So you just moved into your new place or you want your current work space to be a little cooler. Now you’re going to tackle building your very home network! How exciting! It’s very important not to overlook some of the smaller details that go into your new set up. You might think you have all the necessary equipment but then you realize those 10 ft cables aren’t going to cut it, perhaps a 500 ft Ethernet cable will do the trick? Or you thought you had all the correct stuff, but then you realize you never bought a surge protector to finish the job. The big purchases are up to you, we want to help you out with some of the smaller stuff.
- HDMI — Don’t forget about your HDMI cables. There are three types: HDMI Standard, HDMI Standard with Ethernet, and HDMI Standard Automotive. Don’t overthink it and certainly don’t overspend. Many stores do charge $50 or more for HDMI cables, but there is no reason you have to pay that price. You can find great HDMI cables for much cheaper.
- Cable Safety — Be very careful with all your cables you have. A few years ago, electrical fires caused by malfunctions resulted in over 53,000 home fires. These fires could have easily been avoided with proper safety and cable care, but they ended up causing more than 500 deaths, 1,400 injuries, and cost over $1.4 billion in property damage.
- Cable Length Doesn’t Change Quality — This is important because a lot of people think they need the most expensive HDMI and Ethernet cables out there. Not true. if you’re 15 ft away or 100 ft away you should be fine. A 75 ft Ethernet cable should cover just about any short distance network. However, if you do need a cable that is more than 100 ft, you can get them specifically designed for just that. You can get a 500 ft Ethernet cable, 100 ft HDMI cable, or anything else specifically created for your needs.
- Buy in Bulk When Feasible — A lot of the necessary equipment is excellent quality, but there can still be problems. It’s a good idea to buy certain items in bulk just in case anything happens to the original. Think about purchasing a bulk fiber optic cable and cat6 cable bulk or cat5e cable bulk, whatever you need.
You can easily find places that will offer you a lifetime warranty and there are plenty of distribution centers that offer tech support before and after the sale. Just keep it simple. You don’t need a 500 ft Ethernet cable if you’re on your laptop, sitting three feet away. I’m sure you already planned out the complicated stuff. For the basics, it’s best to stick with the basics.