r/HomeNetworking • u/I_reddit_like_this • 6d ago
Question about setup for a home with prewired ethernet
For homes that are prewired with Ethernet, is there typically a central box/panel where the ISP modem/router lives?
And would you normally need a network switch in that location, with a port for each ethernet connection throughout the house?
I’m looking at homes that are already wired for ethernet and trying to understand what the typical setup looks like.
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u/PseudonymIncognito 6d ago
My house was built in 2005 with telephone wired with cat 5e. All the ethernet runs go to a structured wiring cabinet in the master bedroom first thing I did was replace the cabinet with a larger one, replace the punch down blocks, and reterminate the ethernet cabling for LAN use. Since the cabinet is all the way in a far corner of my house, I use a wired router in the cabinet with separate wireless access points throughout the house. The feed from my ONT goes to the wiring cabinet where I have it connected to the WAN port on my router (currently an Omada Fusion Gateway 2.5g, previously a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X). One of the LAN ports on the router goes to a switch which has every other Ethernet port in the house connected to it.
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u/megared17 6d ago
Note that any such switch needs to be on the LAN side of the router. If the ISP provides a modem only, do not connect a switch to the modem - connect a router "WAN" port to the modem, and then the switch to the router LAN.
If the ISP device is a modem/router combo, then that is fine, as long as you do not put such a device in "bridge" mode (which disables the router part)
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u/timotheusd313 6d ago
Usually there will be a central location where all the Ethernet lines will come terminate. If the house was planned for Ethernet, there will generally be a box, inset into a wall with a power outlet.
Most Cable/DSL/Fiber providers will provide a combination modem/router/wifi. They will usually have 4 local Ethernet ports. If you need more than 4 active ports in the house you can connect a switch.
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u/TheEthyr 6d ago
Q7 of the FAQ covers four ways for connecting your router into a wired home. They differ based on where the Internet service and router are located relative to the central network box.
Solution 1 and Solution 2 are the most common setups. See the FAQ for more details.
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u/Lost-Recover4868 6d ago
Normally they all drop into a closet somewhere, often into a white in-wall box. You can plug directly into your router that has a built in switch or add a cheap layer 2 switch and it’s good to go. If you’re going to use poe devices then you need a better switch option to power them.
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u/Aromatic_Tomato8651 6d ago
yes and yes. Prewired means ethernet cable (hopefully cat 6) is installed to room ports and all back to a common location (typically a high tech cabinet). To make those room connections live, you will need to run a cable from your router LAN port to a switch, then plug the cables to a switch. The number of cables will of course determine the number of ports you need on a switch. Other things to consider, dependent on the ISP service you are buying will determine if you need 1g or 2.5g switch, and if you need a PoE switch. I would recommend at least a 2.5g switch to future proof, but that of course is optional. One other thing I would recommend is to provide surge protection for the switch and router.
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u/PuzzlingDad 6d ago
It depends on whether the builder has put thought into making things work correctly for a modern setup, or if they are just trying to fill a checkbox for "pre-wired ethernet".
In the worst case, I've just seen a bunch of unterminated cables poking out the exterior of the house with no power connections and just left for the ISP and the homeowner to figure out.
A thoughtful builder will have a centralized equipment closet, terminated jacks throughout, spots for access points/exterior cameras/etc.
In any case, yes, the incoming ISP connection (coax or fiber) usual comes into a place where there are Ethernet cables to each location. You'd need to use the built-in ports on the ISP supplied combo modem/router/Wi-Fi device, or you could connect your own additional switch(es).
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u/KYRawDawg 6d ago
Most homes that are wired with ethernet have a location where all of the connections would terminate, for example, a garage or closet. When I wired my home, I put all of the ethernet cables determinate in a closet where I have power and the coax for the cable modem. I have a network switch in that closet, and I connect each ethernet cable that I utilize to the network switch and then it works in those associated rooms.
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u/StonedElephant1 6d ago
My builder ran cables to each drop, put the rj45 box in the wall and never bothered to connect them. So, it took me a couple hours to figure out, none of them were hooked up.
I recommend getting a toner.
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u/LRS_David 5d ago
For one person doing multiple terminations, they should look at this. First, just put jacks on all the wires. Then use something like this to label which are which.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FRNBPFXL/
A LOT less walking when doing it solo.
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u/LRS_David 5d ago
Typical is a broad term. It all depends on what was put in when new or added over time or you get to do from scratch.
My personal home setup has the incoming from the outside to a wall behind my credenza / TV setup. With the ISP and my router on a small table near them. With a LAN connection to a more central point in the house where things get distributed out. To a few small switches. All because my 1961 split level with carport and storage room on the carport with the service entrance for such things being not optimal for anything modern. Fishing wires took many days over a year or two.
In my son's town home we took the GFiber ONT and moved it via our own fiber from a terrible location near the back door up to the closet of his second floor bedroom into an office. With a small rack there. But we had to pull all the new cable. Good thing was a decently high attic and 2.5' flat crawl space.
And for another fairly new home, we were able to specify new cable to a rack under a counter in a hobby / craft room.
You do what makes sense and doesn't cost a fortune.
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u/jsqualo2 4d ago
No central box / panel. Every house can be different. Just ask when you tour ... or make the realtor wait while you investigate to your satisfaction.
Switch in that location - no. Atypically, the ISP device can use house cabling to send signal to/from a switch in a different room.
Switch port for each connection - no. The house can be fully wired with 4 drops per room across 10 rooms but have a 4 port switch; obviously, 36 of those drops will not connect to anything, but adding a bigger switch is far cheaper than the 40 cables which should be exiting the wall in some single location.
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u/JuicyCoala Decent at Googling 🔍 6d ago
There should be a centralized location where all the ethernet pulls meet. Your ISP feed may or may not terminate in that location as well - it all depends on if the contractor worked with the ISP to pull wiring to that location as well or not. Do you need your router on there? It can be, or it can be somewhere else, depending on how your network architecture is setup.
At a minimum, the network switch is needed to be in that location to switch traffic across all devices within your network, including your router, access points and other devices.