software dude
@charter.com
| TDS fiber TV/Internet wiring advice
I am switching from Charter to TDS for all of my phone/Internet/TV needs. Fortunately TDS offers fiber in my area, so it'll be 25 Mbit Internet and IPTV. My house has the regular phone/coax wiring through the house, but no computer network wiring yet. TDS requires CAT5/CAT5e/CAT6 (not sure what they use) for the set-top boxes, and it would be nice to have throughout for the computers anyway.
They'll wire for three TVs for free. My question is how well I can expect them to do this? I heard I will have one ONT box on the outside and a UPS on the inside. Will the (three) runs go all the way out to the ONT? What if there are more TVs and multiple computer locations?
Of course, I ideally I'd want a patch panel in the garage or a closet where I can put a switch for the computers. What about the TV outlets... Could they be patched into the same switch, or would that be on a separate network? I don't expect TDS to give me a patch panel, but is their wiring likely to be a good starting point for future upgrades?
Can I expect the guy to do a good job as far as running the wires properly through the attic and crawl space (ie without unsightly wires on the outside of the wall)?
Other alternatives are to try to do the wiring myself or by hiring a third party beforehand. I think I know where they will put the ONT, but it'd be a mess if I guessed wrong of course! I have a good understanding of computer networking (software engineer), but don't have much practical experience with wiring... What I'm really wondering is how to get a big bunch of wires from the crawlspace to the attic. Getting into the walls for the outlets from either location seems easy.
BTW, this is a two-story home with both attic and crawlspace access. There are four TVs, three computers, and I'd like to have an extra ethernet jack available at two of the TVs (at least) in case I put a computer based DVR or something there.
Ideas?
Thanks a lot in advance for any thoughts!  |
