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My Newbie Networking Overview

D

drrich2

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Intro. Home Networking Guide​

When I research a topic to gain an overview, to ‘not miss the forest for the trees,’ it helps to write it up as a ‘newbie guide.’ I organize, read up on things unlikely to pertain to my use case, and look for ‘knowledge holes’ (areas of ignorance) I need to research better. On occasion I share hoping to help someone else fairly new to the subject, and get feedback from more advanced folks. I’m not completely new to home networking, but had a lot of knowledge holes. My goal is to help people know their options so they know what to explore.

-----Note #1: I re-wrote this article from scratch for conciseness and readability at the cost of detail and many in-text links to online content delving into greater depth. Online educational offerings that informed my research and provide that are at the end of this article. If a topic interests you, don’t settle for my overview, dig into it.

-----Note #2: It may be unrealistic, but I hope this acts as a resource to others, so if any of you see errors to call out, important details to elaborate on or explain better, other relevant topics or experiences to add or great resources to link to, please do. Maybe if enough knowledgeable enthusiasts pitch in this can help people.

I.) Basics.
II.) Routers.
III.) WiFi Routers.
IV.) Switches.
a. Patch Panels.
V.) Ethernet Network.
VI.) MoCa vs. Powerline Adapters.
a. Can you use a 2nd Cable Modem rather than a MoCA adapter?
VII.) Fiber.
VIII.) Conduit.
IX.) Rack Mount Gear.
X.) In-wall Media Box/Enclosure.
XI.) Long-distance Usage.
XII.) NAS (Network Attached Storage).
XIII.) IoT (Internet of Things).
XIV.) The Ecosystem Option.
XV.) Practical Summary for Real Life.

Sources & Recommended Educational Content.

I.) The Basics.

When you have 2 devices that communicate with each other and/or a device that communicates with outside devices (e.g.: Internet), you have a network. That doesn’t have to include Internet access, but I’ll assume here it does. So at its most basic level, your home network has a modem, a router (note: some devices are router/modem combo.s, such as an ISP (Internet Service Provider) might loan/rent to you), and one or more devices that receive and send data from/to the Internet and maybe each other (e.g.: computer, cell phone).

Your ISP likely offers service via cable, fiber, wireless service or satellite (DSL has been on the way out). Satellite is mainly for rural areas since it doesn’t end to compete well on price. Your modem is a mandatory go-between the Internet and your devices. If you only want to connect one computer to the Internet you can hook it directly to your modem, but that’s a security risk (e.g.: no router firewall) and not recommended. You need a modem for your type of ISP (e.g.: cable modem for cable-based ISP), with a WAN (wide-area network) port that can handle your speed tier – if you pay for 2.5 Gbps Internet service, you need a modem with a 2.5 (or higher) to fill in Gbps WAN port to deliver that speed to your home (or it’ll be capped by your slowest port – the modem’s WAN port or perhaps a router’s WAN or (for wired connection) LAN port).

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In most cases the modem is part of a modem/router combo. unit or sends an ethernet cable to a router. Your router acts as a go-between between your modem and home devices; it relays data back and forth between each networked device and the Internet. Often it has a hardware firewall, aiding network security from outside threats. Your router connects to other devices via WiFi and/or cables (e.g.: ethernet cables).

Your router routes data traffic to/from your computer, cell phone, tablet and IoT devices (e.g.: smart devices like lights, garage door opener, security cameras). Most people rely on wireless (e.g.: WiFi) for most networking, but wire (e.g.: ethernet cable) has advantages.

Note: A device called a gateway acts as a ‘gate’ between dissimilar networks that use different protocols (e.g.: your home network and the Internet), and translates those protocols as data moves between dissimilar networks, but consumer routers usually include this function. Most people don’t buy a gateway as a separate product.

Ethernet cable connections are the gold standard in fast, reliable networking with low latency and divert data traffic away from your limited WiFi bandwidth, and data via ethernet cable can’t be ‘hacked’ via WiFi. If you use POE (Power Over Ethernet) you can power some devices (e.g.: security cameras, wireless access points). If your router or switch don’t support POE, a device called a POE Injector can supply power.

Beyond the basics – some people use MoCA or Powerline Adapters in place of ethernet, some like to organize networking gear into a wall panel or rack mount, people with lots of cables to connect use switches (and sometimes patch panels), for larger areas you may need a mesh system (wireless) or wireless access point (wired), and some people opt to focus on getting most gear from one manufacturer (e.g.: the ‘ecosystem’ approach).
 
