Home Network - storage and access

Merrion1968

Hello all,

I'd like to build a home computer network with centralised network storage - storage enclosure, NAS, home server etc. All home devices could then access this system. Problem is my wi fi is terrible. So I was thinking of installing a few ethernet switches in the walls around the house to access the system directly.

This can all be done easily enough because I'm having my house completely rewired and the electrican can chase the cables in with all the others.

Can you recommend the best way of going about this? What system would you recomend and how would you link them to the switches?

Thanks for any advice

maxfresh

The way i would do it is decide on the location for your server and stuff and then run all the cat 6 cables back to this location
one cable for each point around the house (maybe have one point in each room)

Back at the server all the cables could be terminated into a patch panel and the connected into a ethernet switch

Stoner

I have a NW in my house. If you bring all the cables back to one location as suggested you will be sorted, however I would offer that one to each location is enough, just make sure that there is power beside them.


If for example you have the following in a location

Smart TV,
Media PC
Amp
Xbox


you could buy a cheap 6 port GBit switch for 30 euro and combine them all together, this will reduce cabling costs and free up ports on your main switch, you will just need a unmanaged switches, www.dabs.ie have nice ones, your router will hand out the addresses. I have three 6 port Gbit switches connected back to a 10 port GBit switch in the attic where all my cables go back to, my UPC router links into the 10 port GBit switch.
Location of the points is better than the amount IMHO. Most of these devices will either be on or off , and speed would not be an issue, I have a 6 gang extension lead on mine with s surge protector, when I'm finished i simply switch off power to all the entertainment units, there is zero boot up initiation time with the unmanaged switches so I just turn them on and off every day, i got mine for 15 euro on Ibood.

maxfresh

Another thing to remember is to run a cable (cat 5 or 6) from your incoming eircom point to your server location, this means the dsl for the router is in server room aswell

paddy147

maxfresh wrote: »

The way i would do it is decide on the location for your server and stuff and then run all the cat 6 cables back to this location
one cable for each point around the house (maybe have one point in each room)

Back at the server all the cables could be terminated into a patch panel and the connected into a ethernet switch

one +1


Allways handy to have a spare cable there....just incase.:)

Have this done with my on house.Wherever there is a cat5e cable,theres also a spare too.:)


24 port patch panel and a small floor/wall cabinet with switch mounted below patch panel for good measure.


Simples.

indie armada

hager and other companys do nice flush mounted enclosures for such systems.
i used one of their flush boards for something similar, by mounting it in between two joists in the wall i was able to flush mount it and fish the cables up/down trough the cavity into the enclosure.

2011

This is not my area of expertise by any stretch of the imagination, but with a little knowledge and not much expense I now have a fantastic structured network in my home.

When I bought house there were unconnected phone points in most rooms behind a blank plate which were all wired to a central point in CAT5E. Unfortunately this central point was about a 1' off the floor in the hall (far from not ideal) :mad: Luckily there was enough length to reroute the CAT5E cables to the office upstairs.

The photo below shows my homemade comms cabinet
It is still a work in progress.

The CAT5E cables are all connected to a 16 port GBit switch. This feeds RJ45's around the house. There are still several unconnected cables, I plan to deal with these as they are required.

The photo shows my 3TB Seagate network drive, an 1TB Apple Time Capsule (this also provide wifi), with a 2TB external drive connected to it via USB. Also connected to the switch is a HP network printer/scanner/photocopier.

Several computers throughout the house are also connected to the network via the network points, all can access the network drives, printer, TV etc and screen share. My iPad and iPhone can connect to the Seagate drive wirelessly via a free App (password protected).



Next project, for €37 I have just bought an IP camera from eBay.

This video explains it best:

EDIT: I am sure that others will point out that CAT6 or CAT7 would provide a faster connection. I agree completely, but CAT5E was what the house came with.

Stoner

2011 wrote: »

I now have a fantastic structured network in my home.

Mine's better

2011

Stoner wrote: »

Mine's better

I very much doubt that...

I didn't want to show off, but the picture below shows the main comms cabinet in the west wing of my home (the other one is just for the servants quarters):



:);):D

Now lets see yours?

Reamer Fanny

2011 wrote: »

I very much doubt that...

I didn't want to show off, but the picture below shows the main comms cabinet in the west wing of my home (the other one is just for the servants quarters):



:);):D

Now lets see yours?

You have a west wing?

2011

justryan wrote: »

You have a west wing?

In my better dreams, yes

Merrion1968

Thanks guys thats the kind of advice I was hoping for. I will lead a Cat 6 from the Eircom access point to the server location and connect it to a router (to make use of any wifi available). Then I'll connect the server to the router.

