CAT 6, 7 or 8 ?

[ScaredyCat]

Why not fibre? Complexity, cost, the fact that everything has an rj45 so you need to convert to copper anyway.
For a home network I'm not seeing the advantages.

It was a joke, hence the "Seriously" that followed

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[Droogs]

If, as you say, you want a proper business network then fiber IS the way to go. The infrastructure cost/installation time compared to copper is minimally different and will be claimable on tax. When buying your network peripherals spec fiber NICs or just buy secondhand AT2701 10/100s for a tenner for your workstations and printers and you are future proof and as secure as it's possible to be as a "normal" person/business. Copper infrastructure is not the way to go at all. In your lifetime there is absolutely no way you will run out of bandwidth on a fiber network in your house unless you are intending to rival Google in the amount of traffic you will have

 

[Richard_C]

I went into a restaurant this week - converted and extended old building with the now fashionable exposed ceiling look. Pipes and cable trays to look up at as you contemplate your coffee.

Made me think - why don't we build houses (and retro fit older ones) with cable trays just below ceiling height and a service duct between floors. They wouldn't have to be perforated steel, and the service duct can probably run alongside the vertical soil pipe which in lots of houses is boxed in somewhere. Then then you can put in and take out what you want when you want.