Whole-home fiber network

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Blue)(Fusion

Active Member
Mar 1, 2017
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Chicago
In the coming weeks I am buying my first home. The house is older and has not had any network cables installed. I debated going Cat6a but with through experimenting with fiber recently, I believe this is the way I'm going to go.

What I'm thinking...

Option 1:
*24-port 10GbE SFP+ switch in server rack (likely basement)
*2-4 runs of Duplex Single Mode Armored Patch Cable from basement to each rooms
*Dual or Quad Keystone LC wall-plates

Option 2:
*24-port 10GbE SFP+ switch w/ 40GbE uplinks in attic or a top floor closet
*40GbE capable switch in server rack feeding two uplinks to above switch
*2-4 runs of Duplex Single Mode Armored Patch Cable from attic or top floor closet to each rooms
*Dual or Quad Keystone LC wall-plates


My questions are:
1) Is SMF the way to go in the home for future-proofing? The cables are quite a bit cheaper and the transceivers seem only marginally more expensive on fs.com.
2) Is a keystone LC patch panel recommended at the switch location? This way the in-wall cable connectors never get touched other than the initial plugin. Or is it okay to have one end plugged into the switch where connections may be changed periodically?
3) What polish should be used, UPC, APC, or different at each end?
4) What is LSZH jacket? Should this be used?
 

SamDabbers

Member
Apr 12, 2017
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All your devices have SFP+ NICs, or are you planning to put a switch in each room that has at least one GigE device? Instead of trying to "future proof" with one type of cable that will probably require media converters on either end, I'd run some flexible low-voltage conduit to each drop and pull the cables I need as I need them.
 

Blue)(Fusion

Active Member
Mar 1, 2017
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Chicago
That is actually something I thought of almost immediately after posting above. I guess I should add that I'll probably also run 2 Cat6 (maybe Cat6a) to each room as well.

I have plenty of 1000BASE-T switches and 2 currently with 10GbE SFP+ uplinks which would work swell with a 10GbE SFP+ setup.
 

Evan

Well-Known Member
Jan 6, 2016
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APC is only usually used for telco internet connections, you want UPC is what you need.
As for single mode vs multimode I am not really sure, single mode seems to offer more capacity going forward but we use a lot of 40G Cisco BiDi stuff which granted is probably at the limit but seems popular now.
 

Aestr

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2014
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Seattle
I'm fully in support of the conduit suggestion. Then you can pull fiber where it makes sense for your needs today. If you expand or need to change solutions down the road adding or replacing will be easy.
 

StammesOpfer

Active Member
Mar 15, 2016
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I'd do single mode gives you an easy upgrade to 100gbe if/when the time comes. Also conduit when able is always preferred. Otherwise sounds like you are on track.
 

Blue)(Fusion

Active Member
Mar 1, 2017
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Chicago
I'm wanting to learn as I go along with this and other home projects. Would this be a DIY job with a few new additions to the tool shed? Running the conduit through walls sounds like the hardest part....
 

Aestr

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2014
967
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Seattle
If you're handy and are willing to do a bit or research this is for sure a DIY job. Some thoughts:

- Conduit can be pretty tricky to run without having the walls open since it's pretty large and can be tough to snake through walls
- Running individual cables is pretty easy to do with fish rods.
- If you're willing and able to do drywall patching making some cuts at the floor and ceiling of the wall will make running cables easy and flexible conduit doable
- CAT x is easy to pull through wall with some basic tools, fiber you'll want to be a bit more careful with

I did a fair number of cable and conduit pulls in a two story house with an unfinished basement and while it took some time and effort it saved a ton of money and gave me an excuse to get some new skills and new tools:)
 

freebsdrules

Active Member
Aug 16, 2017
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Just echoing what others have said. I recently moved into a 1950 home and had it wired. Did 2+ cat6 drops to each room and other places for APs, etc. and ran fiber to maybe 4 locations, all run to the basement where I have my rack. All of the servers there are fiber patch cables. It makes no sense to run fiber to every room. You’re going to have to have a switch or media converts which is both a pain and a waste.
 

Blue)(Fusion

Active Member
Mar 1, 2017
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Chicago
Perhaps I was a little over zealous wanting fiber in each room. But realistically the cost of the cables themselves is not a concern. It'd just be mostly useless unless stuff moves around I suppose.

I ended up winning an offer in on an 1890 home that has been refreshed with a modern interior and electrical system. I did happen to see the living room had an RJ45 jack so we'll see what's already cabled I suppose. It's going to be a PITA to do it myself though, with minimal stone foundation basement and not a very accessible attick.
 

mstone

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Mar 11, 2015
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the biggest reason not to do it is that it sounds like a great idea to have drops ready, but it turns a small project into a big project, and the odds are the most of the stuff will rot in the wall and never get used. (and the first rule of remodeling is that big projects always get even bigger; any honest contractor, in response to "it might be nice if I start cutting some little holes to..." will respond "you don't want to do that".) if you're already in the walls for some other reason it's a no-brainer to throw in some conduit or pull some cables at the same time, but opening up walls just in case you might want a drop someday is a recipe for spending way more money than you would if you sat down and asked how much those drops are really worth to you.

if it's really not that big a job, then it wouldn't be that big a job to pull a single drop when it's actually needed, right?
 

StammesOpfer

Active Member
Mar 15, 2016
383
136
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the biggest reason not to do it is that it sounds like a great idea to have drops ready, but it turns a small project into a big project, and the odds are the most of the stuff will rot in the wall and never get used. (and the first rule of remodeling is that big projects always get even bigger; any honest contractor, in response to "it might be nice if I start cutting some little holes to..." will respond "you don't want to do that".) if you're already in the walls for some other reason it's a no-brainer to throw in some conduit or pull some cables at the same time, but opening up walls just in case you might want a drop someday is a recipe for spending way more money than you would if you sat down and asked how much those drops are really worth to you.

if it's really not that big a job, then it wouldn't be that big a job to pull a single drop when it's actually needed, right?
How dare you. There is no room for logic and restraint here. /sarcasm
 
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Blue)(Fusion

Active Member
Mar 1, 2017
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Chicago
That's probably true, Mikhail.

I was a bit ahead of myself saying "whole fiber network.". Instead, fiber will be used as the 10G links between a few switches in the house and one in the detached garage. I have everything ready to go including PoE switches for WAPs and IP cameras. All I need now are cables. I may end up hiring a professional to do it right, do it neat, and do it quickly.

I now have 2x GSM7328Sv2, 2x GSM7228PS, and 1x XSM7224S switches all tested and working with 10G links. I'm now working on the network design and learning ACL VLAN routing since pfSense won't handle it well.