Building or renovating? Wire your home for the future
The government’s investment of millions of dollars into the Ultra-Fast Broadband network is a bellwether for the future:
New Zealand is becoming a more connected nation which views broadband as a fundamental service alongside water,
electricity and telephony. Those building new homes or renovating old ones are therefore well advised to include data
cabling as an integral component of the project, providing convenient connectivity for the devices which are a part of
everyday life.
And not only will a data wired building deliver a convenience boost now, it also makes your home more attractive to
future buyers.
That’s according to Richard Gough, General Manager of building industry adviser Future-Proof Building, who points out
that getting the most from a home network often means using hardwired infrastructure in combination with WiFi. “People
think getting an Ultra-fast Broadband [UFB] connection will automatically deliver a faster internet connection. But it
won’t if your home isn’t set up properly,” he warns.
That’s because connection speed is only as fast as the weakest link – and that weakest link is often the wiring, or lack
thereof, in your home, explains Wayne Simpson, J. A. Russell Ltd.’s National Data and Technology Manager. “If the ‘last
metres’ of the connection are carried over an older WiFi router, for example, the maximum speed across the network is
determined by the router, which in some cases is just a tenth of the capacity of the fibre-optic UFB connection,” he
notes.
By installing structured cabling throughout, the weakest link is eliminated and the home is set up for other high speed
network solutions, including security cameras, home automation and audio visual signal distribution, adds Simpson.
By co-locating cabling ports (called RJ-45 ports, which can be found on most laptop computers) with power points in
living areas and bedrooms, Simpson says data-hungry devices such as computers and TVs can be connected directly to your
home Local Area Network. This, in turn, is hard-wired to the UFB connection, taking load off the wireless connection so
the WiFi is available for mobile devices.
“Home networking is the veins of the house and serves as the underlying structure for all types of home automation now
and, as more options become available, into the future,” Simpson points out.
The good news is that wiring your home with appropriate cabling (typically Category-6 UTP, capable of carrying data at
up to 1GBPS – or 10 times faster than the fastest available UFB connection) doesn’t require an ‘all or nothing’
approach. It’s also not particularly costly for the value and appeal it adds to the building; Gough puts the cost of
data wiring for an average three-bedroom home at around $2,500 for a new build.
“Conversely, wiring an older home can be more costly, especially if done as a standalone project. However, consider
including data wiring as an additional component of renovation work that exposes walls, ceilings or floors. In many
instances, the additional cost is minimal, but the value it adds is considerable – and a built-in high speed Local Area
Network is a big selling point, too. When building or renovating, be sure to talk to a Future-Proof Building registered
electrician about this aspect of future-proofing your home,” he concludes.
ENDS