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Upcoming Move - Questions Ethernet Cable, Modem/Router, Ethernet Run & Electrical

My head hurts thinking through the options and alternatives I am facing in moving my audio system into a home we are remodeling a few hundred miles away.  I will be moving all the components myself.  I would really appreciate your thoughts on an efficient set up that does not impact the quality of my system and especially the digital steaming.  I am pretty well dialed in at my present location with a large AV closet ( 12'X10' ) that is heated/cooled and has the internet coming in with associated wiring for the modem and router.  

Quick overview - I have in the new home a good location for all components determined . The electrician is putting in a dedicated line/outlet thats a few feet from all the devices - amp, preamp, streamer, DAC, turntable, various power supplies for devices, power strip and surge protector.  There is a 15' wall with bookcases built in on either side and a large window in the middle.  Under the window and connecting the bookcases is a built in bench seat with accessible storage space that connects to either side and it has a hinged top - so I can run cabling the length of the entire wall that is hidden.  The speakers will be around 12' apart on either end.  With this setup the internet line is coming into the bookcases on the right side and that is where the present combination modem/router is now located.  On the far left side wall by the bookcase is where the new power/outlet is being run ( due to access to the panel downstairs ) and where I will have a wooden three shelf rack for the components.  Hope this helps you visualize the setup.  

Option 1 - Since the modem/router supplied by Xfinity is on the right side I could run a new 5 meter ethernet cable from it under the window seat and out of the cabinet where the new power will be and the streamer and DAC will be located.  The new ethernet cable would run it into an ethernet switch I have and then I would utilize my shorter Shunyata Theta ethernet cable directly from the switch into my Aurender 200 streamer

Option 2 - Run a longer length of internet cable from the wall on the right through the bookcases/window seat and place the modem/router on the left hand cabinets which puts this closer to the streamer and eliminates the need for a longer ethernet cable.

In either option above I believe I will purchase my own modem and router - suggestions please!  With all the above in mind would one option lead to higher quality sound based on the location of the modem/router and length of runs?  Is there a better option and am I missing something I have not envisioned.  Again my head hurts :)  

norust

Showing 1 response by erik_squires

erik_squires
16,868 posts
 

It’s often true that your wifi router and cable modem’s ideal location are not in the same place.  Thank goodness Ethernet cable for the most part does not care.  Put your wifi router in the best place for transmission.  That’s usually centrally located in the home.  

Check out my excessively paranoid intro to network surge protection while you are at it. :) 

If your home is pre-wired for Ethernet, and every room has a jack sometimes it’s also true that your Wifi router is far from the place your home Ethernet cables all come to.  Thank goodness for switches and access points.  

I’d say try hard to keep it convenient above all, don’t worry about optimizing Ethernet for audio.  Streamer buffers will take care of most of your issues. Wifi on the other hand is fussier. 

I’ve heard good things about Wifi 7.  That along with multi-bandf ( I think stgarting with wifi 6) really have reduced congestion and improved reliability.  If you want to go abolutely nuts you can get the top of the line Asus with an SFP port and run fiber to your audio room and no one will ever try to convince you to spend a lot in Ethernet cables again. :) 

That router is too much for me, but given the general prices for Wifi 7 it’s no longer worth it to buy a Wifi 6 router I think.  

Oh, and before I forget, free Wifi analyzers are available for every platform I know of.  I suggest you use one to gauge the best place to put your router.  They are really priceless.   PC, Mac, iPhone, etc.  there is a free version for all of them.  You want good signal strength and lack of other signals. 

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