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Step 8Cool Options to Make you Geek Friends Drool
There are some cool additions that you can make to your home network that will make your geek friends drool!
1. File Server or NAS
- I added and mounted a 1U file server in the distribution room that holds all of my multimedia. This includes a mirrored RAID with 1TB of storage for music, movies, TV shows, etc. (RAID is NOT a backup, but I feel better about not losing my media if a hard drive takes a dump) With this I can stream media to any computers on my network! A SOHO NAS device such as Netgear's ReadyNAS also works well here but I've found that their network performance (of NAS devices, NOT specifically the ReadyNAS which I've heard is tha' bomb) doesn't approach the gigabit speeds their network interfaces can negotiate.
2. XBMC
- I have both of my XBOXes (yes the originals, no 360 YET) soft modded with XBMC loaded on them. They are also configured with the DVD remote receivers for XBOX so I can control them from the Harmony. This allows me to stream all the multimedia on my server to either of my TVs! No more is watching Hulu or other media limited to just my computer screens. Girls like to watch TV and Movies on the TV. They don't care if you have "The Notebook" on your laptop, they only want to watch it on your TV!
3. Gigabit Switch
- I touched on this before, but upgrading to a gigabit switch allows SUPER FAST file sharing between machines on your home network. It's probably overkill but so is a Bugatti and we all want one of those. If you can't afford one with enough ports for your entire network, you can segregate 2 networks. With the patch panel you could plug port 1 and 2 from each 4 port location into the gigabit switch and the other 2 into the slower switch. But come on, you might as well blow the money and get the whole she-bang!
4. DVR Anywhere
- With a file server set up, you can also install a bunch of DVR cards in it. Each card can record different shows from your cable and store them on the file server. You can then watch your recorded shows on any TV in your house with XBMC. Assuming you set up the routing and or VPN access you can access those shows from a laptop with decent bandwidth ANYWHERE!
5. IP Phones
- Some manufacturers are making IP based telephones that can connect to the internet. Who still has a home phone!?! But if you need one, at least you can skip the phone company bill.
6. IP Cameras
- You can put security cameras in any room which you've run network drops to and record them to your file server. No more worrying if the babysitter is shaking your kids or snooping in your bed room. Your wife or girlfriend might not like your sex lives on the internet though!
7. BE CREATIVE!
1. File Server or NAS
- I added and mounted a 1U file server in the distribution room that holds all of my multimedia. This includes a mirrored RAID with 1TB of storage for music, movies, TV shows, etc. (RAID is NOT a backup, but I feel better about not losing my media if a hard drive takes a dump) With this I can stream media to any computers on my network! A SOHO NAS device such as Netgear's ReadyNAS also works well here but I've found that their network performance (of NAS devices, NOT specifically the ReadyNAS which I've heard is tha' bomb) doesn't approach the gigabit speeds their network interfaces can negotiate.
2. XBMC
- I have both of my XBOXes (yes the originals, no 360 YET) soft modded with XBMC loaded on them. They are also configured with the DVD remote receivers for XBOX so I can control them from the Harmony. This allows me to stream all the multimedia on my server to either of my TVs! No more is watching Hulu or other media limited to just my computer screens. Girls like to watch TV and Movies on the TV. They don't care if you have "The Notebook" on your laptop, they only want to watch it on your TV!
3. Gigabit Switch
- I touched on this before, but upgrading to a gigabit switch allows SUPER FAST file sharing between machines on your home network. It's probably overkill but so is a Bugatti and we all want one of those. If you can't afford one with enough ports for your entire network, you can segregate 2 networks. With the patch panel you could plug port 1 and 2 from each 4 port location into the gigabit switch and the other 2 into the slower switch. But come on, you might as well blow the money and get the whole she-bang!
4. DVR Anywhere
- With a file server set up, you can also install a bunch of DVR cards in it. Each card can record different shows from your cable and store them on the file server. You can then watch your recorded shows on any TV in your house with XBMC. Assuming you set up the routing and or VPN access you can access those shows from a laptop with decent bandwidth ANYWHERE!
5. IP Phones
- Some manufacturers are making IP based telephones that can connect to the internet. Who still has a home phone!?! But if you need one, at least you can skip the phone company bill.
6. IP Cameras
- You can put security cameras in any room which you've run network drops to and record them to your file server. No more worrying if the babysitter is shaking your kids or snooping in your bed room. Your wife or girlfriend might not like your sex lives on the internet though!
7. BE CREATIVE!
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I have some computer that used to be gigabit, then I switched them to another router that was 100 mbps. The difference was easy to spot, for sure. The same ISP in both cases.
Gigabit equipment will help you if you're transferring a large amount of files or pulling stuff simultaneously of NAS drives.
don't mess with it and it won't break. It appears to have been a PICNIC (look it up)
situation.
Seriously though, its a linux box, they are designed to just carry on running without interference. Once setup, should be fine. Ours appears to be amazing now it's stable
Avoid the buffalo terrastation though, awful interface.
The high voltage in the power cables can easily mess up with the data transfer due to EM fields.
The more they run together, the more parasites (packet loss) you will get.
Also, avoid the freecom media player series like the plague. Seriously slow and won't play with a mac.
I reccomend the old fashioned method. A good solid, linux machine. Try http://www.freenas.com
PS: freenas is based on freebsd (unix,) which gives you extra geek cred.
May I offer a suggestion? Get some Fire Proof Caulk and fill the holes you drilled in the top plates. This helps to keep fire from moving from the attic into the side walls via the holes you drilled for the cable. I would also use plenum grade cable. Perhaps you did but I don't recall it being mentioned so I thought I would bring it up.
Cool project!
Anyway, back to the point: Nice instructable, dude!