Network Planning
Network drop locations for the garage, supporting workshop, office, home theater, and future apartment conversion.
Infrastructure
- 2” PVC conduit from house to garage (10GbE fiber planned)
- Network cabinet in mechanical room
- Smurf tubing (ENT) throughout both floors for cable management
Current Status (as of 2026-04-22)
First network connectivity live in the garage:
- House-to-garage Cat6 run: pulled through the 2” conduit SLS Electric installed during the underground feeder work. Terminates at the home server rack on the house side.
- Pull string left in conduit: for future cable adds (second Cat6, fiber for 10GbE, etc.) — pull once, re-fish never.
- Ubiquiti U6+ access point: mounted and powered via PoE over the new run. Wi-Fi 6 (AX) coverage verified throughout the building. This is the Main Floor Wireless AP drop described below.
- First wireless device connected: Shelly 1PM Mini Gen 4 behind a switch — see Timeline and photo.
Remaining drops and structured cabling will go in during the interior buildout per the plan below.
Termination & Switch Zoning Strategy (decided 2026-06-22)
Pull everything now, terminate as needed. All planned cable + smurf tube (ENT) gets pulled while the walls are open; only the drops in active use get punched down at first. The rest are left coiled with a service loop behind a low-voltage bracket + blank plate, ready to terminate later. Because every run is in re-pullable ENT, a cable nicked during drywall (or a category upgrade later) can be replaced without opening walls — this is what makes “leave it for later” safe.
Switch zoning (matches the loft 100A subpanel / future-apartment model):
- Mechanical-room rack (now): the on-hand 24-port PoE Brocade switch + 24-port keystone patch panel in a wall-mount rack. Serves the main floor + all 5 cameras + main-floor AP, with spares. ~14–18 ports used → comfortable, with PoE headroom on the Brocade.
- Loft (later): a second 24-port switch + patch panel in a loft structured-media enclosure, added only if/when loft drops are activated. Pre-run now: all loft drop cable home-run to the staged loft panel location, plus an inter-rack trunk (several spare Cat6 + 1”–1¼” ENT with pull string) between the loft enclosure and the mechanical room so the two racks can be linked (or collapsed to one) later.
Terminate now vs. leave coiled:
- Terminate now: cameras + main-floor AP (security/Wi-Fi wanted early), the mechanical-room/rack drops, and the patch-panel end of every pulled run (the patch-panel side is the cheap, centralized end — doing it now lets you test runs before drywall and reduces “activation” to punching one keystone + adding a patch cable).
- Leave coiled (bracket + blank plate, labeled): the speculative drops — loft office/theater/apartment, extra workbench, future-feature drops.
Non-negotiables for pulled-but-unterminated runs: install the LV bracket at each location now (must go in before drywall), leave a 3–4 ft service loop at each end, and label both ends of every cable now (location at the drop end, area/port at the rack end).
Main Floor Drops (14-18 total)
Mechanical Room (Network Hub)
- 2 drops - Network switch, NVR/server
- Distribution point; all runs terminate here
- Small rack or structured media panel
- Power: dedicated 20A 120V rack/network circuit, UPS-backed (orange outlet) — feeds the switch, PoE injector/switch, and NVR. Defined in Electrical Planning and tied to the UPS “orange outlet” strategy (rack is the #1 UPS load).
