How to plan network cables for renovation without regrets? I revisited the pitfall checklist: starting at Super Category 6, leaving a room open
my home renovation started in 2021. At that time, I knew nothing about the internet and outsourced everything to the renovation company. For the network cables, I only heard the workers say, "Make sure you use the cables properly." In the second year of staying, problems arose: the study was barely accessible with WiFi in the living room. When I tried to get a cable connection, I found there was no opening; The weak current box is pitifully small, and the optical modem and router are squeezed inside, making it unbearably hot. Last year, while helping a friend oversee renovations, I compiled a list of all the pitfalls from the past few years for him. He followed them, and this year when moving in, the whole house had cable ports to plug in freely, and the WiFi was stable. This article will write down the checklist. If you are currently renovating or preparing to renovate, just copy the homework.
to get straight to the point: use Category 6 for the main line, don't save 200 yuan this time. Many people struggle between Category 6 or Category 6
but my advice is straightforward: for 2026 renovations, go straight to Category 6A (CAT6A) for the main line, don't buy Category 6 . The price difference is only about a hundred yuan per coil of thread, but the whole house costs two or three hundred more, but if you bury it in the wall, it's something that won't move for twenty or thirty years. The cost of tearing down the wall once is enough to buy ten coils of wire.
how to choose, just note three points :
- check the cable code : regular cables have labels like CAT 6A every single segment, and there's a specification like "23AWG." If there is no ink spray or the code comes off with just a wipe, just return it directly.
- check the conductor : peel off the outer shell, and inside it should be oxygen-free copper, shining red; The most likely to turn white or dull is copper-clad aluminum-copper-clad steel, which can't run steadily even at gigabits. Heat it with a lighter; after burning pure copper, it's still a whole thread, while aluminum will break into slag (this is a simple trick taught to me by the wire seller).
- Don't believe 'Category 6 is enough' : Category 6 running gigabit is no problem, but 2.5G ports are now standard routers. NAS and internal network file transfers will soon become the 2.5G domain. CAT6A pushes the ceiling to 10Gbps, achieving everything in one step.
Shielding or Not (FTP/UTP) at home is not a concern; household environment interference is minimal, non-shielded Category 6A is sufficient, but shielded wires must be properly grounded; if not grounded, it can be worse.
weak current box: If you can upgrade to a large one, do it. This is my biggest regret
The developers usually leave weak current boxes in small plastic boxes, which can be filled with a light modem. But in practice, you need to at least put in: optical modem, router (or switch), fiber optic fusion patch, and power strip. Four items crammed into a small box can't dissipate heat, causing the device to get hot and slow down in summer. This is a hidden reason why many people "slow down at night."
during renovation, have the electricians smash the original boxes and replace them with large low-voltage boxes over 40 cm by 30 cm, which cost dozens to over a hundred yuan from domestic brands. Don't overlook two details:
First, leave a five-hole socket next to the enclosure—preferably two—to power the optical modem router, so it doesn't run into high-power appliances. Second, don't make the wall where the weak current box is located in a complicated shape, or it will be difficult to open and inspect the box later.
if you really don't want to smash (like a fully decorated house), there are remedies: only the optical modem is placed in the weak current box, the router is moved to the living room TV cabinet, and the network cable is taken out of the box. This is my current plan—it works, but it's not as refreshing as a one-step solution. Where to place a router for good signal? I previously wrote a separate test article, feel free to check it out ( where routers best signal). How to reserve
points: Each room should have at least one port, and these two rooms should have two ports
the points are the locations of the network cable sockets. My motto is: ' where there are people, leave a mouth; leave a double mouth in the TV and study' Many people think that as long as the whole house has good WiFi, it's fine; no one uses the network ports—once you move in, you'll know: TV, desktop, NAS, surveillance, and wired devices will only increase. No matter how fast WiFi is, it's still fast, but it's never as stable as a single cable.
specific location is recommended as follows:
| location | leave a few openings for | who will use them |
| living room TV wall | 2 | TV + TV box/ IPTV, IPTV must be wired for stability |
| study room | 2 | desktop computer + NAS or printer |
| 1 | each bedroom and then place sub-routers or Mesh nodes, using | |
| dining room/hallway for wired backtrips: ceiling | 1 (top) | |
| want to install a ceiling AP, this is a lifeline | ||
| 2 wires from the weak current box to the TV wall | one main and one spare, costing tens of yuan |
especially emphasize the last two lines. The bedroom port might usually be empty, but when you realize WiFi isn't working, you might want to add a Mesh node. Wired backhaul and wireless backhaul are two different experiences (I've written a comparison before; if you want to know, check this out: Mesh How to connect wired backhaul ). As for the top port, it's reserved for the AC+AP solution—the ceiling AP is installed in the middle of the roof, so the signal spreads from top to bottom, more evenly distributed than any router in any corner. It's not without reason that hotels and offices do this too. If you don't leave it during renovation, you'll only have a visible path later.
all wires must follow a 'star-shaped' pattern: radiating from the weak current box, each wire to a point. Don't try to save effort by connecting them in series; unlike electrical wires, network cables are not connected in series.