I'll connect the various room Cat 6 cables to a gigabit switch which will be connected to the server. So in this set up I can access all my stored files through the Cat cables and also by wi fi. Does this all make sense?

I'd like to future proof my system as much as I can without getting too
sophisticated. I like the look of that Seagate network drive but I presume I'll have to keep adding to that capacity by connecting various hard drives by USB. Whats the best set up for connecting several hard drives at a centralised server location so that they are jointly accessible from remote locations by PCs, smartphones, smart TVs etc.?
What about NAS or even a micro server? Too hardcore?

wait4me

I prefer wired connections too but have you considered putting a repeater or repeaters on your wifi? A repeater effectively picks up your wifi signal and spreads it on...

Merrion1968

I have indeed. I was speaking with a very helpful guy in Maplin and he suggested a plugged extender and as many adaptors as I needed in the various rooms or parts of the house. It does sound like an excellent idea and I do want to put it in place but supplementary to the cable set up.

2011

Merrion1968 wrote: »

I'll connect the various room Cat 6 cables to a gigabit switch which will be connected to the server. So in this set up I can access all my stored files through the Cat cables and also by wi fi. Does this all make sense?

Sounds good. CAT6 makes sense.

I like the look of that Seagate network drive but I presume I'll have to keep adding to that capacity by connecting various hard drives by USB.

A network drive such as this can simply be plugged in at any stage. I only plugged an external USB drive into mine because I had it already. It is not ideal as it can be slow to access data that resides on the drive that is connected by USB.

I am happy with the network I have because it cost me very little in terms of time and money, because the cables were already installed and I could do the terminating and testing work myself. If I was doing this from scratch the cables would be at least CAT6.

What about NAS or even a micro server? Too hardcore?

IMHO there is no such ting as "too hardcore":)

whizbang

Get youself a decent UPS to power the NAS, and any shared drives. doesnt have to be big power, or even big runtime, but its a huge factor to eliminate the hassles caused by bad power.
And of course laptops can stilll get access if the mains is out.

frankmul

wait4me wrote: »

I prefer wired connections too but have you considered putting a repeater or repeaters on your wifi? A repeater effectively picks up your wifi signal and spreads it on...

repeater will half the speed of your wifi if you have high speed wifi. i have them myself and find them brilliant but my broadband is not the fastest so i don't notice it.

Merrion1968

Thanks everyone for your advice. I have a much better idea on the next steps and whats required.

Thats some set up you have there 2011! God bless your patience

docmol

All good advice but one last thing, run an extra cat 5/6 from your comms panel to wherever your main TV point is. If you get UPC internet down the line this will save you a big headache.

arikv

2011 wrote: »

This is not my area of expertise by any stretch of the imagination, but with a little knowledge and not much expense I now have a fantastic structured network in my home.

When I bought house there were unconnected phone points in most rooms behind a blank plate which were all wired to a central point in CAT5E. Unfortunately this central point was about a 1' off the floor in the hall (far from not ideal) :mad: Luckily there was enough length to reroute the CAT5E cables to the office upstairs.

The photo below shows my homemade comms cabinet
It is still a work in progress.

The CAT5E cables are all connected to a 16 port GBit switch. This feeds RJ45's around the house. There are still several unconnected cables, I plan to deal with these as they are required.

The photo shows my 3TB Seagate network drive, an 1TB Apple Time Capsule (this also provide wifi), with a 2TB external drive connected to it via USB. Also connected to the switch is a HP network printer/scanner/photocopier.

Several computers throughout the house are also connected to the network via the network points, all can access the network drives, printer, TV etc and screen share. My iPad and iPhone can connect to the Seagate drive wirelessly via a free App (password protected).



Next project, for €37 I have just bought an IP camera from eBay.

This video explains it best:

EDIT: I am sure that others will point out that CAT6 or CAT7 would provide a faster connection. I agree completely, but CAT5E was what the house came with.

A bit of advice, label the cables instead of (or on top of) labeling the ports.

2011

arikv wrote: »

A bit of advice, label the cables instead of (or on top of) labeling the ports.

Thanks, I did

paddy147

I was in Eurosales this morning.

They sell a home/domestic networking cabinet/unit.

Its a stainless steel unit with front access door that has a built in 8 port RJ45 patch panel and then a 10 port RJ11 phone panel in it.

You can also add on more ports to each patch panel..if you need more.

Swanky bit of kit.

Bruthal

2011 wrote: »

Next project, for €37 I have just bought an IP camera from eBay.

This video explains it best:

I was thinking of trying one of them myself. I set up a live web came here for a few days to see could I get it live on the website. Worked fine. In with the ip address from anywhere, or onto my own site, and up it came live.

So the wireless one with pan and tilt looks good alright.