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A Reference Guide for Gauging Data Transfer Speeds

Reported in Mbps (mega-bits/sec.) or Gbps (gigabits/sec.), and 1,000 megabits = 1 gigabit. There are 8 bits in a byte, so 1 Gbps = 1,000 Mbps = 125 MBps (megabytes/second). Bits use lowercase ‘b,’ Bytes use capital ‘B.’

So, what’s considered ‘fast?’ Currently, many people have home Internet download speeds around 500 Mbps, give or take, fine for most families to simultaneously stream 4K videos, play online video games, do general computing, etc. 1 Gbps home Internet is considered very fast. With home networking via ethernet (e.g.: your Mac, router and switch ethernet ports), 1 Gbps is very common and cheap, 2.5 Gbps much faster and fairly cheap, and 10 Gbps considered very fast, expensive, often power hungry and generates more heat – but useful for extensive in-home video editing.

To compare to non-network gear, the faster mainstream USB-C standard (e.g.: many external SSD drives you can use as a boot drive and run a Mac from tolerably) offer 10 Gbps speeds (there’s a fringe 20 Gbps version no Mac but a fraction of Windows PCs support). Thunderbolt 3 and 4 (and USB-4 V.1) support up to 40 Gbps speeds; Thunderbolt 5 and USB 4 V.2 support 80 Gbps speeds.

Routers often advertise a total data throughput summing max.ed out speeds on all WiFi spectrum bands combined, way in excess what of you see with a single connected device. As a rule of thumb, 6 GHz band speed > 5 GHz > 2.4 GHz.

II.) Routers.

An intermediary ‘mailman’ sending data to/from/between your network devices and the Internet and aids security with a hardware firewall and for WiFi usually an encrypted communication standard (e.g.: WEP (outdated – don’t use), WPA2 Personal (outdated but some IoT devices work with it but not WPA3), WPA3 Personal (much better) and WPA3 Personal Transition (uses WPA3 with devices that support it and WPA2 with devices that don’t).

Router security is a big deal. You need to change the log-in credentials (e.g.: username and password) from factory defaults and avoid putting your brand in the WiFi network name. Recently the U.S. federal government issued a ban on foreign-made (nearly all are) consumer routers and issued some exemptions – see here for more on that. If your router has an option to automatically update firmware, let it. Router vendors offer variable firmware update support after the product goes off-sale. There are open-source router firmware options, but they cater to a techier user than the average Joe.

In theory a router could offer only WiFi or only wired connections, and with more modular product lines there are wired-only routers (and run wires/cables from a LAN port to a wireless access point(s) to add WiFi). Most consumer routers offer both WiFi and wired (usually, but not always, via ethernet R45 ports) connections.
Your router has at least 1 WAN (wide area network) port to connect to your modem, and usually some LAN (local area network) ports to run cables to varied devices. Often these are dedicated ports, but some routers let you assign ports (e.g.: if the router has some 2.5 and some 5 Gbps ports, and your Internet service is 1 Gbps, connect that to a 2.5 port and leave the 5 Gbps port free for faster in-house networking gear).

The LAN port offering on a router is important. Not all ports may be the same speed. The main tiers are 1 Gbps (cheap, fine for most users), 2.5 Gbps (faster, still pretty cheap), 5 Gbps (faster, getting pricier) and 10 Gbps (very fast, quite expensive, uses more power/generates more heat and the port may be an ethernet RJ45 or a SFP (Small Form-factor Port) – in which case you likely need a transceiver (added expense and a cheapie may get too hot) to plug a cable in. There are fiber gear options for much higher transfer speeds, and some Cat. 8 ethernet can handle 40 Gbps, but for the home, 1 Gbps tends to be the default (and faster than most Internet service), 2.5 the fast option, and 10 Gbps the really expensive option for demanding users (e.g.: tech. professionals, people editing a lot of video).

Some routers have a USB port and some don’t. Years past it was handy for connecting a printer to bestow wireless printing, but now most printers are already wireless. You can connect an external storage drive and make it network-accessible.

