Renovating? Plan Ethernet now, not Wi-Fi later

Every workaround in home Wi-Fi exists because there's no cable. During a renovation, for once, there can be.

Published · 2 min read

In this guide
  1. The short version
  2. Details worth getting right
  3. Where to put the access points
  4. If you're not renovating the whole house
  5. Measure first, so you know where the cables matter

Almost every home Wi-Fi problem ends with the same sentence: it would be easy if there were a cable there. During a renovation there can be, for a fraction of what it costs later. Here's what to ask for while the walls are open.

The short version

  • Conduits everywhere you can. Even empty ones. A conduit means the next cable, whatever it is, costs an afternoon instead of a wall.
  • A central point. One small cupboard, niche or utility corner where all cables meet, with power and ventilation. It doesn't need a rack; a shelf is fine.
  • Two network sockets per main room, one behind the TV and one where a desk would go.
  • A ceiling point on each floor, in a hallway or central space, for an access point.
  • Ethernet to the spot where the router should live, which is rarely where the line enters. See internet line in the wrong corner.

Details worth getting right

  • Cable type. Ask for current-generation cable, such as Cat 6 or Cat 6A. The cable is the cheap part; the labor is not.
  • Power next to data. Each ceiling point or socket group needs a socket nearby, unless you use access points powered over the network cable.
  • Outdoor runs. If you want Wi-Fi in the garden or garage, that's the moment to bring a cable out. See outdoor access points and Wi-Fi in the garage.
  • Avoid the metal corner. Don't put the central point in a metal cabinet or behind the boiler if it will also host Wi-Fi gear.

Where to put the access points

Plan a ceiling or high wall point in the middle of each floor, rather than one in each room. One well-placed access point per floor usually covers a home; see how many mesh nodes you need and wired backhaul.

In a house being renovated floor by floor, a single cable up the stairwell or through a service riser is the most valuable one you'll run.

If you're not renovating the whole house

Even a partial job helps: a cable to one far room, or to the middle of the upper floor, changes what's possible later. Think about what you'd struggle to add once the walls are closed. See Wi-Fi in new builds for what modern materials do to the signal.

Measure first, so you know where the cables matter

Before deciding where to spend, map your current coverage. WiFi Heatmap shows which rooms and floors are weak today, which is exactly where a cable will pay for itself.