Home Improvement → Re: Future Proofing home networks

I was going to say the same thing regarding conduits.
The best way is to run cables in a way that is easy to pull out.
Heck, you can tie the new cable to the old cable on one side and pull the old cable from the other side, thus pulling in the new cable.

In the end, CAT6 should do fine for many many years. For residential use, WiFi should be able to take over any time (if not already satisfying for most types of use). I'd future proof as well by preparing locations for wifi transmitters. Multiple transmitters = better coverage and less traffic on one node. Of course, this is probably only good for single detached homes. Condos would have too many neighboring wifi networks.

As for combustability of teflon, I don't think it's much important to buy teflon if it's much more expensive or hard to find. I can see the point to it for server locations where you can have 100 network cables running into one location, but when you have the odd 1 cable running here and there, it's not what will make a difference in case of fire.

Plenum cable (CMP rated) is readily available everywhere cable is being sold and while indeed more expensive, it is not so much more expensive that cost becomes the reason for a homeowner not to buy it.

I remember seeing a video showing the difference in flame-spread and smoke development between CM (General Purpose), CMR (Riser) and CMP (Plenum) which was sufficient for me to spend a few extra dollars even if the code doesn't require it (I thought it was at the UL website but couldn't find it now).

With all the combustible material in a typical home a fire will spread regardless what type of cables you use. However plenum cable will at least not actively help in spreading the fire around (as plain PVC will do).

Here are a few different types of cables and how they react under a flame. Below is also a video of two different alleged plenum cables. The one on the right I think would be an inferior cable if not an outright counterfeit.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· EZMq_BzII think that is the main benefit of the plenum rated cables. It's not that it won't burn. Or that it's not toxic if it does. Both of those things can happen. It just helps prevent fire spreading to new parts of the building faster by using air plenums that often have moving air currents that would easily "fan the fire" so to speak. Anything that helps delay the spread of fire is beneficial, and if it releases less smoke, particularly the thick dark smoke that's typical when PVC burns, all the better.