Are LAN sockets still up-to-date? WLAN/wireless is the future!

Anyone using repeaters either has no idea what they are doing or there simply is no other option, e.g. in an old building.

I see it differently. Maybe the person knows exactly what they are doing or what their requirements are. Because if the access point / repeater is used exclusively for surfing the internet, it hardly matters what you use. The limiting factor is usually either the device or the internet connection. If I only have an internet connection with 50-200 Mbit/s and the children do not yet have their own devices, repeaters will very likely be completely sufficient. But of course it makes sense to prepare everything so that APs can be installed on every floor.

When the time comes that the demand for bandwidth can only be met with APs, you can still buy current hardware. Procuring hardware now that will be outdated when it is actually needed simply does not make sense.

Before that, a simple repeater on the 1st floor will very likely be enough and that’s it.

Maybe the person also knows exactly what they are doing or what their requirements are.
Because if the access point / repeater is used exclusively for surfing the internet, it doesn’t really matter what you use.

An "Access Point" (which is called that in WLAN as well, while its DECT cousin is disparagingly called a "base") provides network access, whereas the "Repeater," labeled the same in both cases, only amplifies or catches up the respective transmit or receive signal. When a multi-cell "radio network" is to be set up, at the core of a cell there is always an Access Point / Base, while a Repeater’s task is to shape the edge of the cell: either extending, i.e., pulling a round cell further into a corner where on the one hand a standalone cell is not worth it, but on the other hand would be weakly covered; or bulging, i.e., making the cell round again where radio propagation is hindered by obstacles. In both applications (IT and telecom), the Repeater acts virtually as a proxy—i.e., it pretends to sender (base / access point) and receiver (handset / device) that they are closer together. Where there is nothing, nothing can be amplified: a repeater is therefore not an alternative to an Access Point / Base, but only a deputy of one of them to increase the number of these "full-fledged" access points. Strangely, the proportion of people who have not understood this fundamental difference is even higher among in-house IT support staff than among users.

An "Access Point" (which is called that in WLAN as well, while its DECT cousin is colloquially called "Base") provides network access, whereas the "Repeater," which is referred to the same way in both cases, merely amplifies or boosts the respective transmit or receive signal. When a multi-cell "radio network" is to be set up, at the core of each cell there is always an Access Point / Base, while a Repeater’s task is to shape the edge of the cell: either extending, i.e. stretching a round cell further into a corner where it does not justify an independent cell on the one hand, but would be weakly covered on the other; or bulging out, i.e. making the cell round again where radio propagation is hindered by obstacles. In both applications (IT and TK), the Repeater acts virtually as a proxy – i.e., it pretends to sender (Base / Access Point) and receiver (handset / end device) that they are closer together. Where there is nothing, nothing can be amplified: a Repeater is therefore not an alternative to an Access Point / Base, but merely acts as a deputy of one, increasing the number of these "full-fledged" access points. Strangely enough, the proportion of people who have not understood this fundamental difference is even higher among in-house IT support than among users.

One consists of 8 letters that roll easily off the tongue, the other two words, where you at least constantly mistype the first if you don’t type it regularly. If I search for repeater on Amazon, among the first 5 results there are three devices that are also Access Points. For a long time, these were synonymous for me, and I would rather consider myself tech-savvy.

Well, then you probably have some catching up to do. It’s the same with the rest of the house construction. Everything has its function and purpose. But similarly sounding things can fulfill different tasks and basically do so. Vapor barrier and vapor retarder sound similar, look similar, are used in similar places. But they have completely different functions and if you mix them up, structural damage threatens.

I have now understood more or less what I can or should do. The plan is for the router to go into the basement. Then the switch and patch panel will go into a small server cabinet. I still have to think about the position in the basement. From there, the distribution I have chosen will go to the respective rooms. Fixed devices will be connected there. So only TVs and PCs, maybe a gaming console for the son at some point. Whether double or single sockets will still be decided depending on the room. Then a connection to the attic for an access point that should cover the upper floor. Another access point in the living area that should cover the ground floor. The router in the basement ideally supplies the basement including the internal garage with Wi-Fi. I should have understood that correctly so far? Now the question is how to deal with the telephone. I have already visited the recommended telephone forums. However, I am losing track. Basically, I want a landline phone in the living area and maybe one on the upper floor. It is really only needed when grandma or the parents-in-law call. Otherwise, it is hardly used anymore. How do I connect them to the router located in the basement? Telephone sockets are, as I have learned, outdated. So is DECT left? Does that work if the router is in the basement and there are reinforced concrete ceilings in between? I am sure my questions sound amateurish... but in this area, I am an amateur.

With DECT it depends on the device. The well-known Gigasets have actually proven to be quite usable and sometimes manage to maintain the signal even through two reinforced concrete ceilings.

However, I would check whether the router already has DECT and try that first.

For the rest, it sounds like a plan. Single or double sockets are usually not far apart in price. For that reason, I would only install double sockets.