The traditional stand-alone router tended to range from plain to ugly; many look like giant dead black robotic tarantulas with multiple legs (antennae) sticking up (note: router antennae broadcast signal strongest perpendicularly, so a vertical antenna gives strongest horizontal signal). To extend signal to larger and/or multi-story homes, people added wireless extenders, which fell out of favor (e.g.: the extended network had a different name and slower speed due to signal repeating). There are 2 main modern alternatives – a mesh router system (where 2 or more units called nodes act as one, same network name throughout, and share data wirelessly) vs. a wireless access point (where the main router sends a (likely ethernet) cable to the WAP which otherwise acts like a mesh router node (same network name throughout). You can often connect mesh nodes via ethernet cables (technically making them wireless access points).

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Mesh routers are often nicer looking and blend with home décor, and you can buy one unit and use it as a stand-alone router, then add a node later if needed. Stand-alone routers can connect wirelessly to WiFi extenders (suboptimal), by wire to another router to use as a WiFi access point, or in some cases (mainly TP-Link) wirelessly to form a de facto mesh network (e.g.: EasyMesh) – but if you think you might need a mesh network later, best start with a mesh router.

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Some routers are designed to handle a larger number of devices. Over time your device count creeps up – computers, smart phones, tablets, smart garage door openers and appliances, robot vacuums and mops, smart plugs, etc. Too many devices on an under-powered router may impair network performance.
 
III.) WiFi Routers.

Most consumer routers offer WiFi and fall into 3 tiers: WiFi 6, WiFi 6E and WiFi 7, with WiFi 8 expected to be finalized in 2028 (but pre-finalized routers claiming to be 8 expected by end of 2026). WiFi 5 and older standards aren’t recommended for new purchases. Warning about WiFi router speed claims; often claimed speed isn’t just theoretical (real world performance tends to be lower), but the sum of all wireless bands operating full-speed at once (so none of your devices is likely to get data from it nearly that fast).

Earlier WiFi networks used 2.4-GHz spectrum; it’s lower frequency, penetrates walls well and travels far. Due to so many devices using it this spectrum is often crowded, and prone to interference from some devices (e.g.: microwave ovens in use). A lot of IoT devices only use it. I’ve got a security camera on our backyard fence over a hundred feet away connecting via this band.

WiFi 4 routers added 5-GHz spectrum in 1999 (routers with 2.4 & 5 GHz spectrum are called dual band); higher frequency, faster, shorter range and less wall penetration but still fine for many modest-size homes, faster data transmission and less crowded with devices…though that’s changed a bit over time. WiFi 6 routers serve the average family home fine, but are giving way to WiFi 7 options.

WiFi 6E routers are a transition standard that added 6-GHz spectrum band data transmission (so they’re called tri-band), with radio strength limited by law to prevent interference with emergency services’ use, and higher frequency WiFi waves don’t penetrate walls well or range as far. So realistically, 6-GHz offers the home users faster data transmission in a very uncrowded spectrum in the same room as the router, or perhaps through a wall to an adjacent room.

WiFi 7 routers in theory should offer everything 6E routers do + more…but some cheaper ones lack 6-GHz coverage. Even if you see ‘tri-band,’ make sure one of those bands is in the 6-GHz spectrum (vs. 1 2.4 & 2 5 Ghz bands). When it offers 6-GHz band, it can offer wider band service with faster data transmission vs. a 6E router. WiFi 7 offered a range of improvements; one hyped feature is MLO (Multi-Link Operation), that in theory lets one device transmit data to/from a WiFi 7 router using more than one band simultaneously – but that requires both router and device are WiFi 7, and support the feature, and burn the extra power involved, so it’s not widely in use yet.

WiFi 8 is expected to improve reliability rather than a major speed jump.

Note: I left out a number of WiFi generational enhancements; TheTechExplainer can fill you in - EVERY Wi-Fi Generation Explained in 9 minutes.

IV.) Switches.

Your router has a very limited number of LAN ports to connect to devices by cable/wire, much like your average wall outlet only offers 2 outlets to plug in electrical devices. A switch is to your router’s LAN port what a multi-outlet power strip is to a wall plug; you plug multiple devices via (likely ethernet) cable into the switch, and the switch via one cable to your router. The sum of all simultaneous data transmissions through the switch to the router can’t exceed the router’s LAN port speed.

Switches can be managed (let you customize LAN port functions) or unmanaged (simpler, cheaper, more ‘plug and play’). They may offer a few or many ports, a range of port speeds (e.g.: 10 Gbps is expensive, uses more power, can run hot and if the switch has a fan may be noisier), and some offer POE (Power Over Ethernet).

