Re: Structured Wiring Questions.

[Matias Silva <matt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Al Dykes wrote:
> In article <1140t8pf30ncr77@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> Matias Silva  <matt@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>Al Dykes wrote:
>>
>>>In article <1140ldm11romg25@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>>>Matias Silva  <matt@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>wkearney99 wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>1. Coax for cable tv.
>>>>>>2. Coax satellite tv.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Bear in mind that some satellite systems can use more than a single wire. A
>>>>>dual-tuner DirecTV unit requires two links to the multiswitch/dish.
>>>>>
>>>>>Sometimes it's 'better' to put the AV stuff in one place and distribute it's
>>>>>signals internally instead.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>3. Cat5 for an analog phone line.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Which allows for up to 4 POTS lines.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>4. Cat5 for Voice-over-IP phone line.
>>>>>>5. Cat6 for Ethernet/Internet
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Why both?  Granted, if you want two ethernet devices in each location then
>>>>>you could do this.  You could also use a switch at that location.  But if
>>>>>you want a single wall connection for each device then having both is a good
>>>>>idea.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>1. What is the best way to run wire from the attic through
>>>>>>  the 2nd floor ending up at the bottom floor.  Do I make 1 ft.
>>>>>>  diameter holes in the walls to drill between floors?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>One FOOT?  How much are wire you thinking of running?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>2. How do I navigate around/through firebreaks located on the
>>>>>>  exterior walls?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Check with your local building inspection department.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>3. Would you recommend that I run 1" - 2" diameter pvc piping so that
>>>>>>  I can run the wires in the piping.  What this allows is for
>>>>>>  me to add or remove wiring easily at a later time.  My only concern
>>>>>>  is that I will weaken the structure of the house by running pvc
>>>>>>  through the walls and between floors.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>No more so than what regular plumbing does.  You have to take care when
>>>>>putting holes in structural members of a house.  Too many holes in a joist
>>>>>is a bad thing.  Not all walls are structurally significant.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>4. In terms of the list above, should I add anymore type of wiring?
>>>>>>  I was thinking of an intercom.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Intercom systems will generally run over anything.  But their placement is
>>>>>usually near the entrance ot a room, not where you'd usually put TV, phone
>>>>>or computer jacks.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Well I'm planning to have a junction box that has two inputs (cable and satellite)
>>>>and have a splitter for the satellite to all the rooms.  Thanks for the tip on
>>>>running two satellite lines because of dual tuners on the satellite box.  I will
>>>>plan to have 6 plugs at the outlet.  I can label one cable, one satellite, and
>>>>one satellite/cable and if if a particular tv needs two inputs either from satellite
>>>>or cable and can just switch one cable over to the satellite/cable.  I also could
>>>>use a splitter at the outlet and just have two lines coming from the splitter into
>>>>the dual tuner.
>>>>
>>>>Two separate lines for phone, one line will be a phone line so that I could still
>>>>dial 911 in case the power goes out.  The other will be dedicated for voip.  The
>>>>voip line will plug into a Linksys VoIP adapter.  Granted for the voip line, I only
>>>>need 2 of the 8 conductors, but you never know ...
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I don't think you use "voip" the same way I do.
>>>
>>>A voip handset runs voice over an ethernet (or any other IP media,
>>>such as WiFi) and shares the bandwidth.  If you are going to use a
>>>Linksys router that has an RJ-11 jack for an analog handset then
>>>you're not installing a viop system in the house, IMO. Just more POTS
>>>wire.
>>>
>>>You can expect to see WiFi-capable viop handsets soon, which I think
>>>will be neat.
>>>
>>>IMO you only need one POTS phone in the house for 911 calls, unless
>>>it's a _very_ large house.
>>>
>>>Put your switch and router stuff on a small UPS. (or maybe not so
>>>small) During the 24 hour NorthEast power outage a couple years ago I
>>>had my DSL connecttion on my UPS and was able to run my laptop for the
>>>entire duration and recharge my cellphone when needed. I was online
>>>and chatting with friends all night.  (lucky).
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>The one foot diameter hole is for an access hole so that I could drill a 1"-2" hole
>>>>between the walls to the next floor.  For example I would cut out a 1ft diameter
>>>>hole out of the drywall at the base of the wall.  Then I could use a spade bit
>>>>to make the 1" - 2" hole to run the pvc piping to run the cables ...
>>>>
>>>>There are drops that I want to put on the exterior walls that reach to the bottom
>>>>floor, and these are the walls I am most concerned about ...
>>>>
>>>>I'll need to find where are the joices in my house and avoid getting near them.  I guess
>>>>my next step is to find the building plans for my house.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>Matt
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>I read that with VoIP you have to have lines isolated from
>>the phone company.  I agree, what I call my VoIP line may
>>not be VoIP in the definition sense.  My VoIP line will be
>>connected to a VoIP adapter and then the adapter will be
>>connected to a router.  I am still using traditional/analog
>>based phones and have not thought about purchasing VoIP phones.
>>
>>Its a conservative 2 story house (~2000 sqft) and I like to have
>>an anolog phone for the 911 calls in the master bdrm and the kitchen.
>>
>>How many Volt-Amps is your UPS?  Wasn't that black out for long time?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Matt
>
>
>
> well over 24 hours for me.  He were online for a while at 20 hours and
> then went dark again. I suppose I got a bit of a recharge then.
>
> 1200 VA (less due to an old battery). It supports a fully-featured
> desktop system.  When the lights went out I was home and immediatly
> shut down the machine.  My laptop had a full battery (good for three
> hours) and when it was used up I plugged the lapopt the UPS and was up
> again.  I was careful to hit the "standby" button on the laptop
> whenever I wasn't using it.
>
> I was lucky. All the necessary telco infrustructure needed to keep my
> DSL going also had power.
>
>
> Build "g" Wifi into your whole house.  If you are cost sensitive and
> yet want a fully wired house it's an economy move becasue you don't
> need anywhere as may drops but can put a printer or PC, or work on a
> laptop, anywhere with the right adapter.
>
> If you think about COAX and ethernet at the same wallplate you never
> use your PC within a couple feet of your TV (except for the
> Tivo/cablebox).  You'll be using a long TV or data patch cord all the
> time.
>

Wow, I guess the you don't have the fridge hooked up to that UPS.  Thats
one thing when you have a total power outage and everything goes down and
you need to make an emergency call; it still is nice to have a POTS phone
and that all charged up cell phone.

I don't like the idea of relying on wifi because your still using bands that
every other cordless appliance is using.  when my 2.4 GHz phone is in use the
wifi connection dimenishes.  I have tried spacing the channels out, but there
is always a neighbor using their cordless phone.  Also if I want to transfer huge
files from the pvr to the computer, wifi will suck.

I want to add the wiring right, i'm not concerned about the cost since I have
purchased most of the wiring equipment and cable already.