Extending ethernet at home

Help required as I need to extend internet access around my 3 storey house?

Currently:
Sky Hub SR102-4 ports out, one in.
SKy unlimited Broadband.
4 macs, 1 laptop, sky+box, Smart TV, PS4, 4 smart phones, another tv & sky+ box & ps4 in near future. Currently connected via 4 ethernet cables from which are being wrecked being pulled in and out every day by teenagers on PS4/sky+. I have already fitted new plugs to a couple of cables but am worried that the sockets in the various boxes will be damaged internally soon.
So, I would like to have an ethernet wall socket in 6 rooms plus 2 groupings, one for sky+/ps4/smart tv all together & another tv + sky+ box + ps4 in another room.
Also, the wireless signal drops out regularly due to many deices connecting simultaneously? standing next to hub still results in long connection times.

I have the following bits of kit left over from a previous office so would like to use them if they are suitable?

1 x Netgear N300 Wireless Dual Band ADSL2+ Modem Router
1 x Netgear Prodafe 8 Port Gigabit switch GS108v2
2 x Devolo dLAN 500 AVPro UNI
large reel of ethernet cable, plugs and crimpers plus wall sockets an boxes.
I am renovating house so running cables is fairly easy at the moment.(I assume hardwired connection is better than using Powerline method)

I have read up a little and using the switch by adjusting sky hub settings to issue IPs one option? -easiest method?
The Devolo is supposed to be commercial grade kit, but why go there if a clean hardwire connection is possible-correct? It also does coax 2 wire.
The Netgear modem is supposed to have 4 aerials and superior range�.so could be better than SKy Hub�.also read that Sky don't like you using non sky kit and that you need to interrogate the Hub to access passwords/usernames required for setting up non sky hub?

If anyone could just outline benefits/disadvantages of using any of my existing kit and give my a steer on which way to go that would be great.

I am a novice at this networking stuff, so be gentle�..

thanks in advance.

If Sky Hub is running reliably, then ideal solution is run an Ethernet cable from the Sky Hub to a wall mounted socket in each room. Then just buy a cheap £10 Ethernet switch to hang off that infrastructure socket, and can then even if people get ham fisted all they break is a small switch.

For infrastructure cabling you want solid core CAT5E, that is copper rather than stranded or CCA (Copper Coated Aluminium)

Sockets are pretty cheap £2.19 each on Amazon just need a back box again Amazon or local DIY place.

A krone tool and a basic cable tester are worth getting to make things simpler.

I have read up a little and using the switch by adjusting sky hub settings to issue IPs one option? -easiest method?
I don't understand what you mean by this, switches normally don't have an IP address. Only Managed Business grade hardware usually has that sort of thing and is massive overkill for a simple home setup.

A mish mash could get you through a temporary issue, but if going to do it, might as well get the basic wiring in place.

WARNING: If you plan to run some of the Ethernet outside, then it needs to be exterior grade cable due to UV light breaking down the insulation.

MrS has covered most points.

I would add:

Run 2 cables to each location rather than a single and install two RJ45 sockets if you can or leave the cable just in case.. As you are renovating the time will be negligible as will cost and it could save real hassle later on. You may also want to run 4 cable to where your TV/DVD/HiFi are located.

Install a small patch panel at te central point where your hub and switch will be. An alternative is to use a twin gang backbox and fit 6 RJ45s to it - although a 12/16 way patch panel is the easiest.

Thanks for quick reply.
Re 'assigning ip addresses' I meant modem not switch.
In read somewhere that the sky hub will automatically assign IP address . Will the hub handle the many devices whether hard wired or wifi?
Is it worth assigning static ip addresses to each of the devices? Why would you need to do this anyway? Or am I over complicating it?

So sky hub 4 ports going to 6 room sockets - do I have to use more switches to split the cable and should I spread the devices with most traffic equally over the 4 ports to maximise speed?
Also, what can I do to boost/extend wifi signal in farthest rooms?
Thanks

Sky hub can allocate 200 IP address. The issue really is how well everyone will get along with sharing connection.