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If you have multiple cables coming to your switch, they can make an unsightly mess. One option is a Patch Panel – often a low-height broad rectangular box that looks like a switch, and you connect cables to the back of the patch panel. Then you use very short ethernet patch cables to connect ports on the front of the patch cable to the front of our switch. It’s neater, more organized and makes plugging and unplugging easier.
 
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V.) Ethernet Network.

The gold standard for networking. Pretty cheap, handles high data speeds over very long runs, can be bought in bulk and cut to custom lengths, shielded (to resist electromagnetic field interference) or unshielded, available in forms built to endure outdoor (cable jacket designed to resist weather, temperatures, moisture, UV light) conditions, run through walls or along baseboards, etc., diverts data traffic from your limited WiFi bandwidth and can’t be intercepted via WiFi. Disclaimer: Ethernet is a networking technology rather than just a cable; in real world practice, it usually refers to the cables, most of which use copper wires internally. I’ll use the term to refer to the cables. USB and Thunderbolt cables can’t match the utility (e.g.: length) and value proposition.

An ethernet cable has 8 wires divided into 4 pairs running through an outer protective sheath. There are 2 main forms, solid core (each wire is a single copper wire) and stranded (each ‘wire’ is made of multiple smaller copper wires twisted together). Solid core is less flexible and more prone to break internal copper wires if moved around much, but better at reliable high speed data transmission over longer distances. It’s mainly used in walls where it’s not moved, and usually terminates in a keystone jack – often on the inside of a wall plate or patch panel. Stranded ethernet cables are more flexible, less prone to wire breakage and tolerate a lot more moving around, plugging and unplugging. The form many are familiar with is the patch cable – patch cables are usually stranded, and come with RJ45 connectors pre-attached at both ends. Often solid core ethernet cable is what’s in the walls, and stranded (often patch) ethernet cable is what’s in the rooms – with RJ45 connectors.

Ethernet cables run on a continuum from cheaper, more flexible and easier to work with but slower data transmission speeds over distance to…the opposite.

1.) Cat. 5e may be fine if already installed but less desirable in new installations vs. Cat. 6. Intended for 1 Gbps data speeds up to 100 meters. Not formally approved for but may support 10 Gbps for shorter distance. Cheaper, more flexible and easier to work with than Cat. 6a.

2.) Cat. 6 offers 10 Gbps data speed up to 37 (or 55; I’ve seen different claims online) meters, then 1 Gbps up to 100 meters.

3.) Cat. 6e (enhanced Cat. 6) offers 10 Gbps data speed up to 55 meters, then 1 Gbps. May or may not be well-shielded. Unlike Cat. 6a, it’s unofficial (performance may vary by brand) – not ratified by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and not fully certified.

4.) Cat 6a (augmented Cat. 6) offers 10 Gbps speeds to 100 meters. Like 6e may be shielded or unshielded. TIA ratified and fully certified, considered more reliable (and expensive) than 6e. Note: most home ethernet network users with new projects seem to go for cable in the Cat. 6 family.

5.) Cat. 7 – skip it. Google it if you want to read up on why.

6.) Cat. 8 offers up to either 25 or 40 Gbps (a couple of versions were released) up to 30 meters. Well-shielded for use in higher end environments (e.g.: data centers, server rooms). Tends to be thicker, less flexible and more expensive than Cat. 6 cable, with extra potential wasted on most home users.

You can find flattened cable to run along baseboards or across floors, protective sheaths for floor runs (consider trip hazard), outdoor-rated cables, shielded vs. not and various colors. For harsh conditions consider running it through conduit (e.g.: a PVC pipe). An optional feature is PoE (Power over Ethernet, with different versions – PoE (15-watt power delivery), PoE+ (30-watt) and PoE++ (60 or 90-watt)) – if your devices (e.g.: router, switch or PoE injector and client device) all support it, your ethernet cable serves as your power cable – very useful for applications such as security cameras.

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If you’re having a new home built, consider adding ethernet cable while cheaper and far more convenient vs. a more extensive DIY or expensive paid professional project later. Trying to move cable through walls, crawlspaces (maybe with black widow spiders), digging through fiberglass insultation in your attic (maybe very hot), paying lots more money…
 
VI.) MoCA (Multi-media over Coax) vs. Powerline Adapters.

