Re: New home builders without wires

[Tom Mitchell <tmitchell () netelastic com>]

Beyond that, my home (c. 1996) has RJ-45 stapled to the studs every X feet,
jacks in every room, and super-fat coax similarly fastened to studs in 3
rooms.  Of course, none of this is in use.  How many times have I wished
they used conduit.


On Tue, Dec 3, 2024 at 10:43 AM Colin Stanners (lists) <
Colin-lists () highspeedcrow ca> wrote:

> It's easy and relatively cost-effective to make a new home pretty
> future-proof for connectivity by running conduit (of sufficient size,
> without tight bends) from the telecom area to the outlet box(es) in each
> room. For today run a coax and one or two cat6A; then whatever system
> appears in the future can quickly replace those in the conduit. Considering
> the importance of telecommunication/entertainment it's a surprise that very
> few new homes seem to take that option, but I guess it's not "trendy"
> enough.
>
> For the below example, it seems like an extreme example of cost-cutting,
> along with believing that "wireless is magic". When the real-world concerns
> about coverage and capacity appears, and the residents have 5 smart TVs
> competing to stream video on Wi-Fi along with game consoles downloading
> 100GB games (all of which should have been wired-in), is when they realize
> the difficulties of not planning the network and layout.
>
> By that time the builder will be long gone with the money...
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NANOG <nanog-bounces+colin-lists=highspeedcrow.ca () nanog org> On
> Behalf
> Of Sean Donelan
> Sent: December 3, 2024 10:53 AM
> To: nanog () nanog org
> Subject: New home builders without wires
>
> As some may remember from earlier this year, my friend was buying a new
> "semi-custom" home.  "Semi-custom" is a marketing term, meaning you get to
> choose (pay more) pre-determined builder options. It is not custom
> designed.
>
> The home builder was not installing any wired broadband utilities in the
> new
> neighborhood.  No cable coax, no telephone DSL, no fiber optic. The only
> option was wireless, with a special deal with a specific 5G wireless
> cellular provider.
>
> Originally, the builder's sales agent (i.e. the people working in the model
> home selling houses) said new homes didn't need (and would not have) a
> wired
> "demarc" location and no ethernet or coax outlets. Not my house, but I was
> surprised when I heard that. I like wired connections when possible for any
> fixed devices, and WiFi only for mobile devices.
>
> I visited his new house over the Thanksgiving Holiday.
>
> The sales agent was partially wrong and partially correct. Never believe
> the
> sales agent spiel.
>
> The built house came with exactly FOUR wired ethernet outlets in the living
> room and each bedroom/office (x2 Cat6 jacks each outlet). But no wired
> DEMARC, no coax outlets, and no wired broadband utilities in the neighhood.
> The wired ethernet jacks were needed because the wireless 5G base station
> ended up in an upstairs bedroom window for signal strength reasons. The
> in-house wired ethernet was needed for a WiFi extender in the living room.
>
> I wouldn't be happy, but it seems to work for his family. The 5G deal was
> cheaper than what he was paying at his old house.
>
> According to the real estate realtor, not the builder's sales agent,
> broadband is now in the top three things home buyers want to know. Some
> states require the realtor MLS to disclose broadband access in the home
> listings. Broadband access disclosure not required in this state.