Is it worth installing ethernet sockets ?

[Tommy2]

Id be really intersted in knwoing if its owrth installing ethernet sockets, especially now ive got FTTP 500mbps as oppsoed to 4mbps I had before, to give background to the situation I have a 4 bedroom house on the larger side and the Sky Hub is currently in the study at the front of the house, this room has fairly thick walls as it was converted having previously been part of the garage. The WIFI signal is very good in my bedroom, which is above the study but in the kithen at the other end of the hosue its lacking and patchy, in the lounge, where the Sky Puck is the signal isnt as good and there isnt very good coerage of the garden. I do occasionnaly have issues with the Sky puck, 

I am aware ethernet is better tahn WIFI but would be intersted to know peoples opinions, is it worth havinge thernet sockets installed ? and is it easy to have them installed without much disruption ? I would only want perhpas 2 or 3 but ive had lost of teh hosue decorated recently and ideally would want them recessed in the wall and acbles hidden.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Tommy2 wrote:

is it worth havinge thernet sockets installed ?

Generally, yes

and is it easy to have them installed without much disruption ? I would only want perhpas 2 or 3 but ive had lost of teh hosue decorated recently and ideally would want them recessed in the wall and acbles hidden.

Then that's a really significant task of chasing out, patching and painting: also remember that ethernet is point to point and doesn't run in rings.  Unless it's going into a new-build, ethernet is almost always surface mounted.

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[Deb3000]

I’d say, a definite yes, but then again, I’m old-school techie.  (In the trade we only used wireless if you couldn’t drill holes in the walls and wireless was very very much second best).

However, if you want it buried in the walls it is going to be expensive and will cause significant disruption.  If you are prepared to accept a bit of surface mounted trunking and a few holes drilled through walls, then piece of cake.

I’d suggest Cat 6.  While Cat 5e will do, 6 has more future proofing.  Officially it is still 1 gigabit per second at up to 100m but unofficially it will handle 10Gb/s up to 55m.  Make sure you get pure copper.  Avoid CCA (copper clad aluminium)…it’s **bleep**.

[Tommy2]

Thank you @TimmyBGood , I'm aware Ethernet is point to point snd the basics behind it, I was just wondering if it would make much difference especially for the TVs. I do have to say though that my MacBook when used upstairs is getting 500mbps internet speed. 

I know there could be some disruption if chasing walls etc though I have had some new dockets before with virtually no disruption as they've managed to drop cables under the dot and dab plasterboard. I suppose I could look at running some of the cabling on the outside of the house. 

[Chrisee]

@Tommy2 speed is relatively unimportant for streaming video as the maximum used is around 30Mb/s but as if not more importantance is stability of the connection which is where Ethernet really scores.. 

[Tommy2]

@Chrisee  Thanks @Chrisee @just to let you know you previously told me Openreach weren't responsible for property damage, they have got back to me dnd this is not correct. Sky confirmed Openreach are responsible 

[TimmyBGood]

@Tommy2 

For a few tens of Mbs (fine for TV streaming) you could consider Powerline networking.

[Tommy2]

thank you @TimmyBGood , I totally forgot about power over ethernet, whats your experience with them ? ive never used them tbh but wasnt sure if they work over differnt rings/RCD's, I think I may just have a couple of ethernet sockets installed in the future if needed in poor signal areas or use extra access points.

[2muchTV]

I would ask what do I need internet for in other parts of my home? WFH? Streaming TV? Gaming? Alarm & security cameras?

I live in a new build, 5 bedroom/ 3 storey , paper  mâché house. A cheap Tenda MW12  mesh system (3 nodes) delivered  a strong WiFi signal to every room.

I recently set it up in my daughter's Victorian built home/share so she could get WiFi in her room at the back of the house furthest away from the VM hub in the front. It isn't  outstanding but she's now able to work in her room. 

A combination of a mesh system and powerline plugs maybe an adequate solution for your needs if  hardwiring is impractical. 

Ps .... have reasonable expectations of WiFi speeds depending on device and distance from hub and mesh nodes eg is the following good or bad speeds on a Honor Magic 5 pro on a 1GBps connection? Same test on my iPhone 16 plus is 140/119