On the cheaper end, if you need few wired connections and/or it’s not worthwhile to run ethernet (e.g.: rental property, to deal with a WiFi dead zone in one room), one of these 2 options may work. For a connection or two cost is modest. Of the 2, online reviews indicate MoCA is preferred over Powerline if you have the option for both. I read MoCA tends to have lower latency than Powerline.

MoCA requires coaxial cable; many homes wired for cable t.v. have coax. cable in their walls, and the idea is use it like in-wall ethernet cable. If you have a cable modem with MoCA capability, it can serve as the MoCA adapter between modem and coax.; otherwise, put an adapter between router and wall coax. port, then another MoCA adapter elsewhere in the house where a coax. port or cable is. Then you can plug an ethernet cable into that adapter to connect your device. You may need add a special filter to prevent your network traffic from causing interference with the cable provider’s network. The latest version has a theoretical speed up to 2.5 Gbps.

Powerline adapters do the same basic thing using your home’s electrical wiring instead of coax. cables; you plug an adapter into one outlet (not a power strip!), and an adapter into another outlet. Recent versions have theoretical speed up to 2 Gbps. Works best if both adapters use the same electrical phase/circuit (governed by the same circuit breaker in your home’s electrical panel). Subject to interference from some appliances.

Can You Use a 2nd Cable Modem Rather Than a MoCA Adapter?

If you’ve got an extra cable modem and cable Internet service, will they let you attach it to a different coax. cable port elsewhere in the home and run a cable from that 2nd modem to a router or device? To save you the cost of MoCA adapters? From what I saw online, I got the impression the answer’s probably no…unless you pay for a 2nd line of service.



VII.) Fiber.

You may get your internet service via ‘fiber to home.’ You can use fiber equipment for part of your network (e.g.: replace ethernet cable for part of the run as a much thinner, more discreet cable along baseboards and around doorways is more invisible) or more extensively (e.g.: for extreme data transfer speed within the home). Fiber can transmit data very fast over extreme distances, way beyond in-home needs, but it’s expensive, sensitive (e.g.: don’t touch the ends of fiber cables; smudges impair light transmission), often delicate (e.g.: cables contain glass, albeit cutting out a damaged segment and patching is possible), and if you have a mix of fiber and ethernet connections, adapters (e.g.: media converters) cost money. For some use fiber should use less power than 10 Gbps ethernet (with copper cables), but beware cheap transceivers (such as used to plug 10 Gbps ethernet cables into a SFP port) that may overheat. You’ll have to decide between single mode and multi-mode cable. For shorter connections some use DAC (Direct Attached Copper) cables (can be active or passive) or AOC (Active Optical Cables); either has built-in transceivers at both ends.



VIII.) Conduit.

Think of conduit as pipe you can run a cable/wire through. It can be steel, aluminum, PVC, etc., protects your cable and in walls may make passing new cable through later much easier (perhaps aided by a tool called a fish tape). Online digging suggests running ethernet and electric power lines through the same conduit isn’t advised (e.g.: electromagnetic interference, fire hazard). Consider conduit when burying cable outdoors or for harsh conditions.



IX.) Rackmount Gear.

Picture in your mind a large tower-style Windows PC, where various hard drives, SSDs, optical drives, GPUs and expansion cards are stacked atop each other, forming the ‘tower’ inside the case. Now take the outer case off. That image is analogous to a rackmount setup – a vertically oriented rectangular frame in which you install devices in stacked layers to get a neatly organized compact unit. It makes more sense for extensive, multi-device setups with a large switch, patch panel, multi-bay NAS and possibly a computer.

To go this route, it pays to buy gear designed to install in racks. Unfortunately, such gear is often designed with noisier environments in mind, so it may be louder than standard equivalents, and can be more expensive.

There are many options (e.g.: do you want wheels with that?), but pay attention to width (the standard is 19 inch, but there are other options) and vertical height measured in U (1U = 1.75 inches), a measure of both rack and component height. A 2U-based rack vs. a 1U-based tends to be taller with more component air space, the 1U more compact with denser stacks and more apt to use higher RPM (louder!) fans. Online browsing suggests 2U tends to be preferred over 1U. Depth varies amongst racks and components; pay attention whether a given rack can accommodate your gear in all dimensions (height, width, depth). Racks come in 4-post (mount gear to front and back) and 2-post (only attached in the front) types.

