Home Automation - Online Structured Cable Journal

Thanks to all who have helped answer my questions over the past few months! I finally got around to running all my cable and buying the rest of the equipment I needed.

I have posted photos of my network along with descriptions and information about the equipment I used. The third photo from the bottom shows the completed system. Check it out here:

online structured cable journal (http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1r4d4/Network/Network.html)

I just ordered surge protectors for power, phone, and CATV, but they have not arrived yet. When I get them, I'll update the journal.

I hope someone finds this useful as they build their own networks.

Enjoy!

As someone who has finally gotten to the "candy" part of his plan-making (Though, I do have a couple of clear questions to settle in the trades, so nobody take offense, but I have finally gotten to where I can work on the luxuries); I'd like to thank you for posting your journal and the helpful photographs. Currently, I'm weighing the pros and cons of going with a packaged system, as Safewatch can attest, I am awfully cheap and really would like to recycle some of the things that I already own, but arguments can also be made for the boxes; So besides congratulating you on going with a DIY solution, I'd also like to inquire as to whether or not you encountered any issues or discovered any desires which would've been better served by getting a packaged product?

Peace Out;
R

Nice setup, it looks good. Little overkill for a residential setup, but if it's free, use it! :)

BTW, do you mind if I link to your site from mine? I may have some customers that would like to know about setting up structured wiring. Make a good FAQ topic.

Thanks for the kudos, everyone.

I agree that it's a bit of overkill, but I was having fun. Like Tim, the tool guy, putting a Harley V2 in his blender and a Chevy V8 in his riding mower. I'm in an internet-related field, so I wanted to pick up a little more knowledge about the physical layer of the work I do. Next, I'm going to set up a few web servers and an email server to practice working with internet protocols, firewalls, and routers. I'm getting bored with java beans, .NET web services, and databases.

Yes, you can link to the site. Be prepared for the URL to change, though. I plan to switch DSL providers before too long, and I expect to host it myself with my own domain name.

As far as maybe going with a packaged solution, to be honest, I didn't research them much. I kept coming across various components that integrate with the kits and out-of-the-box networks when looking for equipment for mine. For instance, Leviton has a line of home networking components that all work together and clip into their proprietary brackets and shelves. My video amp and video splitter came with mounting hardware for those systems. The Channel Vision phone line surge protectors I just ordered is supposed to be used with a kit, too.

These consumer-targeted components probably make things easier because they have more pedestrian connectors and interfaces. For example, their phone splitters have RJ-11 inputs and outputs. That was actually a deterrent for me. I wanted to have as few terminations as possible to preserve signal quality. The concept of a patch panel violates this, but I wanted the flexibility it provides. I could have punched the phone jacks directly into the phone block, and I could have terminated the data jacks with RJ-45 plugs that just go directly into the hub. The patch panel was more fun, though :) But given that, I wanted to minimize cable ends and unnecessary lengths of cable. It seems like the user friendlier systems have more material transitions (e.g. copper pins soldered to a circuit board and then to a stranded copper pigtail phone cord). More factors that I couldn't control.

If it helps, here are some actual and estimated prices for the components in my system:
- 8U bracket - $50 + $27 s/h
- 12-port patch - $20
- 48-port patch - $38 (24 would be about $30)
- 24-port hub (Linksys EF2H24) - $101 on pricewatch.com
- Etcon DD1 phone dist. block - $30 (I paid $2.50)
- Leviton Video Amp - $35
- Leviton Video Splitter - $25
- 1' & 1.5' patch cables - < $1 each
- 1000' CAT5e - $38 + $22 s/h
- 500' Quad Shield RG6 - $66 at home depot
- Snap-n-seal F-connectors & seal nuts - $0.62 each
- plywood - $10?? 5, maybe?
- Linksys NR041 Router - $30 w/ rebate at Best Buy
- DSL modem - free with subscription
- 2U cable management - $20 each
- Decent APC AC surge protector - $30 + $5 s/h
- APC coax surge protector - $23 + $2 s/h
- Channel Vision phone surge protector - $26 + $10 s/h (what a rip)
- vertical cable management - ??
- paint, screws, concrete mollys - on hand

Total value - about $650
Total paid - about $440 w/ a lot of leftover cable

Once again, thanks for the reply and I especially like the list;

I've got a lot of "junk" leftover from various incarnations and here in New Mexico, there's been quite a few down-sizings which resulted in auctions over the last few months, plus of course, the landscape is littered with national labs who occasionally have things available as surplus. It's for these reasons that I lean toward a self-designed system and because x-10 has too many security flaws as far as I'm concerned, I also more heavily lean toward a hard-wired system

The only real reason that I'm considering a packaged solution is ease of use, because I did buy the house knowing that I will have to sell it in just a couple of years; So I don't want to put a lot of time and effort into something that only I would understand.

I appreciate your notice that many of the components of packaged solutions are adaptable and I especially like the fact that your system appears to be neat and not a big mess.

Please rest assured that I will be consulting both your list and your link, as I work my way through the maze of information and once again; On behalf of dreamers everywhere, thanks for sharing...

Peace Out;
R

PS) I also really hope that you don't forget about those of us in this low-traffic forum, because real world experience can be very helpful to those of us who are just starting out...

I took some photographs and put together a piece on the structured wiring I installed at my place two years ago. It is a different approach in that it does not use the manufactured boxes and patch cables. I still need to find out how to get the photographs to a manageable size.
structured wiring (http://www.chris.fite.com/cat5.html)

Chris; Your system actually looks closer to what I'm going to end-up with when all is said and done; Be prepared for me to bother the heck out of you, also. (As if I haven't already gleaned enough of your knowledge)...

What got me diverted was the whole concept of automating the lights, outlets and switches. Leviton has a product that theoretically I could pre-wire for as I drop my new cable; But the best I can tell from online sources, it's like $40 for a light switch and though it would be nice to automatically open the curtains to take advantage of passive solar, rotate the lights for security and control the irrigation systems you have helped me work out, all from the master control closet; I don't know if it is worth $40 a switch, or possibly the cost of the control unit, if I decided to pick and choose what lights, outlets and controls are wired to the system.

Of course, I could do a lot of this cheaper w/ x-10; But, I'm still doing math.

Peace Out;
R

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<I>Life is a sum of all your choices - Camus</I>

Nice job, Chris. I saw those punchdown strips on Leviton's site and considered them, but it's hard to beat the free equipment I already had.

Thanks for providing photos, too. I'm sure it will be very helpful for any do-it-yourselfers who don't have a chance to raid a server room for parts and equipment.

You can't beat free. I imagine that everyone of the jobs done to an existing house will differ.

Anyone who wants to ask and discuss, just let me know. This is all about learning. The forum is possibly the best place for the exchanges. When folks sent me private messages, no one else has a benefit.

The main thing that I learned is that 568a and 568b won't play together. Only one standard will work in a system. I had all of it done 568b except for the receptacles in the wall outlets which were 568a. Thank goodness it was not too much trouble to change them instead of the male connectors.

Yes, that is a very good point...one worth stressing. I wired all my jacks using 568B because I'm used to patch cables being wired that way. Then I punched down the other ends to the 110 connectors using the color scheme painted on them. It wasn't until after I was totally finished punching that I realized that the patch panels might not use the same standard. Slightly panicked, I looked around for some indication and found a tiny "568B" on the back of the panels.

So, make your decision up front and make sure you stick to it. Look at your equipment to see if any of it makes your decision for you.