Extra switch at the Sky hub end will give you the extra sockets needed

And on the wireless adding extra wireless access points where needed hanging off an ethernet socket.

Look for dual band devices to give best performance

I think you can configure the Netgear to act as a wireless access point - log on to it and turn off the DHCP on it and give it an LAN IP address which is in the same range as the Sky router but not one of the addresses which the SkY router might issue.

I did this back in 2010 and I'd have to agree with everything MHC says. I ran 2x Cat6 to each socket and was glad I did as there's no end of potential uses for network cable it would seem. I ran 4 to my TV socket and am currently using 3 there so glad I did that too. I also installed coax at every socket so all the TVs in the house run off one aerial / Sky box with the help of a Labgear TV distribution thingy (about £50). speaker wire was also something I put in and has been pretty useful.

The only thing I wish I had done was run some HDMI cables to certain points as HDMI to Cat6 to HDMI is a bit of a faff and HDMI is fine over short runs. A friend has installed power and data in the ceiling of his living room for a 4k projector (when they become cheap enough for him to purchase one) so that might be worth considering if everything's exposed atm. Cable's cheap so I would just run as much as you can while you can. You don't have to connect it all up right away.

I'm about to do the whole thing again myself, so would really appreciate anyone's input on where to source decent CAT6 / CAT6A cable. I see it's dirt cheap on ebay but if it looks too good to be true...

In reply to a post by mother:

I'm about to do the whole thing again myself, so would really appreciate anyone's input on where to source decent CAT6 / CAT6A cable. I see it's dirt cheap on ebay but if it looks too good to be true...

I tend to use FS cables - not always the absolute cheapest however they are a good company to deal with. For example, if you want 57 metres of external Cat5e then they will sell you 57m and not a rounded up figure or by the drum.

http://www.fscables.com/

Thanks for that, they have some great stuff especially the HD Media Composite Cables which could be the way forward for me I reckon. Noticed they sell one with 4 Cat5e cables which would make things much more simple when running multiple cables to wall outlets.

http://www.fscables.com/Audio+Visual/HD+Media+Compos...

Can't see any prices though?

In reply to a post by route64:

Thanks for quick reply.
Re 'assigning ip addresses' I meant modem not switch.
In read somewhere that the sky hub will automatically assign IP address . Will the hub handle the many devices whether hard wired or wifi?
Is it worth assigning static ip addresses to each of the devices? Why would you need to do this anyway? Or am I over complicating it?

So sky hub 4 ports going to 6 room sockets - do I have to use more switches to split the cable and should I spread the devices with most traffic equally over the 4 ports to maximise speed?
Also, what can I do to boost/extend wifi signal in farthest rooms?
Thanks

Agree with the other comments and in addition...

Locate the central switch (the 8 port Netgear) on your second story.

I believe the Ethernet ports on the Sky HUB are 100Mb/s only so do not use this as a central Ethernet switch. This might not seem important but if you later get a fast NAS box you may need Gb speeds.

Note that if you have switches connected to each other by an 'uplink' then this can restrict speed.

For comparison my setup includes...

A Virgin SH2 in the living room (4 * Gb ports) connected to TV, Sky+ & Xbox.
(SH2 provides wireless coverage also)
One uplink (Gb) to 5 port Gb switch in back bedroom connected to NAS, 2 * PC and Wireless AP (for use in Garden).

Ian

Pricing is customer dependent and based on who you are and how much you spend. Just call them for a price - they are quite friendly.

You are right about the 3, 4 or 6 x 4pr Cat5e or Cat6, a bit bulkier than four separate ones although easier to manage and route.

Gave them a call and yes they don't bite. HA3 media composite cable was about £170 for 100m so fairly good value if you ask me.

Thanks for putting me on to that reckon it's going to save some considerable time.

I phoned them yesterday PM for a price, finally called back at 4:15 with a small/medium order expecting delivery to be on Friday.

I was told they would try to ship "today" (Wednesday) and I said it was not a problem if it was not. However, 5 minutes ago, it arrived.

That is good service! They maybe a fraction more expensive than some places (occasionally) ... perhaps that is worth paying to get good service.