Racks come in many forms; instead of sitting on the floor yours may bolt to a wall or ceiling.
 
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X.) In-wall Media Box/Enclosure.

Imagine wanting the benefits of a ‘mini-rackmount’ setup packed into a ‘medicine cabinet’ or even into a wall like your electric system’s breaker box. In-wall options need fit between wall studs (typically 16 inch gap), and within wall thickness, so space is limited. Be mindful tight spaces without good airflow can trap heat and if the enclosure is metal (not all are) – metal blocks WiFi – you may have 2 good reasons not to put your router in it. You can make a cable-strewn ugly mess inside one; they don’t force neatness, they aid it.

These handle nowhere near the size components a rack can, but for smaller items and hiding cables may serve.



XI.) Long Distance Usage.

For an unattached building (e.g.: a large metal-walled shop) or WiFi coverage over a huge backyard in a rural area with poor cell reception, you have options. There are outdoor router models with longer distance directional range, and you can run outdoor-rated ethernet cable through conduit (likely buried) to add a WiFi node/access point to your outbuilding, etc. And for really long range, I saw a YouTube presentation on the HaLowLink 2 / Long-range Sub-1Ghz Wi-Fi HaLow Router.



XII.) NAS (Network Attached Storage).

Delved into deeply in this thread so I won’t rehash much here. A NAS is a device with its own CPU, motherboard, operating system and RAM, offering storage and often server functions to other devices on a network. Data is housed on hard disc drives (HDDs) or SSDs, usually more than 1 in a RAID (or similar proprietary) array to combine physical discs into 1 virtual disc and often provide redundancy (not an adequate backup strategy alone). Think of it as a huge storage repository with access shared by multiple devices on a network, and many can host and serve content.

Note: The redundancy of RAID arrays (other than RAID 0) is insurance against data loss from disc failure (how many depends on which RAID version you use), but not so helpful against failure of the NAS itself (which happened to me). If you have content on the NAS that would otherwise need to be backed up without RAID redundancy…you still need to back it up on something besides the NAS (e.g.: an external hard drive or another NAS).

The idea backup strategy follows the 3-2-1 rule: at least 3 copies of important data using at least 2 types of media with 1 copy off-site (e.g.: to protect against fire or theft).
 
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XIII.) IoT (Internet of Things).

All those devices that use WiFi to function (whether they draw on the Internet or not). Amazon Echo devices, smart t.v.s, smart lights/plugs/thermostats/ garage door openers, robot vacuums and mops, security cameras, you have a plethora of options. Here are practical considerations.

  • Security. Do you have any idea whether your old smart device that only operates on WPA2 encryption has firmware vulnerabilities and exposure to online threats? Many users use WPA3 Personal Transition to let WPA2-only devices access the network, but that means they do so less securely. Some users prefer routers able to make virtual networks to isolate their less secure IoT devices on a VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) separate from the network hosting their main devices (e.g.: computer, smart phone) in case of a breach (e.g.: fear of a ransomware attack).
  • Router Performance. Your router is basically a little computer with its own CPU to juggle the demands of multiple client devices and data streams. Lay on too many simultaneous devices and performance and reliability may be compromised. Get a router that can handle well over the number you anticipate.
  • Over-Dependence. Sometimes routers die at inconvenient times (happened to me). Suddenly you can’t use your phone to raise the garage door, unlock the front door, change the temp. setting on the Nest, etc. Annoying if you’re home, very annoying if off on a trip.
  • Security Cameras. Generate a lot of video files, the higher the resolution the bigger the files, and often placed where no power outlet is at hand. You can use battery, solar powered or POE options. For a few fairly low res. cameras in sporadic use WiFi may do; for higher video demands consider ethernet connections (power and free up WiFi bandwidth) and for higher storage consider a NAS.


XIV.) The Ecosystem Option.

Apple is famous/infamous (depending on your point-of-view) for its ‘walled garden’ Apple device ecosystem; inter-device functionality exclusive to, or slicker and more feature-rich when using Apple’s own devices – your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iCloud services, etc. It limits your vendor and product options to hold to that ecosystem, but you get consistent quality inter-device function. This helps Apple simplify technology, making it more accessible to the everyday home user.

There are multiple networking brands that offer a range of products, but the one with an extensive product line, a reputation for the option to centrally manage multiple devices and that I’ve seen called the ‘Apple of networking’ is Ubiquiti. Which is…strange. They have a reputation for quality product, a loyal enthusiast following and get high recommendations, but historically they were seen as targeting a more technically sophisticated prosumer (and offering less ‘hand-holding’ to the average home consumer).

