HDB Resale - Structured Cabling Question

[Dropkickme]

Hello Everyone,

I would like some advice and support when it comes to Structured Cabling plan for my HDB 5 room resale. Currently I am undergoing renovation and discussing with ID and electrician on where to locate my data point and the Termination Point (TP).

Plan:

• I am planning to relocate the TP to the Store Room. Originally it's at the living room beside the Balcony
• Data Point wise I am planning the following:
  • 2x Living Room with the following gadgets: Smart TV, PS5, Soundbar, Android box
  • 2x Study Room for my desktop PC and WiFi mesh router
  • 2x Main Bedroom for Smart TV and WiFi mesh router

Question:

• I understand the setup goes this way: TP > ONT > Routers. Correct me if I am wrong
• Do I need a data point in my Store Room?
• Do I need a router in my Store Room too?
• Seems like I need a switch too?
• I would like the main node of the WiFi mesh router to be in the Study Room
• What else am I missing or should I consider?

Looking forward to your help everyone.

 

[Apex]

Hello Everyone,

I would like some advice and support when it comes to Structured Cabling plan for my HDB 5 room resale. Currently I am undergoing renovation and discussing with ID and electrician on where to locate my data point and the Termination Point (TP).

Plan:

• I am planning to relocate the TP to the Store Room. Originally it's at the living room beside the Balcony
• Data Point wise I am planning the following:
  • 2x Living Room with the following gadgets: Smart TV, PS5, Soundbar, Android box
  • 2x Study Room for my desktop PC and WiFi mesh router
  • 2x Main Bedroom for Smart TV and WiFi mesh router

Question:

• I understand the setup goes this way: TP > ONT > Routers. Correct me if I am wrong
• Do I need a data point in my Store Room?
• Do I need a router in my Store Room too?
• Seems like I need a switch too?
• I would like the main node of the WiFi mesh router to be in the Study Room
• What else am I missing or should I consider?

Looking forward to your help everyone.

• I understand the setup goes this way: TP > ONT > Routers. Correct me if I am wrong
  
  Yes. Do take note some ISP issue ONR (singtel). This may affect your setup if you can use your own router.
  
  
  
  
• Do I need a data point in my Store Room?
• Do I need a router in my Store Room too?
  
  if TP and ONT is in storeroom. High chance your router will need to storeroom. Otherwise you may face a little problem to connect your other datapoint (Living room, MBR).
  
  
  
• Seems like I need a switch too?
  
  Most router has 4 LAN port. There are router like Asus AX88u has 8 LAN port (another model i forget)
  
  So a switch is required if your router has 4 LAN port.
  
  
  
• I would like the main node of the WiFi mesh router to be in the Study Room
  
  If you like your Main router to be in study room. Than all the other LAN PORT from Store room, living room & MBR must ends at study room.
  
  Do take note that once you terminate all your lan port at Study room this setup is perm. hard to moved the main router Other places.

 

[Dropkickme]

• I understand the setup goes this way: TP > ONT > Routers. Correct me if I am wrong
  
  Yes. Do take note some ISP issue ONR (singtel). This may affect your setup if you can use your own router.
  
  
  
  
• Do I need a data point in my Store Room?
• Do I need a router in my Store Room too?
  
  if TP and ONT is in storeroom. High chance your router will need to storeroom. Otherwise you may face a little problem to connect your other datapoint (Living room, MBR).
  
  
  
• Seems like I need a switch too?
  
  Most router has 4 LAN port. There are router like Asus AX88u has 8 LAN port (another model i forget)
  
  So a switch is required if your router has 4 LAN port.
  
  
  
• I would like the main node of the WiFi mesh router to be in the Study Room
  
  If you like your Main router to be in study room. Than all the other LAN PORT from Store room, living room & MBR must ends at study room.
  
  Do take note that once you terminate all your lan port at Study room this setup is perm. hard to moved the main router Other places.

