This will depend on which unit you are referring to. With the business unit, there will be no LAN jacks anywhere in the unit. This is because there is no way to define where every business will need every jack for every purpose. With that in mind, there will be two opposite walls that would have an RG6 Coaxial jack, and an RJ45 jack. The coaxial jacks will be for Comcast Internet. Since this is coaxial, and not RJ45, a modem is required. The RJ45 is for FiOS. To make up for the lack of LAN lines, one will need to invest in a router/access point combination. Most routers also function as Wifi Access Point, and will plug into the appropriate ISP jack. Most routers will have 4 ports, so things like a register, phone ATAs, and NAS can be installed directly at the router. Wifi Phones, printers, and computers can use the Wifi Network. Most routers also support a guest network which will provide internet connectivity without accessing devices on the main network.
For the residence, there will be RJ45 jacks everywhere, and where there will be a suspected need. This will mean where the TV is located at, there will be 5 RJ45 jacks. In the home office, each wall will have 3 RJ45 jacks. A bedroom may have 2-3 RJ45 jacks. Well, you get the idea. All RJ45 lines will run to the communications closet where they will connect to a patch panel. This is so the in-wall wiring doesn’t get pull and tugged at. From the patch panel, they will connect to an POE switch. Each floor will have a Wifi Access Point that will be backwards compatible. I will have 2 wifi networks. One will be for the residents of the home, and the other is for the guests. While this may seem like overkill, it is designed to meet not only my current needs, but future needs. I also want to keep the wifi network as least congested as possible to maximize the potential. So if I had a choice of using Wifi, or plugging directly into the network – I will always choose the network. Within the communications closet, there will be a number of servers to meet the needs of the home. The servers are as follows:
- Media Server
- NAS
- Network Server
- Smart Home Server
- Tablo
- Telephony Server
The media server will hold all music and video content that is owned. In instance, I might purchase a movie, and rather than have it stored on the seller’s site, I will download the movie. This movie will then be installed into the media server. This will assure a up to 10GBPS connection between the media server and client. This will allow me to watch a movie multiple times without wasting bandwidth on the ISP. The same will apply to TV shows, and other video content.
There will be 2 NAS (Network Attached Storage). The first is to archive files that would like to be kept, but not needed to be accessed all of the time. One example might be the letters I write to other people via postal mail. I want to keep a copy of the letter sent, but almost never need to access them once the file has been saved. These files will be stored on the NAS that would function as a storage server. The second NAS will be for backup. Keep in mind that if I was wealthy enough to buy this building, and do everything I would want, then I would be able to afford an idea notebook computer for my needs. I could donate the other computers I have as a charitable contribution. The one computer will then meet all of my needs. I will still have Dropbox for less sensitive information, but the NAS servers will be for everything else.
The Network Server can be thought of as a router on Steroids. The network server will manage the network traffic and make sure everything gets to where it is going as fast and efficiently as possible. The network server will have a proxy server installed. This server would warn about potentially dangerous sites, and blocks many of the ads right from the source. The network server will have 4 LAN ports, and 2 WAN ports. This will allow for 4 switches/servers to connect to the server, and will allow for 2 ISP (Internet Service Providers) to connect to the server as well. In addition, there will be a VPN server which will allow me to connect directly to my home network even if I am out. I could therefore for example view a file on my NAS without being home, and without opening the NAS to the entire network. The VPN will be a password protected secured connection.
There will be a smart home server. I will support the industry standard Matter protocol along with Apple Home. This is because I will have a smart phone, tablet, Mac PC, and will purchase an Apple TV box for it to act as an Apple Home Server. By integrating everything in together, I will be able to meet all of my needs in regards to a smart home system.
Tablo is an OTA (Over The Air) DVR (Digital Video Recorder). The Tablo will allow me to record up to 4 channels at one time, therefore giving me maximum flexibility in the content I wish to watch. This means if I won’t be home when the news comes on, I can simply record the news broadcast, and watch when I return home. There will be a Tablo app that will install into a Roku TV which will be the choice television platform for my residence.
The telephony server will provide for telephone communications. As of now, I live by myself. And while a telephony server might seem like overkill, keep in mind that I have 2 elevators. The telephony server will support 4 FXS ports which is what the elevators would use. This will allow me to have an additional 2 FXS ports, but they will be wasted as I would have no more RJ11 connections. Obviously, there is no need for FXO ports since Verizon no longer offers copper line telephone service to new customers.
Utilities
Obviously, there are your cellular providers that promises the world, and that is fine. If the cellular option work for the business tenant, more power to them. However, for landline based services, there will be Comcast (Coaxial), and Verizon FiOS (RJ45). In the case of the residence, the is no cellular option as the modem will be stuck in the basement’s communications closet rather than as high up as possible. I will have a 2GBPS FiOS connection for $110, and a 100MBPS connection from Comcast for $30. The Comcast connection is for guests, and as a backup connection in the case that FiOS goes down for whatever the reason. By having 2 different providers, it allows me the chance for higher connectivity options. In both cases, I will push for a static IP address which I am sure will cost extra.