Difference between revisions of "Wiring Considerations"

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<p>Wiring is often the biggest hurdle in any whole house system because most such products use their own, proprietary wiring. That means tearing open walls to run their special cabling, which is often very thick and difficult to manage. With LinuxMCE, on the other hand, everything is IP based. That means it plugs into an Ethernet network (the same network that powers the Internet and virtually all office and home networks). An Ethernet network runs on Cat5 (or cat5e/cat6) cable. This cable is commonly installed in homes already, since it is used for most phone systems as well as a home network. If your home does not already have cat 5 cabling, cat 5 is definitely one of the smaller, easier wires to run. What's more, because home networks are so desirable for internet access and file/printer sharing, installing cat5 cabling in a house is well worth the cost and will increase the resale value, even without a LinuxMCE system. This is another advantage of LinuxMCE's use of the industry standard cable. The cable by itself, even without the LinuxMCE system, is very useful to have. When you have an Ethernet/cat5 jack, you can not only plug in LinuxMCE equipment, you can plug in any personal computer, a printer, or a wide variety of other IP based devices.</p>
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Older, proprietary home automation and security systems traditionally have required their own, dedicated wiring. Placing that wiring is often the biggest hurdle in installing such systems, and usually entails tearing open walls in order to run the special cabling (which is often very thick and difficult to manage).
  
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<p>So the only wiring requirement is that you have Ethernet (cat5) going to every location where you want to either put a piece of LinuxMCE equipment (a Media Director, a LinuxMCE Phone, etc.) or any third party device that you want LinuxMCE to control (your lighting control system, alarm panel, pool controls, surveillance cameras, etc.). All LinuxMCE devices will plug directly into the jack. And there are 3 primary ways that LinuxMCE will control your existing, non-LinuxMCE equipment:</p>
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In contrast, LinuxMCE uses standard CAT5 wiring and RJ45 jacks. Because it is IP (Internet Protocol) based (the same protocol that runs the Internet and most local home and office networks), it runs directly over an Ethernet network. Ethernet networks use standard CAT5 (or sometimes the slightly heavier CAT5e/CAT6) wiring with RJ-45 jacks. This wiring is often already pre-installed in recently-constructed homes, since it is now used for most phone systems as well as for home networks. Even if your home does not already have CAT5 wiring pre-installed, CAT5 wires are some of the smaller, easier wires to install. Installing CAT5 wiring in a house is well worth the cost and will increase the resale value, even without a LinuxMCE system. Home networks (LANs) that are run over CAT5-wired Ethernet connections are increasingly popular for Internet access and file/printer sharing throughout the home.
  
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<p>Ethernet (aka IP based) -- this is the best, and most flexible way to control equipment. This means the device already uses the same system LinuxMCE uses, and you can plug it into any jack. Chances are the LinuxMCE core will be able to configure it automatically and there will be nothing for you to do.</p>
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Thus, the only wiring requirement for LinuxMCE is that you have Ethernet (CAT5) wiring. All wired LinuxMCE devices (such as a PC used as a Media Director) will be able to directly plug into the RJ45 jack.
  
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<p>RS232 -- common with non-a/v equipment (lighting systems, pool controls, etc), and some high-end a/v equipment. If your a/v equipment has an RS232 port, this is definitely preferable over Infrared.</p>
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Note, however, that not all LinuxMCE devices require a wired connection. Many can connect wirelessly, if you have a wireless access point connected to the LinuxMCE [[Core]] server. However, it is easiest for the main components, the [[Core]] and the [[Media Directors]], to be connected in a wired fashion.  
  
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<p>Infrared -- most common with a/v equipment, it sends infrared codes just like a remote control. If you are going to be buying new a/v equipment, try to get devices that have an RS232 port. You will find that RS232 is much faster and more reliable. If you decide to buy a device that does not have RS232 and will use Infrared to control it, be sure to only buy a/v equipment that supports discrete codes. If you buy a/v equipment that does not support discrete codes, LinuxMCE will still control it, and control it better than your typical home automation system, however you will find the devices will be slow to respond, and may not be as reliable.</p>
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Also see:
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[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EIA_568A What is proper cat5 cabling?]
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<p>Even for the Infrared and RS232 devices, they will still ultimately plug into the Ethernet jack. There will just be a device that sits in between them and the Ethernet network. In the case of infrared, that devices is an interface module. You plug the interface module into the Ethernet network, and little i/r emitters into the interface module. The i/r emitters send infrared codes just like your remote control. In the case of RS232 devices, you can plug them either into an interface module, or into the core, or into any of your LinuxMCE Media Directors.</p>
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  Can LinuxMCE run wireless?<br>
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  What if my home doesn't have cat 5?<br>
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  [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EIA_568A What is proper cat5 cabling?]<br>
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Revision as of 18:17, 14 May 2008


Older, proprietary home automation and security systems traditionally have required their own, dedicated wiring. Placing that wiring is often the biggest hurdle in installing such systems, and usually entails tearing open walls in order to run the special cabling (which is often very thick and difficult to manage).

In contrast, LinuxMCE uses standard CAT5 wiring and RJ45 jacks. Because it is IP (Internet Protocol) based (the same protocol that runs the Internet and most local home and office networks), it runs directly over an Ethernet network. Ethernet networks use standard CAT5 (or sometimes the slightly heavier CAT5e/CAT6) wiring with RJ-45 jacks. This wiring is often already pre-installed in recently-constructed homes, since it is now used for most phone systems as well as for home networks. Even if your home does not already have CAT5 wiring pre-installed, CAT5 wires are some of the smaller, easier wires to install. Installing CAT5 wiring in a house is well worth the cost and will increase the resale value, even without a LinuxMCE system. Home networks (LANs) that are run over CAT5-wired Ethernet connections are increasingly popular for Internet access and file/printer sharing throughout the home.

Thus, the only wiring requirement for LinuxMCE is that you have Ethernet (CAT5) wiring. All wired LinuxMCE devices (such as a PC used as a Media Director) will be able to directly plug into the RJ45 jack.

Note, however, that not all LinuxMCE devices require a wired connection. Many can connect wirelessly, if you have a wireless access point connected to the LinuxMCE Core server. However, it is easiest for the main components, the Core and the Media Directors, to be connected in a wired fashion.

Also see: What is proper cat5 cabling?

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