How do I build a network starting from the telephone connection?

Hello everyone,

I have already used the WWW as well as the search here in the forum, but apart from various approaches, I have not found much.

I bought a house from 1960 and am currently renovating. Single-family house, 130 sqm. Basement, 1st and 2nd floor.

Now comes the question, how do I set up a network and the telephone system correctly?

My telephone connection is outside the house, see picture. However, I will move it to the basement.



So now my plan, which you are welcome to supplement.

Internet/network access in the following rooms:
Conservatory: 1x
Living room: 1x TV, 1x music system
2 children's rooms: 1x PC, (reserve 1x for TV or music?)
1 office: 1x PC

Hallway downstairs: cordless phone
Hallway upstairs: cordless phone

I would like to set it up so that all PCs (wired) and laptops (wired and WLAN) can access a common hard drive/server to share music, movies, and videos.

Now comes the big quiz question

1. What do I need and which types of cables are laid from where to where?
There is a lot written about Cat5, Cat5(e), Cat6, Cat7, etc..., but what makes sense at which point?

2. Furthermore, I have to order a telephone connection/provider at short notice.
Does it make sense to take a home server from 1&x here? Or do I need other hardware anyway and can save this money?

3. It would be great if you could explain the whole thing to me quite simply, starting with the telephone connection.
From the telephone connection with a xx cable to yy then with yy cable...

Thanks in advance!

I'll try to bring some light into your darkness:

I assume you have a Telekom TAE socket in the house. (where you typically plug in the phone)
If that’s the case, you don’t need to do anything at the phone connection.

Then you should consider whether the network connectors will be enough for you. I would advise you to install double network sockets. If you’re already laying cables, you can also lay 2 instead of one. And a double socket takes up just as much space as a single socket. Behind the TV, I would even install 2 double sockets if necessary. (Smart TV, online radio on the hi-fi system, gaming console ...)

You shouldn’t change anything on the cables of your conventional connection. That might be done by the Telekom technician or the one from 1und2.
Once the infrastructure is set up, and you have laid all the cables, connected them to the sockets in the rooms, and attached the connectors, then you can start connecting everything into one network. IMPORTANT: Label the cables on both ends... so later you know which cable goes where in the house.

What do you need in terms of material?
Cat7 cable (future-proof, can also be operated as Cat6e)
Cat6e double sockets
Cat6e connectors
probably a 16-port network switch
16-port patch panel
16 patch cables
a FritzBox that also supports DECT phones. (I have the 7270, but the successors are also fine, available from 1&2 for €99 with the connection.)
2 DECT phones
special tool for crimping cables
lots of time

You wire the cables with CAT6e connectors using a special tool and then test them with a network cable tester (maybe borrow one, they’re expensive). All cables end in the "server room." There you install the patch panel and the switch either in a 19-inch rack with 2-3 height units or, like me, attach them directly to the wall.

Advantages of this solution: The installer sets up your internet connection, so you don’t have to worry about that. With DECT phones, you can connect phones anywhere in the house where there is a power outlet. You don’t need those annoying phone cables, it all runs through the FritzBox. You can even assign different numbers to special phones and possibly bill kids separately.
The newest FritzBoxes have a USB port where you can connect a hard drive for the network, but I find this solution not so great; I’d rather integrate a small name server or a NAS into the network. Therefore, when choosing the switch, make sure you still have free ports after using up the sockets. There are also hard drives with network connections... then you can save yourself the home server.

I hope I was somewhat understandable. It’s a lot of work and not fun either, but I also have to twist and connect 20 cables on Saturday...

He already explained that really well.

Maybe a few small remarks:

Even if you have a PC in the office, I would connect the printer to the network and not to the PC. This way you can also print from the laptop or tablet. So also pay attention to enough sockets at the printer location.

Regarding the switch, there are 100 MBit and 1Gbit switches. Especially when streaming videos from the home server, it makes sense to design the network generously. If you are getting everything new anyway, I would make sure that both the switch and the home server support Gbit. If multiple clients access the server, that is the bottleneck.

Depending on usage habits of laptop/ smartphone/ tablet, I would also make sure that WLAN is available if necessary. My priority would be the living room and terrace. If the signal from the Fritzbox in the basement/utility room is not enough, then better to install an additional socket and distribute the signal from there. Then it can also be switched off with a switchable socket when you don’t need it.

In the long run, probably much more will be networked than we can imagine today.
I have already seen washing machines and refrigerators with network connections. Do you want music or TV in the kitchen or the bathtub? Whether that makes sense is something everyone has to decide for themselves.
But better to install one more cable or at least an empty conduit than one too few.

Even if it’s not exactly cheap, when setting up such a network you should also think about appropriate surge protection sockets.

Hello everyone,

I think all the answers are good, but I would recommend avoiding non-switchable continuous transmitters (as has mostly been recommended here). I would have concerns about the mentioned Fritzbox, as it will probably transmit whether you have a DECT phone or not!

best regards

K.Brodbeck

Give up on permanent transmission? I don't understand that. Especially since you can also tell a good box when it is allowed to be online. Wi-Fi can also be turned on and off. And the questioner asked about cordless phones, so DECT is certainly not an issue. But who the hell still turns off their internet connection today except maybe for parental controls.

Hello there,

You actually did not understand.

By permanent transmitter I mean all devices that transmit continuously (radiate), such as cordless phones, Wi-Fi, etc. There are people who are sensitive to such things, others less so, and others never will be. I don't care either. I only advise that the devices you use should be kept under control.

And whether you turn off your internet access at night or not, I don't care either, but why should the Wi-Fi transmit all the time, even when you don't need it? Why should the DECT phone transmit all the time, even though the handset is in the cradle?

Best regards

K.Brodbeck