Connecting Router to Modem 10m away

[pLzRnPain]

Hi, have a few questions about my network setup, main question is about cabling for router and switch but if i'm in the wrong section my apologies.

I would also like to apologize in advance for my lengthy "essay" type post, I just tend to ramble and like to be thorough.

Back Story:

Now, I'm finally getting around to finishing my home network setup, we fully renovated an old house about 10 years ago.
Unfortunately we made some big mistakes, one of them being the network side of things.
The main issues being the type of "hub" we installed and where it's positioned.

We ran 'CAT 6' cabling throughout the house, to a 'not-so-central' "hub".

Here are some photos of the hub (which is a Hills Home Hub): https://imgur.com/a/eHfdg
This is where everything leads to, including the phone line from the pit.
And, Please excuse the mess, it's just been loosely connected up just to get basic operations going.

And yes, unfortunately, the white box on top of the HUB is an ELECTRICAL breaker box, lol.

Also, here is a photo of the rough floor plan: https://imgur.com/a/nDwVW

Now, I live in Australia, we currently have ADSL2+ (the 'NBN' is still a few years away to my area)

And am using an ISP supplied MODEM:

' Technicolor TG587n v3 ' WiFi Modem Router (wifi turned off)

That I want to BRIDGE to an:

' ASUS RT-AC5300 ' WiFi Router

and THAT will connect to a:

' TP-Link TL-SG2216 ' 16 port Gigabit switch

The "problem", if you wish to call it that, is that the MODEM and SWITCH are both in the HUB and wish to locate the new ROUTER to a more central location, which have decided is going to be the #2 purple star on the map, it is roughly 10m away direct from the hub.

So, I need to run 2 Ethernet cables (1 for MODEM to ROUTER & 1 for ROUTER to SWITCH) from HUB to the ROUTERS new location,

Planning on going under the house for these, as it will use the shortest lengths of cable and minimal proximity to electrical cabling, and even though I do have draw strings in both locations to go up and over, it will be somewhat easier to go under.

The Questions:

The questions, after all that..

1.
Should I run solid conductor cabling?
(terminate to patch panel in hub and use patch cables to connect from patch panel to modem and switch, and terminate eth. jacks on a wall plate and patch cables to wall to router)

Or just use 2 10m patch cables?
(and plug them directly into each device)

Already have one of those brush type cable entry wall plates for the router side and a couple metal IP68 cable glands I can use for entry into hub.

2.
Either way, would anything other than 'Cat 6 UTP' be of any benefit? Even for future proofing?
As in: 'Cat 6 S/FTP', 'Cat 6a UTP', 'Cat 6a 'S/FTP' etc..

I know everything else is based around 'Cat 6 UTP' but because these connections are usually only a meter max, and they are an important part of the network, I dunno, thought maybe even some shielding would help with any interference that may come about, especially since the hub is located right underneath a #@%! ELECTRICAL switch board! lol

I wish I could rip the whole thing out and start again! There's a cupboard in the kitchen area (right on top purple star #1 actually) that would of been PERFECT for a network hub, plenty of room for all this, including rackmount devices, UPS, NAS box, etc etc..

3.
Which brings me to my third question, both the Router and the Switch support 'Link Aggregation', I was going to keep this feature for connecting a NAS box (one that also supports it) but am now thinking to use it to connect the Router to the Switch.

What would the advantages/disadvantages be?
Useful at all in either scenario?
Would it be better to use for 'Switch to Router' OR 'Switch/Router to NAS'?

I know I'll need a 3rd cable and loose a port on the switch..doesn't matter much really..

4.
Would adding an EXHAUST FAN or some other type of VENTILATION to the HUB be necessary or just a waste? Keep in mind the "noise factor" also, as the hub IS situated in my parents walk in wardrobe lol..
But having the SWITCH and MODEM located in a relatively small metal box has me worried..
Any thoughts on this?
Ideas?

That's it I think, for now lol..

Thank you for reading my post and for any help, advice and/or recommendations you may give, it would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.

 

[sfx2000]

1) for 10 meters, any cat5 or higher cable will be fine at 1Gbps...

I prefer CAT5 - it's cheaper, and unless it's a REALLY, REALLY, big house, CAT5 is more than good enough - CAT6 is harder to work with, and in a home network, it really is overkill..

2) again, proper cat5/cat6 is fine... if one is not running cable thru ducts or over a suspended ceiling - then even plenum rating isn't needed (plenum is mostly about flammability of the insulation, not performance of the cable itself)

3) LAG - probably not worth it - most folks misunderstand - it doesn't offer twice the speed, it offers twice the capacity - and it's pretty hard to saturate a 1Gbe link outside of file copies inside the LAN

4) depends on needs - just understand the vendors and carrier do have thermal specs, and they test this hard to ensure that the end-user/customer will be ok...

 

[joegreat]

1) for 10 meters, any cat5 or higher cable will be fine at 1Gbps...

I prefer CAT5 - it's cheaper, and unless it's a REALLY, REALLY, big house, CAT5 is more than good enough - CAT6 is harder to work with, and in a home network, it really is overkill..

Just to be precise: for 1 Gbps is hast to be CAT5e - CAT5 is only certified for 100 Mbps.

Regarding cost: as i recently cabled my new home with CAT6, I know that the difference is just a few 10 cents per meter and you get CAT6A which is ready for 10 Gbps.
And yes, it was harder to work with, but the professionals in my case where used to it!

 

[Samir]

So before I recommend anything, I have to ask--why are you moving the router to a more central location? Is it to use the wifi? If so, then just get an access port or a second asus to use as an access port and leave the router right there with the switch. This is what I did when I ran into your exact scenario, and the bonus to it was when one AP wasn't enough, I was able to just wire in another one wherever I needed it.