Lift Bay Area
- 2 drops near lift column area
- Use: Diagnostic scan tools, alignment equipment, laptop
- Located near the 20A outlets planned for lift bay
Workbench Area
- 2-3 drops at 48” height with workbench outlets
- Use: Desktop computer, 3D printer, diagnostic equipment
- One drop under bench for hidden equipment
Garage Door Camera Drops
- 3 drops - One per bay, routed to soffit/eave
- Use: PoE cameras covering driveway + side approaches
- Route conduit to exterior before drywall
Main Floor Wireless AP
- 1 drop ceiling-mounted, center of floor
- Use: PoE wireless AP for main floor coverage
- Location: Between bays 2 and 3 for balanced coverage
Shop Media / TV Wall (added 2026-06-22)
- 1-2 drops behind the wall-mounted shop TV
- Use: streaming repair/build videos, signage — see Garage Workshop Media System
- Recessed media box (TV box) + power per the box guidance below
Service / Entry Door (added 2026-06-22)
- 1 drop at the service door
- Use: video doorbell / future access control / keypad
EV Charger (added 2026-06-22)
- 1 drop near the NEMA 14-50 / EVSE location
- Use: smart EVSE load management / monitoring (many want wired Ethernet)
Mechanical-Room Controls (added 2026-06-22)
- 1 drop at the boiler/controls wall (beyond the 2 rack drops)
- Use: boiler/HVAC controller, future BMS / environmental sensors
Garage-Door Openers (optional)
- 0-3 drops, one near each opener head
- Use: only if wired opener control is wanted vs. Wi-Fi/MyQ; otherwise skip
Loft Drops (12-16 total)
Office Area (Near Dormer Window)
- 3-4 drops at desk height
- Use: Desktop/workstation, dual monitors, docking station, VoIP phone
- Wall plate with 4 ports + 2 coax for flexibility
Home Theater Wall (Full AV Setup)
- 4-6 drops behind entertainment center
- Use: Smart TV, AV receiver, gaming console(s), streaming box, NAS access
- Low-voltage bracket with 6-port plate + 2 coax
- Conduit to ceiling for future projector option
Home Theater Seating (Floor Box)
- Separate 1.25” ENT run from equipment rack area to recessed floor box under couch
- Carries: bass shaker speaker wire, subwoofer cable, XLR, Cat6, control wiring, LED lighting
- This is an AV signal conduit — distinct from the wall-mounted network drops above
- Floor box also has dedicated 15A power (separate conduit — do NOT mix AC and low-voltage)
- See Smurf Tube (ENT) — AV Signal Routing for full routing details
Loft Wireless AP
- 1 drop ceiling-mounted
- Use: PoE AP for loft coverage
- Location: Central ceiling for theater/office coverage
Loft Camera Drops (Rear Coverage)
- 2 drops routed to rear dormers/eaves
- Use: PoE cameras covering backyard/rear approach
- Complements front-facing garage door cameras
Future Apartment Infrastructure
- 2-3 drops in likely kitchen/bath area
- Use: Smart appliances, future streaming, in-wall tablet
- Pull cable now while walls are open
Camera Coverage
| Location | Coverage Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bay 1 soffit | Driveway approach | Main entry view |
| Bay 2/3 corner | Side yard | Covers walk door side |
| Opposite corner | Other side approach | Full perimeter |
| Rear dormer 1 | Backyard left | Loft exterior |
| Rear dormer 2 | Backyard right | Loft exterior |
Total: 5 camera drops
Camera Model
All 5 garage cameras standardize on the Amcrest IP8M-T2599EW-AI-V3 (8MP/4K PoE turret, AI person/vehicle detection) — the same model already deployed on the house and feeding the existing Blue Iris system. Standardizing on the house fleet means one VMS, one AI pipeline (Blue Iris + planned CodeProject.AI), identical configuration/firmware, and shared spare parts. Each camera has a built-in RJ45 port on a short dongle — see the LV materials order for the pass-through plug + weatherproof junction approach.
The service-door video doorbell is a Reolink Video Doorbell D340P (5MP/2K+ PoE, 802.3af, RTSP/ONVIF, person + package detection) into the same Blue Iris stack. PoE-only install: the single in-wall Cat6 carries power + data + video; the included Chime V2 is a plug-in indoor unit (no doorbell transformer or chime wiring needed). Same model is planned for the two house entry doors (tracked in the homelab project, not here). No cameras on the rear/side walls by decision (neighbor field-of-view privacy problem — see Decisions Log 2026-05-02).
Smurf Tubing Strategy
Run initial cables through smurf tubing for protection and future expandability.
Tubing Sizes
| Size | Capacity | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 3/4” ENT | 3-4 Cat6A | Single drops, camera runs |
| 1” ENT | 5-8 Cat6A | Multi-drop areas (theater, office) |
| 1-1/4” ENT | 10-12 Cat6A | Main trunk from mechanical room |
Sourcing: 1-1/4" ENT isn't sold in consumer coils (only ~750' contractor reels). For the main/inter-rack trunk, run 1" ENT (100' coils, widely stocked) — two parallel 1" runs if needed — or step to 1-1/4" rigid PVC conduit (cheap, sold everywhere). 3/4" and 1" ENT cover everything else.
Layout Strategy
- Main trunks (1” or 1-1/4”): Mech room to each major area (lift bay, workbench, loft office, loft theater)
- Branch runs (3/4”): Junction points to individual wall plates
- Camera runs (3/4”): Dedicated runs to each camera location
- Spare trunk: One empty 1” run to each floor for future unknowns
Best Practices
- Leave pull strings in all runs after pulling cables
- Stay under 40% fill for easy future additions
- Use junction boxes at corners (avoid continuous bends)
- Label both ends of every smurf run
- Keep interior and exterior (camera) runs separate
Installation Approach by Floor
Main Floor
Standard wall routing through stud bays:
- Drill through studs for horizontal runs
- Use appropriate hole saws (1-1/4” for 1” ENT, 1-1/2” for 1-1/4” ENT)
- Drill center of stud to maintain structural integrity
- Do not notch studs for low-voltage runs
Loft (Truss Cavity Routing)
The loft knee wall space is conditioned (insulated at roof line) and accessible behind drywall, making it ideal for cable routing without drilling into trusses.
