For those not familiar with terminology being used here, there is a handy Wikipedia which (unusually) is largely correct.

“https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_6_cable”

I would never run cat6 cables. If you are looking for speed, I would run fiber. If you want POE, I would probably stick with cat5e since it is so much easier to work with, but if the walls were open or I was paying someone, then I would run cat6a.

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

Because there are a limited number of WiFi radio channels. All already are in use.

I have Cat6 everywhere. It is very far from being OBE. It also means I can plug in a WiFi extender into the wired Ethernet anywhere if needed.

We have 1/3 acre lots and there are something like 6 other houses' WiFi contending with our WiFi (which we use only for iPhones/iPads). There are no unused Wifi channels anywhere in our neighborhood - and again these are not tiny lots or such like. It would be worse in a denser area.

Verizon FIOS is fiber-optic all the way into the basement (sometimes garage). It has been that way for 20+ years and they still do it on new installs.

Only the cable companies cheap out with slower copper from an outside pedestal to the house.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

Agree.

I couldn’t find fiber so I ran cat6 everywhere, literally every room, a few years ago and now I ask myself….why? A good WiFi setup and the only thing I use it for is POE cameras.

If you’ve got servers then run it to the server room, and two or three spots for WiFi and repeaters or antennas if your blasting it across your property.

Wouldn't having cat6 run to TVs reduce latency and remove any delays compared to WiFi?

Yes. And adding a $45 NetGear Gigabit Ethernet switch would mean reduced congestion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

I work from home, and have a gaming pc that would greatly benefit from wired speeds.

I think WiFi would be fine for 99% of most peoples work from home. Hardwired is definitely better if you’re a serious gamer. How far is your gaming pc from your router? I’d be tempted to just make one long run…maybe even out in the open if it made sense.

One more thing, with WiFi I like the easiness of having and administering a guest network for all my IoT devices. Really, almost every device in my house is on my guest network. Do newer routers make it easy to wire into guest networks?

Yes, but WiFi as another poster says meets 99.999% of users needs and it’s only getting better.

At some point cat6/e itself becomes OBE.

Work from home kind of make sense but wireless fine for that. Gaming makes sense but there’s other variables to consider.

For a gaming pc if performance is paramount you could get a good NIC and run 6a or a fiber NIC/SFP+ setup and do a wired run assuming you have good gig speed ISP and fiber into your house. Most carriers in dmv go fiber to copper demarc in your yard or nearby and copper into your house.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

Agree.

I couldn’t find fiber so I ran cat6 everywhere, literally every room, a few years ago and now I ask myself….why? A good WiFi setup and the only thing I use it for is POE cameras.

If you’ve got servers then run it to the server room, and two or three spots for WiFi and repeaters or antennas if your blasting it across your property.

Wouldn't having cat6 run to TVs reduce latency and remove any delays compared to WiFi?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

I work from home, and have a gaming pc that would greatly benefit from wired speeds.

I think WiFi would be fine for 99% of most peoples work from home. Hardwired is definitely better if you’re a serious gamer. How far is your gaming pc from your router? I’d be tempted to just make one long run…maybe even out in the open if it made sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

Agree.

I couldn’t find fiber so I ran cat6 everywhere, literally every room, a few years ago and now I ask myself….why? A good WiFi setup and the only thing I use it for is POE cameras.

If you’ve got servers then run it to the server room, and two or three spots for WiFi and repeaters or antennas if your blasting it across your property.

Wouldn't having cat6 run to TVs reduce latency and remove any delays compared to WiFi?

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

I work from home, and have a gaming pc that would greatly benefit from wired speeds.

Anonymous wrote:Why not just get a better WiFi router?

Agree.

I couldn’t find fiber so I ran cat6 everywhere, literally every room, a few years ago and now I ask myself….why? A good WiFi setup and the only thing I use it for is POE cameras.

If you’ve got servers then run it to the server room, and two or three spots for WiFi and repeaters or antennas if your blasting it across your property.

Why not just get a better WiFi router?

You just need it where you will put tv's and for a router.

I’m looking at cat6 at my townhome from the late 80s what is there to know I would like it in all rooms except bathrooms.