That said, if you want an Ubiquiti router, multi-bay NAS, large switch and patch panel all in an Ubiquiti rack, sending ethernet cables to in-ceiling Ubiquiti POE-powered wireless access points and security cameras sending footage to that NAS, to centrally manage your network with Ubiquiti’s UniFi system, to have a large range of choice within product categories, and want extensive control of network features (at the cost of complexity)… Ubiquity might be your answer!

One fly in the ointment; they recently entered the NAS market (in 2024) and reviews indicated their first (excellent value multi-bay) NAS, the UniFi UNAS Pro, lacked much of the server function a number of competitors offered. Time and technology march on and this article is dated, so don’t assume…inquire whether their products do what you want now.
 
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Practical Summary for Real Life.

So what does all this mean for the home consumer? Some sample use cases may help.

#1.) Basic. A single person or small family in an apartment or single-story home up to mid.-size (e.g.: under 2,000 square foot?) with a couple of computers, 2 or 3 smart phones, a couple of tablets, several IoT devices/appliances (e.g.: smart t.v.s) and a video game console. It’s very possible a 500 Mbps Internet package and the modem/router loaned/rented by the ISP may be all you need. If you want a more capable router or modem, buy your own (and save on rental fees). If you don’t like ‘ugly’ routers, get a single unit from a mesh system.

#2.) Basic on Steroids. You have a larger, perhaps multi-story or ranch-style (long) home, or maybe your walls aren’t typical American style and block WiFi more. You are probably looking at a 2 or 3 node mesh router network; if you have the option to use ethernet-connected wireless access points instead of wireless backhaul, even better. You probably don’t need to run ethernet through your walls.

#3.) Basic + Demanding. If you are a competitive video gamer you want reliable performance and minimal latency, so ideally a wired connection – ethernet, failing that maybe MoCA or Powerline adapters. If you don’t have a nit-picking spouse, perhaps an ethernet cable clipped to run along the baseboard and around door faces or under a rug is fine with you? If you just need one or two wired connections, running ethernet through the walls may be impractical.

#4.) Demanding. You may be a YouTube influencer or work-from-home tech. industry pro. engaged in video editing and/or have a fairly extensive array of security cameras, wireless access points and multiple smart devices. A 10 Gbps local network, where the router has at least one 10 Gbps LAN port and your switch has at least a couple, a 10 Gbps-capable NAS and an 1+ Gbps Internet package (prefer fiber-to-home over cable, since cable upload speeds are often far slower than download speeds, unlike fiber). You may want to use ethernet connections wherever you can (e.g.: Mac to router to NAS, likely with a switch). If you own your home, a big DIY or paid professional project to run Cat 6a ethernet through walls and attic or crawlspace may make sense. Designate one spot in the home as the central network ‘brain’ (e.g.: modem, router, switch, patch panel).

#5.) New Construction. Even if you are a single individual or average family with modest needs, if having a new house built, while cheap and easy have Cat. 6 ethernet cable run through at least some of your walls, and ideally provide for a low-profile in-ceiling POE-powered wireless access point or two. Maybe think about conduit.

#6.) Hold My Beer & Watch This. If you’re a tech. enthusiast and avid DIY guy, or make demonstration YouTube video content and you’ve got some money, options about. High-speed in-home fiber networking, both Cat. 8 ethernet and fiber running through conduit in your walls, extensive POE-powered security camera arrays, an ethernet-connected outdoor router with longer distance coverage, a smart light in every room, a multi-bay NAS (another off-site to back it up to) that serves video on demand, a rackmount setup, options abound.

#7.) Advance Planning. When I bought my M4Pro Mac Mini in 2024, I had a $100 choice between 1 and 10 Gbps ethernet. Most current Thunderbolt 5 docks don’t have 10 Gbps ethernet; the (expensive) CalDigit TS5 Plus does. A USB-C or Thunderbolt-to-10 Gbps Ethernet adapter for your Mac is expensive and ties up a port. I chose 1 Gbps for my Mac Mini, and that not only shut me out of 10 but also 2.5 and 5 Gbps speeds without buying an adapter. In retrospect, I wish I’d spent the $100. You do you.
 
Sources & Recommended Educational Content.​
 
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