Network planning (parents' place)

[VJ]

Hello!

My parents are planning to change their TV/music configuration, and a different networking scheme will be required. At the moment they don't have high speed internet; the cable modem is only used for digital television.

Currently, this is what they have:
Garage: cable modem
Living room: digibox (digital tv decoder)
Office: computer (not connected to network)
There is no cabling, so the digibox is connected with the modem using Powerline. But this is only 14 Mbps

Upcoming scheme:
Garage: cable modem
Living room: digibox + TV (with ethernet connection)
Office: computer
The TV has the ability to fetch photos from a networked PC, as well as video (if the network performs well enough).

For networking, I was thinking of adding the following equipment:
Garage: wireless G-router
Living room: wireless bridge
PC: wifi adapter (PCI or USB)

I haven't found and 802.11a bridge, but this could improve performance.


As an alternative, there also is an 85 Mbps Powerline. Using this, I'd need
Garage: powerline
Living room: powerline + hub
Office: powerline
(but of course, one still won't have wireless with this configuration)

What would you guys do?
The changes are planned for Februari, so there might even be time to wait for 802.11a and 802.11n devices.


Jörg

[Gurm]

My opinion is that you will never ever be happy with wireless. Unless 802.11n is somehow magically better than 802.11g, it will still suck for anything more than casual net surfing.

Is there some reason you're not just running cheap ethernet cable? It costs nearly nothing.

[VJ]

Is there some reason you're not just running cheap ethernet cable?

Unless the cable can be added to the tube holding the TV-cable (which we need to check), we would have to break through walls. My parents don't want that.

My opinion is that you will never ever be happy with wireless.

Sounds like a vote for the 200 Mbps powerline solution. :-)

Jörg

[Gurm]

Unless the cable can be added to the tube holding the TV-cable (which we need to check), we would have to break through walls. My parents don't want that.

Ahh well ok... *hrm*

Sounds like a vote for the 200 Mbps powerline solution. :-)

Hey if that's what you want to do anyway, more power to ya! But my thoughts were simply that other than casual e-mail and web browsing, wireless makes people unhappy. With good hardware, usually it works ok - my laptop has an EXCELLENT wireless card, and there's very little crosstalk in my house. Nevertheless, sometimes even though it SAYS 54mbit, and SAYS excellent connection... I get dial-up speeds until I re-establish the connection.

[VJ]

Well, I'm not sure what to do... (hence this thread)

I've had little issues with wifi, but I only use it in limited range. Ideal situation would be to just add ethernet cabling, but I'm not sure if there is room to do so.


Jörg

[Fat Tone]

I ran Ethernet around the outside of my house, to provide sockets in my kids room and in the lounge for the htpc (cos wifi was crap as Gurm said). I was able to keep it tucked away discretely for the most part and it cost very little.

I can lend you a 12" drill and pipe detector if you like?

[Dr Mordrid]

If they're going to stream multimedia over the network then go wired gigabit. If not then 100 mbps cat5 should be enough. Wireless is convenient, but slower and security is always an issue. Leaving a system on becomes not just a waste of power but a risk to the network.

[Paddy]

Who needs a pipe detector! If the wall feels warm then you've hit hot water. If you feel a tingle then you've hit power. If you hear hissing RUN!

I've drilled through the first two (on more than once).

I use WiFi for my main PC, but my xbox is cabled to the fileserver to ensure uninterupted streaming.

[Fat Tone]

I've hit power when using a cordless drill, NTL hit my hot water!

[Dr Mordrid]

Finds water pipes, conduit, wiring, studs (even in concrete), electric fields....

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=127443-317-61081&lpage=none

[Fat Tone]

My electric problem was because I assumed the house wiring went in a logical, straight, path, like the regs say it should.

NTL did use something simillar to the above, but it failed to find my microbore (10mm copper) pipe. I have a metal/stud detector that is wedge shaped, but it has never been satisfactory. A good one here is twice your price.

[Paddy]

The pipes I drilled thrugh were too deep to be detected

[VJ]

I ran Ethernet around the outside of my house, to provide sockets in my kids room and in the lounge for the htpc (cos wifi was crap as Gurm said). I was able to keep it tucked away discretely for the most part and it cost very little.

I can lend you a 12" drill and pipe detector if you like?

Thanks!
But it is not an option (the TV-place is on an inside wall).

So I'm looking at:
1. Pull ethernet cable along with the TV cable (provide there is room)
2. 200 mbit ethernet over power cable
3. wireless (802.11a performs better than 802.11g for video, according to the Philips manual )

Currently, I'm leaning towards the 2nd options, as it seems to be the solution requiring the least work and still providing one of the fastest connections (TV is only 100 mbit anyway).

Jörg