Horizontal trunk runs:
- Run main trunks along the length of the garage in knee wall truss cavities (both sides)
- No drilling into trusses - lay tubing in open cavity space
- Support with hangers clipped to truss webs (not screws through chords)
Cross runs:
- Route through space above flat ceiling (between ceiling drywall and roof)
- Ceiling is partial: flat center with sloped sides
- Allows runs to cross the loft without wall penetrations
Drop points:
- Drill through wall top plates only to reach outlet locations
- Minimal structural impact - plates handle this easily
Access panels (4 recommended):
- Install 2 access panels per knee wall side
- Locate at junction points for future cable pulls
- 14”x14” or larger for hand access
- Consider paintable panels to match wall finish
Vertical chase to main floor:
- Route from loft to mechanical room via interior wall cavity near stairwell
- Alternative: surface-mounted chase in mechanical room if needed
Cable Specifications
| Category | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cat6A drops | 22-27 | Future-proof for 10GbE |
| Coax (optional) | 4 | Office + theater (antenna/cable backup) |
| Camera runs | 5 | Exterior-rated or in conduit |
- Cat6A recommended over Cat6 (minimal cost difference, 10GbE capable)
- Use plenum-rated if running through enclosed spaces
- Shielded (STP) optional but good near electrical runs
Boxes, Brackets & Plates
Use open-back low-voltage mounting brackets, not electrical boxes. Open-back brackets feed cable straight from the stud cavity — no box-fill limit, room for service loops, and easier to keep Cat6 bend radius.
| Location type | Hardware |
|---|---|
| In-wall drops (new construction) | Arlington LVN1 (1-gang) / LVN2 (2-gang) nail-on brackets, fastened to the stud at rough-in (the plain LV1/LV2 are old-work/retrofit clamps — use the LVN nail-on versions for open studs) |
| Behind a wall-mounted TV (shop media wall, loft theater) | Recessed media box (e.g., Arlington TVB613/TVBU810) — recesses the keystone plate and a power receptacle; keep AC and LV on opposite sides of the divider |
| Ceiling AP | LV bracket / old-work ring with a keystone plate, or the AP’s mount box + a service loop |
| Exterior camera | Exterior-rated junction box or weatherproof gland at the soffit; keep camera runs separate from interior runs |
Plates: keystone wall plates (Decora-style fine), gang/port count per location, blank keystone inserts in unused holes. Use Cat6 keystone jacks consistently end-to-end to match the 24-port keystone patch panel, and color-code (e.g., blue = data, red = camera, green = AP) so the patch panel reads at a glance.
Mounting: set brackets flush to finished drywall using the depth tabs; align data heights with adjacent power (16–18” floor-level, ~48” at the bench); keep LV ≥12” horizontally from power and cross AC at 90°; home-run everything to the rack (star, no daisy-chains).
Installation Sequence
- Before drywall: Install all smurf tubing runs
- Pull cables: Run initial cables through tubing with pull strings
- Exterior cameras: Install conduit to soffit before siding
- Low-voltage brackets: Install in walls at each drop location
- Terminate: Punch down in mechanical room patch panel
- Test: Certify all runs before closing walls
- Label: Mark all runs at patch panel and wall plates
Parts List
Costed parts tally with current product links: Network & Low-Voltage Materials Order (private). The list below is the quick reference.
- 1000ft Cat6A bulk cable (or 2 boxes of 500ft)
- Low-voltage brackets (12-15)
- Keystone jacks and wall plates
- 24 or 48 port patch panel
- Cable management for mechanical room
- Exterior-rated conduit fittings for camera runs
- Smurf tubing: 3/4”, 1”, and 1-1/4” ENT
- Pull strings
- Access panels for knee walls (4x, 14”x14” or larger)
- J-hooks or hangers for truss cavity support
Related Documents
- Network & Low-Voltage Materials Order - Parts tally with current product links (private)
- Electrical Planning - Power circuits and outlet locations
- Mechanical Room - Network cabinet location
- Utilities & Conduits - Underground conduit from house