Thank you for the help, some follow up questions:

• if TP and ONT is in storeroom. High chance your router will need to storeroom. Otherwise you may face a little problem to connect your other datapoint (Living room, MBR).
  • So in this case it's better for me to have 3 routers
    • 1x store room (main)
    • 1s study room
    • 1x MBR
• If you like your Main router to be in study room. Than all the other LAN PORT from Store room, living room & MBR must ends at study room.
  • Thanks, in this case I'll switch the main to the Store Room. The other routers in the Study Room and MBR can be connected to the datapoint and cabled towards the Store Room yes?
• If a switch comes into the picture, how does the connection happen?
  • TP > ONT > Switch > Router?

 

[bert64]

Thank you for the help, some follow up questions:

• if TP and ONT is in storeroom. High chance your router will need to storeroom. Otherwise you may face a little problem to connect your other datapoint (Living room, MBR).
  • So in this case it's better for me to have 3 routers
    • 1x store room (main)
    • 1s study room
    • 1x MBR
• If you like your Main router to be in study room. Than all the other LAN PORT from Store room, living room & MBR must ends at study room.
  • Thanks, in this case I'll switch the main to the Store Room. The other routers in the Study Room and MBR can be connected to the datapoint and cabled towards the Store Room yes?
• If a switch comes into the picture, how does the connection happen?
  • TP > ONT > Switch > Router?

The term "router" is often used to refer to a combined device offering router, switch, firewall and wireless access point in a single device, but these can also be discrete devices.

So you'd have TP->ONT->Router->Switch->(multiple)AP

If the router also has switch ports, you won't need a separate switch if there are sufficient ports.

If you are using the router as a wireless access point, then the store room is not an ideal location as the signal could be affected by the location and walls. But if the router is only wired, then the store room location is ideal.

If you have budget for it, i'd suggest having a wired router in the store room, and as many wireless access points (connected via cabling back to the store room) and LAN ports as you need to ensure good coverage. Also since you're planning on installing structured cabling, i'd suggest looking at ceiling mount access points if that's possible.

Your 2x LAN ports in the living room will not be sufficient for the 4 devices you mention, unless you install an additional switch in this room to provide more ports.

You may also want to consider a power over ethernet (PoE) switch in the store room. This will allow you to deploy PoE powered devices such as access points, cameras, additional switches etc with only the one ethernet cable.

 

[Apex]

Thank you for the help, some follow up questions:

• if TP and ONT is in storeroom. High chance your router will need to storeroom. Otherwise you may face a little problem to connect your other datapoint (Living room, MBR).
  • So in this case it's better for me to have 3 routers
    • 1x store room (main)
    • 1s study room
    • 1x MBR
• If you like your Main router to be in study room. Than all the other LAN PORT from Store room, living room & MBR must ends at study room.
  • Thanks, in this case I'll switch the main to the Store Room. The other routers in the Study Room and MBR can be connected to the datapoint and cabled towards the Store Room yes?
• If a switch comes into the picture, how does the connection happen?
  • TP > ONT > Switch > Router?

01. You can place your 1st (Main) router inside the store room. If you are lucky Main bedroom and Room 3 may get Wifi signal from Store room. Need to do site survey to confirm and don't expect it to be very strong signal due to the wall

- 2nd node can be installed at Study Room (which also can provide signal to bedroom 2 & Living room)

BTW the range is just an artist impression. Wi-FI range is subject to environment condition

Since you are doing renovation you can install 2 Unfi AP which may provide you good network coverage. A Diagram that looks <below>. The Unfi AP does not come with WEB interface and can only be configure using Unfi Controller app (On windows or smartphone). Controller does not need to run 24x7

BTW the range is just an artist impression. Wi-FI range is subject to environment condition

02. Since you switching the main point at Store room. All your DATA point should START from the room and END at the storeroom. (The store room is like your main point aka interchange)


03. Do not place a switch After the ONT. You will get internet problem as the ONT can only provide 1 IP address. is always ONT > router.


BTW have you consider which ISP you going with?

 

[Dropkickme]

The term "router" is often used to refer to a combined device offering router, switch, firewall and wireless access point in a single device, but these can also be discrete devices.

So you'd have TP->ONT->Router->Switch->(multiple)AP

If the router also has switch ports, you won't need a separate switch if there are sufficient ports.

If you are using the router as a wireless access point, then the store room is not an ideal location as the signal could be affected by the location and walls. But if the router is only wired, then the store room location is ideal.

