Cable and phone in new homes

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petersonra said:
The customer will be better off in the long run in some cases if they have hard wiring
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That's what I have. I only use WiFi for the laptops and (sometimes) iPhones. But people are fed information that hard wiring is obsolete, everything is WiFi now. Just talk to the cable company and that's what they will tell you. You don't need wiring.

-Hal
 
hbiss said:
That's what I have. I only use WiFi for the laptops and (sometimes) iPhones. But people are fed information that hard wiring is obsolete, everything is WiFi now. Just talk to the cable company and that's what they will tell you. You don't need wiring.

-Hal
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I have no hardwired ethernet in my house so I get by quite fine but it is just me. My computer came with Wi-Fi and it's more than adequate for my needs and Roku works pretty well on Wi-Fi in lieu of cable TV.

But if you have multiple people trying to use it at the same time it might bog down although the latest versions of it have an enormous amount of bandwidth, often More than what your internet bandwidth coming in is.
 
I've been wondering about this myself. I haven't done a new house in a long time, or extensive remodel. I think my last few jobs, I ran CAT 5 and coax to the outdoor boxes for the cable & phone people to connect. If I were doing a project, I would be sure to see what jacks are being used. I found out the hard way that CAT 6 cable isn't compatible with CAT 5 jacks. Or was it vice versa? Been a few years.

Sleeving down a stub is good but I'm sure no matter where you stub down, the future need/desire will be on another wall. I guess that meant stubbing down from a box and putting on a blank cover?
 
There is a TIA EIA standard for residential. TIA EIA 570 D. Some Info Here
Carlon ENT may be easier to use than conduit and it's for low voltage.
 
Stationary devices should get a CAT6..ie, TVs, desktop computers.

The newest trend for WIFI is saucers in the ceiling.

Don't forget about home automation (ie, window blinds are the latest trend). Burglar alarms, etc.

This stuff has moved so fast in the last 5 years, most electricians are completely lost. Best to leave this area up to a low voltage contractor if you don't know what you're doing.
 
drcampbell said:
I'm a big fan of the empty pipe approach. I daresay it's safe to forecast that telecom "standards" will change five or ten times over the life of a house.
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The pipe should be there for the future. Run today's wires along side of it into the box so you don't plug the tube with today's wire.
 
If the house is going to have drop ceilings in the basement, I just run tubes straight to the basement and terminate them in the ceiling. It's not real fun pulling CAT6 or coax through 40 feet of squiggly Smurf tube.
 
jmellc said:
I've been wondering about this myself. I haven't done a new house in a long time, or extensive remodel. I think my last few jobs, I ran CAT 5 and coax to the outdoor boxes for the cable & phone people to connect. If I were doing a project, I would be sure to see what jacks are being used. I found out the hard way that CAT 6 cable isn't compatible with CAT 5 jacks. Or was it vice versa? Been a few years.

Sleeving down a stub is good but I'm sure no matter where you stub down, the future need/desire will be on another wall. I guess that meant stubbing down from a box and putting on a blank cover?
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Many use the Leviton or ICC low voltage panels that come in a variety of sizes. Install it in the same area as the electrical panel, utility room, etc. Then home run all the CAT6 and RG6 cables to it, including spares to attic, etc. Run one or two CAT6 and RG6 from the panel to the outdoor DEMARC location. A patch panel can then be installed inside the low voltage panel, or an Ethernet switch, depending on what the ISP provider does in that location. They may even install the router in it. (Use the plastic type panel if a WiFi router will be installed)
Depending on the size of the home, keep the CAT6's length to 100meters. Doing the CAT6 with keystone jacks in the walls, and a patch panel in the low voltage panel, or even by itself, eliminates using RJ45 connectors on the cable ends. Its all punch down connections, unless connecting to devices like access points, IP cameras, etc.
 
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petersonra said:
I think an empty pipe run to each room from some central location makes sense along with phone wires, cat6, coax to places where you know you're going to need it.
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I second this as being the gold standard. Or at least one conduit.
I did a new house a for a couple that did not want any communications / low voltage wiring as they had some kinda wireless plan. The inspector failed it I think its 805.156 requires a communications outlet in a dewlling. In the end the inspector accepted an empty conduit to a blank mud ring in the living-room. I picked a route that was extreemly easy, and stubbed it up to another mud ring below the panel. Almost a month after moving in they ditched their wireless plan and switched to cable internet. They were glad to have the conduit as otherwise the installer would have wrapped their brand new house in coax.
 
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