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If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

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Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#31

Post by nkrisc »

bhouston wrote: post #14

Yeah, we got a new house built 4 years ago and one of the biggest regrets is not enough ethernet outlets (running fibre in the house isn't practical yet) and power outlets in various places. It is really hard to think of all the places you would want them ahead of time unfortunately and as each has a cost you don't want to incur it unnecessarily. But my biggest regrets were: - Only a single ethernet port in the basem…

> Only a single ethernet port in the basement. Then the kid wanted a gaming station and we moved where the TV was. I should have put like 4 down there.

https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/all-switching/products/u...

Unless you meant with regards to routing the cables throughout the space, like now it’s on the opposite wall from the port.

I’ve definitely shoved cables under baseboards, but you can also pull them off and the run the cable in the wall behind them. You don’t even need to patch the drywall then. You can also get baseboards (that look nice in a home) then double as cable runs.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#32

Post by mmastrac »

_JamesA_ wrote: post #25
msarrel wrote: post #4

Yup, always run extra everything. At least you can splice fiber now. And be careful of the minimum bend radius. Once, in the 90s, we were having intermittent network failures in our data center. I kept trying to troubleshoot it with the fluke, but the problem kept moving. When I pulled up the raised floor, I discovered that rats were eating the exterior sheath of the network cables. That was some fun troubleshooting!

Have fusion splicers come down in price? Can you recommend any?

AliExpress sells some basic ones from $300-700 CAD ($200-500 USD) with reasonable reviews.

Whatever you do, don't try using the razor-style "hand splicers" and adhesive splice kits. Without a splicer that has a scope, you're just making bets each time that are difficult to test.

I've learned the hard way that it's just not worth it unless you can _see_ what you're working on.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#33

Post by tw_wankette »

_JamesA_ wrote: post #25
msarrel wrote: post #4

Yup, always run extra everything. At least you can splice fiber now. And be careful of the minimum bend radius. Once, in the 90s, we were having intermittent network failures in our data center. I kept trying to troubleshoot it with the fluke, but the problem kept moving. When I pulled up the raised floor, I discovered that rats were eating the exterior sheath of the network cables. That was some fun troubleshooting!

Have fusion splicers come down in price? Can you recommend any?

For Multimode, they now make splices where you jam the two cleaved ends into the splice. It costs about $5 per splice.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#34

Post by mjevans »

bhouston wrote: post #14

Yeah, we got a new house built 4 years ago and one of the biggest regrets is not enough ethernet outlets (running fibre in the house isn't practical yet) and power outlets in various places. It is really hard to think of all the places you would want them ahead of time unfortunately and as each has a cost you don't want to incur it unnecessarily. But my biggest regrets were: - Only a single ethernet port in the basem…

IMO a not-tiny house should have several sub-panels: Kitchen (enough to run the big stove + ~100A, but every outlet it's own 20A circuit), 'lab' / workshop (same idea), laundry room (lock-out breaker near / in room for connecting / disconnecting), etc.

A family member who's doing better in life than I am purchased a house built within the last 5 years, and it didn't even _have_ Ethernet run anywhere. WHY!?! I can't fathom how it's possible anyone would find that a negative.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#35

Post by tonetegeatinst »

Faaak wrote: post #30
_JamesA_ wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have fusion splicers come down in price? Can you recommend any?

You can have them second hand for ~500€ on ebay

Any advice on making sure you get a good splicer?

I know a little about fiber connectors, and the different connector modules for speed, but I am not really sure what I need for a splicer for fiber.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#36

Post by mmastrac »

bhouston wrote: post #14

Yeah, we got a new house built 4 years ago and one of the biggest regrets is not enough ethernet outlets (running fibre in the house isn't practical yet) and power outlets in various places. It is really hard to think of all the places you would want them ahead of time unfortunately and as each has a cost you don't want to incur it unnecessarily. But my biggest regrets were: - Only a single ethernet port in the basem…

If you have any way to pull cables between floors, try pulling DAC cables. They give you 10+G, require no splicing (hardware can be found cheap now), and generally just work as you'd expect.

With a 10G backbone, you can get away with basement->main and main->upstairs in a three-floor house, with a small bridge on your main floor.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#37

Post by dsr_ »

timzaman wrote: post #8

1. High-level, the post is all wrong. The point should be that you always need to make sure you can pull new cable . The poster illustrates this: single mode, multi mode, non-fiber, etc, etc. And if one "goes bad", you still can't run a new one, unless you have a pullstring. 2. The post cannot apply to fast/large networks - will be prohibitively expensive. 3. If running a few at home, I suggest to run MTP/MPO. It's b…

> 2. The post cannot apply to fast/large networks - will be prohibitively expensive.

The expensive parts of fast/large networks are not the fiber strands.

* right of use / lease

* trenching and laying and covering

* amplifiers on long lines

* repair/maintenance

* endpoints

... which is why the first thing you upgrade are the endpoints, and the last you do is lay more fiber. Get the most you can afford (often physically) at the beginning.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#38

Post by bhouston »

nkrisc wrote: post #31
bhouston wrote: post #14

Yeah, we got a new house built 4 years ago and one of the biggest regrets is not enough ethernet outlets (running fibre in the house isn't practical yet) and power outlets in various places. It is really hard to think of all the places you would want them ahead of time unfortunately and as each has a cost you don't want to incur it unnecessarily. But my biggest regrets were: - Only a single ethernet port in the basem…

> Only a single ethernet port in the basement. Then the kid wanted a gaming station and we moved where the TV was. I should have put like 4 down there. https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/all-switching/products/u... Unless you meant with regards to routing the cables throughout the space, like now it’s on the opposite wall from the port. I’ve definitely shoved cables under baseboards, but you can also pull them off a…

> You can also get baseboards (that look nice in a home) then double as cable runs.

Interesting. That would be great in the basement. I will look into it.

Re: If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

#40

Post by zelon88 »

We've almost come full circle with the idea of "run more cabling" already in some ways.

For example, a building built in 1960 had analog phone lines. Then in the 80s network lines were added. Then in the 90s - 00s more and more and more network were added.

Then in the 2010-2020's we're starting to wind back down. Removing switches and racks that used to be fully populated with CAT5 which are now mostly empty. The end devices that needed these runs are now running on WiFi.

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