I'm hoping to build a retirement house in the next few years so this is a good think exercise for me too.
I think we're pretty much agreed that any wire we install today will be outmoded within a decade. Best fibre available, maybe not but multiplexing all future services over a single strand may be awkward, lots of replacing terminations to multiplex old and new services, what a mess. So the only truly future-proof solutions are (a) admit defeat, we'll have visible cables or stick-on cable-races again within 5 years of putting on the wallboard; (b) commit to wireless last 10' to 50' for almost eveything (and willing to drill new holes for exceptions); or (c) commit to easy access to upgrade "wires" and add fibres as needed. The (b) access could be - invisible hinges on the baseboards, - cable trays running around the ceiling, - or conduits with pull-strings in every wall, or - Combination: utility boxes in floor to basement and/or ceiling to attic, cable-trays in attic and basement, and a conduit with pull-string from attic to basement. (Fine if max 2 stories finished with full unfinished basement and attic . Awkward for 3story townhouse with crawlspaces or less top & bottom.) Why is conduit everywhere not an option? Cost of material? Time-consuming bending & fitting? Does Code there require _steel_ conduit for low-voltage DATA cables, or can you use certain plastics? (Plastics are nasty when it burns, but w/o power lines inside, fire is coming from outside; by the time the fire gets to it, it's pretty much over already. Allowed for plumbing, so why not for data?) > ISP bandwidth being less than local WiFi I'm glad to hear there's someone even slower to adopt real broadband than I was. However, there are uses for fast bandwidth in-house, if you have more than one device and particularly more than one peoples. I will shortly sync my laptop with my desktop today. Switched wired is very good for that. Files going to/from SSD fly. Files going spinning rust to spinning rust are not limited by the network, and are not congesting the WiFi and thus not contesting / interrupting other peoples' YouTubes. _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@blu.org http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss