Many clients ask whether they need a wired network. Sure, phones and mobile devices need to have wireless connectivity but why do we still need wires? There are only 3 different channels on WiFi. 1, 6 and 11. The others are just overlaps. As a result, things can get congested. What you don't want when you are watching a movie, is to have the video pause and start buffering. This is more likely on a wireless network.
Unless you live in a small 2 or 3 room flat, you will probably need more than one wireless access point. Using wireless repeaters does work, but they halve the bandwidth by having to act as a repeater. The answer is to have network cables around your home and access points can therefore be plugged in where necessary, assuming this is practical.
If you do not want to run cables inside your home, one solution is to have a data socket on an outside wall and drill through it, run the cable around the outside of the house and then back in at a position near the router. If you need to run cables to another floor, why not run them behind a drain pipe to keep them hidden? Ask your electrician about the best ways to do this.
So where do you need network points? Data points are typically installed in pairs or groups of 4. We suggest these are put anywhere you may need any of the following:
Computer
Printer
Telephone
TV
DVD Player
Satellite TV receiver
Where you think you may need a wireless access point
This would typically mean 1 or two double data points in most rooms, especially by beds, behind TVs and behind desks where a computer may be used.
Modern music systems like Sonos work wired and wirelessly, so do you need to run wires? The simple answer is yes, if possible. If you have a home with lots of Sonos players and one day you decide to add one without a nearby data point, you can utilise the wireless functionality and this should work but if you can, it will be more reliable on a wired connection. Let us know if you need any help in improving your home broadband.