Ethernet ports and panels: Crystal connectors are hidden in the wall, and the module uses a wired
with careful methods for both ends of the cable. Don't just press the crystal connectors directly on both the weak current box and the room end—the proper way is to install a "network module" on both ends, install an 86-inch network port panel on the wall, and connect the device with ready-made patch cords. If the connector oxidizes and loosens over time, you have to disassemble the panel to check. The module has a larger contact area for wiring, making it much more stable.
buy the panel with a modular cable-laying model, each costing a dozen yuan. If the color doesn't match your decor style, white and gold are also available. There's a pitfall I tried for a friend: the string should be with B standard (T568B), and both ends should be made according to B standard. Some workers understood, some didn't. After the test, they had him run around with a line gauge, and the eight lights had to turn on in sequence to count. A line tester costs thirty to forty yuan; it's recommended to bring your own. You'll appreciate it during inspection.
the openings on the TV wall, the panel is installed behind the TV and hidden behind it; If you plan to hang a TV in the future, set the point at the center of the TV so it doesn't block the cable from being plugged in.
Optical modem and dial-up: These two reserved options determine whether you can switch to bridging later
Many people don't know about this one, but it's actually the most valuable. When the carrier installs broadband, the optical modem defaults to "routing mode." It dials by itself, and your router connects to it. Below is a secondary router, with two layers of NAT. Gaming hosts have limited NAT types and port mapping is troublesome. Experts often switch the optical modem to "bridge mode" and let their own router dial (I wrote about how to change it: optical modem switching to bridge ).
renovation-related reservations are simple: after fiber is installed in the home, the modem should place the weak current box, leaving at least two network cables from the weak current box to your main router location. One is the dial-up line from the main router to the optical modem, and the other is the return line or for the TV. With just one cable, there's no room to maneuver when you want to change the bridge or adjust the equipment position in the future.
By the way, if your community supports it, try to use a leather fiber cable to the weak current box for fiber access. Don't have the operator install the optical modem on the shoe cabinet at the door—once installed, the heart of your entire home network is inside the shoe cabinet. Closing the door in summer is not breathable, and in winter you'll be surrounded by shoes, which is awkward. When installing broadband, people are present and tell the technician "Optical modem to install a weak current box," and generally agree.
Acceptance Checklist: Before delivery, check off each item with this form
During the renovation electrical and plumbing inspection, go through the network section separately. I listed the list here, saved one on my phone, and checked it on the day of acceptance:
- Each wire has both ends with coded CAT6A. Wires and network cables are routed separately, with intersections crossing vertically without parallel
- wire tester measures each wire. Eight lights turn on in sequence. If there is no connection, redo is required on the spot
- The weak current box has been replaced with a large box, with independent five-hole sockets at the box edge
- and each planning point panel installed. Module wiring is marked B, panel labels clearly state "Which room to go to"
- leaving two wires each from the TV wall and study to the weak current box. Coiled the excess wire ends and leave them inside the box without cutting them
- Make sure the AP port on top is centered in the hallway ceiling, leaving at least half a meter of cable allowance
the last "don't cut the wire end" separately: the extra wire is wound inside the weak current box, which is your capital for all future changes. The spare cable from my friend's study was later used to connect to a newly added Mesh node, so I no longer have to get exposed wires around walls. What to do about
already renovated: Three remedial options
Writing so much doesn't mean only unrenovated ones can be saved. For those already moving in, there are three routes ranked by status:
first, the open line. Run PVC cable trays along the wall corners, paint them the same color as the wall, and a single cable from the living room to the study costs only a few dozen yuan. It's not aesthetically pleasing but the cheapest. Second, use the existing wiring to replace the solution. Many houses have wired TVs from the living room to the weak current box. If you move the main router to the TV cabinet and switch the optical modem inside the weak current box to a bridge, the living room signal will immediately improve. Third, if you really don't have a cable and want to cover the whole house, use Mesh for wireless backhaul, or try the power modem (it's more reliable under the same distribution box). Don't throw away the extra old routers; switching to AP mode can earn you a few free network ports. I've written about the specific connection method: router as a switch/AP for . To summarize the
order: Undecorated cables, Category 6A + large weak current box + leaving ports in each room + dual ports in the TV study room + AP ports left on the roof—this is the main line; Half-installed items take the acceptance checklist to monitor delivery; After installation, choose three routes—exposed wiring, rerouting routes, and mesh wiring—according to your budget. Network cables are among the longest-lasting components in the entire home, outlasting phones, computers, refrigerators, and even if done correctly, you won't need to touch them again for twenty or thirty years.
