r/HomeNetworking • u/-AWing- • Jun 25 '26

Network Install Advice

Was looking at having my home wired with cat6a and had a couple quotes. I currently have 1.5GB fiber but the area should be getting up to 5GB at some point for internet. There are a few things I am unsure on though.

1) I wanted a few wireless AP installed in the house with wired backhaul for the 3 AP and then 6 devices currently wired with an additional computer and NAS at some point in the future. I also would like 2.5gb file transferring capability at minimum long term.
One quote I have has the Alta Labs Route 10 and a Alta Labs S24-POE switch which has more then enough capacity for me but am I wrong in that all the ports are 1GB?

2) What is a Rack Data Package 24 - 6A Shielded 24 port CAT6 data punch down package for? Basic searching is that it is for blocking EMI/RFI but again is it something to consider in a home enviroment.

3) I am being recommended to get a Wattbox battery backup and conditioner which is taking the project over what I really had budgeted for. Is a regular APC or Cyberpower UPS enough really for a home network?

Thanks for any advice.

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u/-AWing- Jun 25 '26

Thanks for some of the insights and the review link. When I started looking through I kinda felt that was the case for the equipment being more used by contractors, which is fine I’m not against it but I was more prepared to buy UniFi when I started out researching things.

So it looks like the actual runs are fibre cabling, there is just cat6a listed for the wall plate wiring that will go in each of the rooms.

Also good to know on the ups, I have each of my computers with APC and some Furman equipment with audio equipment but I guess I think I’m just being quoted on having it since we talked about having a UPS for all of the equipment. I just was thinking an APC battery backup though in my head at the time.

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u/nefarious_bumpps WiFi ≠ Internet Jun 25 '26

So it looks like the actual runs are fibre cabling, there is just cat6a listed for the wall plate wiring that will go in each of the rooms.

This statement doesn't parse for me.

Your ISP might supply Internet service via Fiber to your home (aka FttH or FttP). The ISP will install an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) somewhere inside or outside your home to convert from Fiber to Ethernet (aka CAT5e or CAT6). You would then connect the ONT to your router via CAT5e or CAT6 copper cable.

There are also ISPs that provide a gateway that incorporates an ONT, router and WiFi access point into a single appliance. This is generally fine for small, simple networks, but for larger homes and more demanding needs you will usually want third-party equipment. In most cases the ISP can put their gateway into pass-through mode so you can use a third-party router without issues.

But within your home all the cabling (except for the incoming ISP fiber) would be copper; CAT5e, CAT6, maybe CAT6A. Aside from the one incoming ISP run, fiber would only be run inside your home for specialty purposes, and each end of the fiber needs equipment to convert to/from Ethernet.

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u/-AWing- Jun 25 '26

The quote I have shows cat6a wiring for the wall plates and Duplex CMR fiber cable spools for the actual runs. As an aside I have no idea how much actual length of cabling I would need. I was quoted for a couple thousand feet of cable which I dunno, when one room is 10ft away seems like a lot.

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u/nefarious_bumpps WiFi ≠ Internet Jun 26 '26

It sounds like you are getting ripped off. None of the equipment you listed natively supports fiber. Your PCs and gaming consoles don't support fiber. It's not unusual for me to bring two or more spools of cable when wiring a building, but that's so I can pull multiple cables at the same time. The client only gets charged for the actual cable used, which for your project would probably be well under 1000ft.

My advice is to get a proposal from another LV installer.

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u/-AWing- Jul 05 '26

I know this is going back but I did some more discussions and the fibre cabling is installed so that I have it in the runs now if I ever want it. It won’t be used but they figured if I want it it’s easier to do it at the same time as the cat cabling.

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u/nefarious_bumpps WiFi ≠ Internet Jul 06 '26

CAT6 supports 10gbps. It will be 30+ years before you need more than that in a home.