I also have re-wired my whole house (or am still doing it anyway) with cat5
I picked up a cisco 2924XL 24 port switch on e-bay for ~$300 USD and spent about $100 on a 48 port cat5e patch panel.
I've set VLANs on the switch so my Internet / DMZ / House networks are all seperate, but conveniently located.
I've wired all wall outlets back to the patch panel and connect the ones I want on the LAN/Internet as needed to the switch.
I also connect telephone line(s) to the patch panel as needed.
I was looking at the Leviton equipment, but I'm too big a user to fit in that box.
--Matthew
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Rodriguez [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 1:34 PM
To: newbie
Subject: [newbie] In-Wall home networking question
Hi, I have been having a discussion with the [expert] list but I wanted
some input from this list as well.
I recently did some renovation on my house. While all of the walls were
open, I had the electrician wire cat5 through my home, going from each outlet
(about 18) to the basement. I was looking for the best way to have them all
accessible to the internet (via dsl/cable modem). Also I want to be able to
just plug in my wireless access point to any plug and have it work, and do the
same with a network printer.
There is a company called Leviton that sells modular home networking
equipment. For about $600, I can buy some supplies through them to hook
up my system in one central location in the basement. It looks pretty
sweet, and consists of:
2 White Steel boxes w/access panel (one for routers, etc. and a little
one for excess cable)
1 24-port ethernet/phone panel
1 4-port Internet Gateway
3 8-port Ethernet Switches
and 1 little shelf for my cable/dsl modem
I can also add on a surge protector and UPS.
Leviton has images of all their products online, here are pictures of
all the parts in order:
http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/structuredmedia/smc420.asp
http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/structuredmedia/smc140.asp
http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/structuredmedia/24portsmp.asp
http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/structuredmedia/4PortInternetGateway.asp
http://www.levitonvoicedata.com/structuredmedia/ethernetswitches.asp
SO, my question is, is it worth it? $600 doesn't seem so bad for all
this stuff. I might be able to route my telephone and cable/satellite
through here, too. (Though the jury is still out on that due to old
wiring.) It seems like an elegant solution.
Am I better off just getting a really big switch and use a computer as a
gateway?
- Paul
--
Paul Rodriguez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
