Structured wiring
Hiring a low-voltage network installer: scope, quotes and questions to ask
A written scope you can copy, questions and red flags, how to compare quotes, and how licensing works in Arizona and elsewhere.
Topic
Home wiring, network closets and installation
Where cables go, what the closet needs, what installation costs, and how to hire someone to do it.
Wired connections are the most reliable way to give a home fast, consistent Wi-Fi: an access point or mesh unit with its own cable doesn't spend wireless airtime relaying traffic to the next unit, so all of it goes to the devices it serves. The hard part is getting the cable there, which is easy while walls are open and slower, but usually possible, in a finished home.
This topic covers the physical side of a home network: which rooms get drops, how to route cable through an existing house, what a network closet needs for power and heat, what installation costs and how to judge a quote.
The decisions that matter
- 1 Decide the drops before the walls close Labor is the cost that moves: pulling cable through open studs takes far less time than fishing it through finished walls. Settle the drop schedule (each room, each TV, ceiling locations for access points) while the framing is open.
- 2 Give the closet power and airflow A modem, router, PoE switch and battery backup give off heat around the clock. Put the closet in conditioned space, check the makers' operating temperatures, and plan outlets and a path for warm air; a dedicated circuit is a common recommendation.
- 3 Get quotes against the same written scope Quotes are comparable only when each one covers the same drop count, cable type, terminations, testing and labeling. In Arizona, check the installer's Registrar of Contractors license before you sign.
From the catalog
PoE switches for a network closet
22 current PoE switches in our catalog. The lowest-priced, with the power budget their makers publish:
| Model | Fastest port | PoE budget | Manufacturer price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NETGEAR GS305P | 1 Gbps | 63 W | $69.99 |
| Zyxel XMG-105HP | 10 Gbps | 70 W | $99.99 |
| TP-Link SG2008P | 1 Gbps | 62 W | $114.99 |
| Ubiquiti Switch Lite 8 PoE (USW-Lite-8-PoE) | 1 Gbps | 52 W | $120 |
| NETGEAR GS108PP | 1 Gbps | 123 W | $139.99 |
| Zyxel GS1915-8EP | 1 Gbps | 60 W | $149.99 |
| Zyxel XMG-108HP | 10 Gbps | 100 W | $149.99 |
| Ubiquiti Switch Lite 16 PoE (USW-Lite-16-PoE) | 1 Gbps | 45 W | $219 |
Articles
Network closet
Home network closet design: racks, panels, power and heat
A heat worksheet, UPS runtime from a maker's chart, what fits a can or a wall rack, and why the garage and attic are out.
Network design
Home network plans by home type: a townhome, a two-story house and a large property
Three home types, three planner runs: the equipment, the totals, where each unit goes and which cables to run.
MoCA
No Ethernet? MoCA vs powerline vs a wireless bridge for backhaul
MoCA, powerline or a wireless link in place of Ethernet: a decision table, a coax checklist and the makers' speed claims, labeled by what they measure.
Outdoor Wi-Fi
Outdoor Wi-Fi for backyards and pools: mesh units, access points and heat
A decision table for yards, pools and outbuildings, outdoor units' IP and heat ratings from datasheets, the FCC's 6 GHz outdoor rule, and a mounting and cabling checklist.
PoE
PoE planning for access points and cameras: sizing the switch
A PoE budget worksheet, the IEEE class table, cable loss and two worked builds with Wi-Fi 7 access points and cameras against real switch budgets.
Ethernet
How to run Ethernet in an existing home: routes, methods and when to hire out
Attic drops, crawlspace runs, stacked closets, old coax and phone runs, and raceway: which route fits your house, and what code says about the holes.
Structured wiring
How much does structured network wiring cost? An estimating worksheet
A transparent worksheet for estimating and comparing home Ethernet wiring quotes, with a worked 3,000 sq ft example.
Wi-Fi coverage
Wi-Fi placement in two-story stucco and block homes: where routers and access points go
What block, stucco over lath, floors and low-E glass do to Wi-Fi, and where mesh units or ceiling access points go in a two-story stucco house.
Being researched
Planned for this topic. Each article is published only after it has been fact-checked and approved.
- MoCA for Wired Backhaul: Using Your Coax for Mesh and Access Points
- Planning a Home Network: Worked Plans by Home Type
- No Ethernet? MoCA vs Powerline vs Wireless Bridge
- Networking for Renters: Better Wi-Fi Without Drilling
- Running Ethernet in an Existing Home: Routes and Methods
- Wi-Fi in Block, Stucco and Concrete Homes