Networking –Building a Prewired Home

Mike Cherney

Prewired Home – built 1995/6Location Coax Cat. 5 Cat. 3 Phone

Bedroom #1 1 1 1 1

Bedroom #2 1 1 1 1

Bedroom #3 1 1 1 1

Office 3 1 1 1

Family Room 2 1 1

Kitchen 1 1

Dining Room 1 1 1

Guest Room 1 1 1

Basement Distribution

panel

Distribution

panel

Distribution

panel 1

Wiring Cost - $941.85 7 Phone Jacks12 Security Contacts 6 Category 3 Runs13 Coax Runs 7 Category 5 Runs 2 Speaker Wire Runs

Much less expensive at time of construction!Cable provider may install some of this (at no charge).

Hub and Distribution

First Home Mac - 1990

Basement Basement

AppleTalk Network – 1994

modembluejay

Basement Basement Basement

AppleTalk Network – 1996

modemmodemInteract

Bedroom OfficeBasement OfficeGuest RoomOffice

modem

Transition to PC’s – 1998

modemmodemInteract

Bedroom

Office

OfficeGuest Room

Guest Room

Office Basement

Basement

modem modem

Office

First Ethernet – 2000

modem modemInteract

Office

OfficeGuest Room

Office

Basement

modem modem modem

BasementBedroom

Bedroom

Dining RoomOffice

Guest Room

Router – 2001

modemmodemInteract

Office

Office

Office

Basement

modem modem

Office

modem

BasementBedroom

Bedroom

router

Guest Room

Guest Room

Dining Room

Cable Modem and Router

Cable modem – 2001

Guest Room BasementOffice

Office

Office

Office

BasementBedroom

Bedroom

routerQwest OnlineCable

modem

Dining Room

Guest Room

Hub – 2001 Qwest Online

Office

Office

Office

Office BasementBedroom

Bedroom

router

Cable modem

BasementGuest Room

Guest Room

Dining Room

hub

Qwest Online

Office Office BasementBedroom

router

Cable modem

BasementGuest Room

Dining Room

hub

Today

3 Desktops 3 Laptops

Installation Almost everything worked

Plug and Play Out of the box

Interrupt Conflict Between one ethernet card and modem Tried debugging using Microsoft “Help” Tried manually changing interrupts Solved by removing modem card

Cable Modem Installation and Service Activation $62.50 (ask for special offers)

Hardware Costs Modems

$5 (on sale / rebate) - $60 / each (no longer used) built into newer laptops (still used for travel)

Ethernet cards $5 - $10 / each (on sale / rebate) built into newer laptops

Router $60 for 4 ports (on sale / rebate)

Hub $40 for 4 ports

Cable modem included in service

Monthly CostBroadband - $48.90 per month

$51.92 per month with taxes and fees Includes 16 channels of cable TV

Cost without cable TV: $49.95 per month Includes cable modem rental

Dial-up - $11.95 per month Required landline phone line Evaluating discontinuing landline

$35.05 per month including taxes and fees

Speed

In general, slower than my lab

In general, faster than my office

This is a hint I should bother network services

More that could be done and “Is it needed?”

Add Wireless Access PointAdd Network PrinterPut Ethernet Card in MacControlling Internet AccessNone of this is needed.

Is it home infrastructure? Is it leisure time activity?

In RetrospectCable Modem – Good Investment

Connect time Downloading time

Prewiring Now bundles including fiber

Router + Hub – Get a single package Router with wired ports for desktop Wireless Access Point Print Server