VLANs and LACP but not much else.
As for the cable . . .
Home run everything if you have a choice. Cat6a is a freaken nightmare to deal with and I do not suggest it for residential use. Cat6 with a crosstalk divider is generally more than enough for any residential application.