[mikhaelwallace]

I am building a new home and integerating many systems. I planed on haveing Cat6 ran to everyroom and have multiple jacks in each room. I will havea room devoted to a server I plan to build and I am prettty familiar with networking on a small level. however on this larg of a scale I am startign to get confused. if I were to want to link just a few PCs I would just go to the store and buy a router with like 5 ports on it. but for somthing this massive, i would thin I would need somthing with many many ports. and when I started to look for an option, I began to find only switches offer this many posts (like 48). and routers on larger scals seem to be somthing totally different. like they work in conjuncture with the large switches? if I say wanted a house wired with cat6 and haveing 24-96 jacks would I need a router and switches? I thought I knew but I have no idea when it comes to a whole house. beginnning to miss the days of one house one computer.

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you can puchase the large 48 port switches or you can just daisy chain a bunch of 4 port switches off of a single 4 port router. depending on the total number of outlets your going to have.

if you can afford it i would just reccomend buying one large 48 port switch/router combo from netgear. They make reliable equipment and are not that expensive and as for set up, they are very similiar to the 4 port router setup + they have a very easy user access software.

[SpaceCowboy706]

you can puchase the large 48 port switches or you can just daisy chain a bunch of 4 port switches off of a single 4 port router. depending on the total number of outlets your going to have.

if you can afford it i would just reccomend buying one large 48 port switch/router combo from netgear. They make reliable equipment and are not that expensive and as for set up, they are very similiar to the 4 port router setup + they have a very easy user access software.

[dsenette]

for this particular set up you shouldn't need a router unless you want to put each room on a different subnet(why you would want that headache i dont know) you should just get enough switches (or a switch with enough ports) to accomodate the number of connections. for internet sharing you can just use nat on the router/modem that would be connected to the server....also what plans do you have for the server software and configuration? what harware are you planning on getting? as far as manufacturer and what not? a visio diagram would be great..

[mikhaelwallace]

A diagram might take a while, however the plan calls for about a 20 room configuration. some rooms needing more than one connection. all of the connections must be able to access the server/servers. I will be utilising a home automation system that I want a devoted server to, but at the same time I want a great server to run the home network. I haven't thought about what brands yet. I did plan on using the wallplates that have two coax, (home coax media looping) and two rj-45 (for the networking and phones) Like I said some rooms my be wired with more than one set of jacks. ah the benefit of planning before the build.

[dsenette]

can i borrow some money? or just move in? hahaha...man this one could get fun...keep us abreast of your decisions. i haven't set up a smallish network like this one in a while..

[mikhaelwallace]

The money isnt all there yet hence the planning stages :-p but I truely hope to have this all done soon. another question about the switch and router. So I get a switch with some crazy amount or ports, then a router and connect the switch to the router? and if thats the case does that mean somthing as simple as going to wallyworld or bestbuy and grabbing one of theres? or will I have to get some massivly expensive one and mount it to the rack along with the switch? oh and if I am not asking enough questions, say I dont think the 48 port switch will cover it (though it should) can I link another switch with the first? ok I believe I have asked enough (for now)

[dsenette]

you can connect as many switches together as you like...it's just a matter of plugging them together.....and as far as the router goes.....are you planning to connect this network to the internet?

[mikhaelwallace]

yes. The computers connected (well most of them) will connect to the net.

[dsenette]

ok...well (theoretically) this wouldn't need a router.....well...not a specific router....my network here at work has 9 servers and about 100 or so desktops...and we've got one router...the one supplied by the isp for our connection...so you wouldnt need another router as long as you have the one that comes with your internet connection...be that a cable modem or a dsl router

[mikhaelwallace]

alright, that is good to know. I have only one more small concern and thats distance. obviously with as many connections as I plan on wiring this place of mine isnt exactly small. is there a cable lenge limit for Cat5 or Cat6 cable?

[dsenette]

300 feet.....give or take....don't go past 300 feet though

[mikhaelwallace]

ok, as soon as I get a diagram ready I will link to it here (will probably need to be pdf as this isnt just a network I am wiring. its a completely automated home. complete with integrated media server touchscreen control panels voice activation ect. (not as expensive as you might think to do a lot of this stuff)

[dsenette]

i am so moving in!

Edited by dsenette, 03 August 2005 - 10:16 AM.