If you have budget for it, i'd suggest having a wired router in the store room, and as many wireless access points (connected via cabling back to the store room) and LAN ports as you need to ensure good coverage. Also since you're planning on installing structured cabling, i'd suggest looking at ceiling mount access points if that's possible.

Your 2x LAN ports in the living room will not be sufficient for the 4 devices you mention, unless you install an additional switch in this room to provide more ports.

You may also want to consider a power over ethernet (PoE) switch in the store room. This will allow you to deploy PoE powered devices such as access points, cameras, additional switches etc with only the one ethernet cable.

Thank you this is clear.

Yes I intend to have a structured cabling where all the data points in the house goes back to the Store Room as my "interchange".

Okay will increase the Data Point numbers to 4x in the Living Room.

What sort of ceiling AP do you recommend? I read the UniFi 6 Lite AP requires PoE. Will installing a PoE switch in the Store Room, and connecting the Cat6 cable directly from the AP to the switch power it on and provide data?

 

[Dropkickme]

01. You can place your 1st (Main) router inside the store room. If you are lucky Main bedroom and Room 3 may get Wifi signal from Store room. Need to do site survey to confirm and don't expect it to be very strong signal due to the wall

- 2nd node can be installed at Study Room (which also can provide signal to bedroom 2 & Living room)

BTW the range is just an artist impression. Wi-FI range is subject to environment condition

Since you are doing renovation you can install 2 Unfi AP which may provide you good network coverage. A Diagram that looks <below>. The Unfi AP does not come with WEB interface and can only be configure using Unfi Controller app (On windows or smartphone). Controller does not need to run 24x7

BTW the range is just an artist impression. Wi-FI range is subject to environment condition

02. Since you switching the main point at Store room. All your DATA point should START from the room and END at the storeroom. (The store room is like your main point aka interchange)


03. Do not place a switch After the ONT. You will get internet problem as the ONT can only provide 1 IP address. is always ONT > router.


BTW have you consider which ISP you going with?

Okay thank you. I was casually talking to a friend earlier about UniFi 6 Lite AP, and he says it's a bit overkill for HDB. But if it means that I have an AP that can be connected directly to the PoE Switch in the Store Room, and not have the electrician install Data Points, I am onboard.

I am thinking of using my home Windows desktop PC as my UniFi web controller (in the Study Room), will that work?

No, currently I have not decided which ISP to go with. Open to suggestions, and I do not have any favoritism.

 

[bert64]

Thank you this is clear.

Yes I intend to have a structured cabling where all the data points in the house goes back to the Store Room as my "interchange".

Okay will increase the Data Point numbers to 4x in the Living Room.

What sort of ceiling AP do you recommend? I read the UniFi 6 Lite AP requires PoE. Will installing a PoE switch in the Store Room, and connecting the Cat6 cable directly from the AP to the switch power it on and provide data?

Unifi stuff is good. Wether you consider it overkill is down to you, generally i'd go for the best equipment that fits my budget. Also consider how long you hope to use the equipment, as at some point you may want to upgrade it.

Yes a cat6 cable direct from a PoE switch to the AP will power it and provide data, only one cable needed.

The U6-lite uses PoE and that's the best way to power it, but you can get an adapter to power it from a regular power socket if you don't have PoE available.

On this note, install cat6a cabling if you can, as it will handle 10G, you may not use it now as 10G equipment is very pricey but you might want to in future.

The comment about no web interface on the unifi stuff isn't strictly true. There's no web interface directly on the device, but there is a central controller. You can either buy a central controller (they call it cloud key), or you can install it on a system you already have. If you have multiple devices it's quite convenient to be able to manage them all from a central location. For this reason if you're thinking of using unifi access points, you might also want to consider their switches and routers too.

You can also get some PoE powered switches, so if you need additional data ports in any location you can add one in. On the subject of unifi, they have the USW flex mini with 5 ports, connect one port to the wall socket back to the main PoE switch and then you have 4 extra ports to use in that location. Other vendors also have similar devices.

On ISPs i would avoid any isp that uses cgnat, doesn't provide ipv6 or makes you use their router instead of letting you supply your own. That really leaves supernet, m1 and starhub currently.