Network plan for a flat

[MarcoGT]

Hi all,

this is my post here; I am building the network for the new flat (90 sq m, one floor).
Here the devices I have, and the connection they will use.
The flat is wired with LAN Gigabit.

In Living Room:

• Apple TV --> Wired
• Webcam for TV --> Wired
• TV --> wired
• PS3 --> Wired

Already 4 devices (and an Ethernet cable from wall), I plan therefore to buy an 8-port switch from TP-Link (TL-SG108), maybe I will need more ports in the future.

In bedroom

• TV --> Wired
• WD TV Live --> Wired

I will have one Ethernet cable from wall, so I plan to buy a 5 ports switch (TP-Link TL-SG105)

In Kids room:

• iMac (late 2013, AC capable) --> wired
• TV --> Wired

Only one Ethernet cable from wall, same as bedroom, planning to buy a second TP-Link TL-SG105 switch

Then, in storage room, I will have:

• Modem from my Internet/Telephone provider --> connected to WAN port of ASUS
• ASUS RT-N66U
• NAS Synology

Here all the cables from all other rooms will arrive (3 in total), so I plan to buy a second TP-Link 8-port switch, connect all the Ethernet cables from the other rooms, Ethernet cable from NAS and router, and then connect Router to modem via WAN port.

Do you think it is a well-designed?

Thanks
Marco

 

[fistv]

If you have not run cable yet double the bedroom, kids room and put 5 ports in the living room, an extra cable is better than one less than you need. Have the cables punched down to a patch panel, wall mounted, add a 24 port rack mount switch and you are set as well as a UPS for the router, switch and modem. Just my suggestion, it's just as easy to pull 4 cables as one.
Your method would also work, just too many switches for my taste.

 

[MarcoGT]

Unfortunately the cables in the wall are already run and I cannot make any changes

 

[thiggins]

If each room switch is connected back to a central switch (hub and spoke or star configuration), that is the proper design. You don't want to daisy-chain switches (connect them in a string).

Be aware that if you have a lot of simultaneous data moving between switches, like large file transfers, you could saturate the Gigabit link(s) between switches. Nothing much you can do about that with the limitations you have, however.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Since you only have three Ethernet cables coming back to your equipment room plus the NAS you could get by without installing a switch there. Just use the routers four LAN ports.

In the future if you need additional ports you could relocate the NAS freeing up one port and if that is not enough add the switch.

 

[AdvHomeServer]

Wired home networks are fine. I use a combination of wired and wireless. I notice you don't emphasize wireless. In fact, it doesn't look like you are using wireless at all. Wireless solves a lot of problems getting a signal where wire can't easily go. You even have options. Your main router can be wireless. Or, you can hang a wireless access point off a wired outlet to move the wireless close to your end-user.

Even a little TP-Link travel router works great as a wireless AP off a wireless outlet. I use one when I travel. I use another one at home to wirelessly connect a slingbox to a wireless router. They're extremely flexible to use. In the US, they go one sale at Newegg for about $15 periodically.

You can have a dual band router, add a 5GHz client bridge, and activate the 2.4GHz radio on it with a uniqe SSID. This forces the 5GHz bridge to function almost as a wired tether between the two routers when the 2.4GHz radio on it is in use.

Wires everywhere can be a bit tedious, although sometimes they're the best option for some applications. Splitting the network content among several streams can relieve congestion on a busy network. In my case, I have some devices wired to the main router. I have some devices wired to a router converted into a 5GHz client bridge (all media related). I use the main 2.4GHz SSID for normal wireless. I use the 2.4GHz SSID on the bridge router for special circumstance things, such as VoIP and the TP-Link travel router attached to the slingbox.

 

[tipstir]

Where the main drop where all the cable start from you should have at lease 24 to 48-port manage switch would be more ideal here. Invest a bit more into that network device.

But your plan is sound wired house is very good less issues than WiFi buffering.
I run 90% wired gig and 10% WiFi 802.11n only now since all my WiFi gear is 802.11n 300 mbps that's all I need to run. My network runs 24/7 along with the NAS attached to it.

Kitchen, Living Room, Outdoor Patio, Bed/Rooms master, guest and home office all have HDTV, computers, network media devices, web cams. Everything runs 100% no issues.

In all if you do things right the first time you won't have to worry about the network. Make sure everything you have running has a battery backup for APC to prevent loss of your network.

 

[MarcoGT]

I preferred wired in place of wireless as I think it is much better.
I placed Ethernet plugs where I think I will need them, then I will use WiFi for mobile devices (2xiPhone4S, 2xiPad mainly) and notebook (at the moment only one).

I think I would not need a 24-ports switch.
In the storage room, I think 8-port is enough, makes no sense to buy 16-ports as more than half will be unused.

Thanks
Bye,
Marco

 

[MarcoGT]

If each room switch is connected back to a central switch (hub and spoke or star configuration), that is the proper design. You don't want to daisy-chain switches (connect them in a string).

I think that my configuration is indeed daisy-chained, right?

I have:

STORAGE_ROOM_SWITCH --> LIVING_ROOM_SWITCH --> DEVICE1/DEVICE2 and so on.

Am I missing anything?

I think there are no other solutions and as I one cable running from the living room (here I have PS3, TV, Apple TV and so on all connected to a switch) to the storage room which has a second switch with NAS/ISP_MODEM and so on connected to it.

 

[Ronv42]

I wouldn't call it daisy chaining but more of a Core and EDGE switching.

I treat the router switch as a EDGE switch for the internet
I have a second EDGE switch for endpoints (PC's Xboxes, Roku's etc)
I have a Core switch to attach my Home Server, IP TV Tuner and other shared services

Devices that only need internet access and doesn't leverage core and internal services plug right into the router. That would be my VoIP gateways

It may seem a bit overkill but that is how I setup some data centers for small companies.

 

[MarcoGT]

Thanks a lot.
I think the performance will not have any problem, right?
All the switches will be gigabit.

 

[Ronv42]

You are correct performance shouldn't be an issue if all the switches are gigabit.