[simoncion]

> The problem to be solved is that you want to be able to put fibre inside the walls of the building instead of copper. Running a new cable to the switch closet is the thing to be prevented.

...why would you ever not run copper alongside fiber for new construction? If nothing else, PoE is extremely useful, and nothing says that you actually have to connect all of that copper cable to your switch... you can connect it as-needed. I also can't imagine that most refits only have room for exactly one cable in their conduit. [0]

I'd expect to hear the sort of plan you propose from a PHB or Highly Paid Consultant, not someone who actually has had to use that sort of configuration.

Regardless, the scenario you're now proposing is one where noone other than a PHB would use that Amazon Special that you linked for media conversion.

[0] If there's no conduit and cables are all flopping around in the wall, then there's even more room for cabling.

[zrm]

The original problem was that everyone runs copper instead of fibre because there are too many existing devices that only have copper. Running both everywhere would require you to buy and terminate twice as much cable as you expect to use, which leads people to running only copper again.

If you chose PCs to begin with that come with fibre ethernet or put quality cards in the ones that matter then you could make fibre the default instead of copper. Until you have a number of devices like printers or VoIP phones or Raspberry Pis that have no need for 10Gbps or even 1Gbps connectivity, they just need a way to be plugged in at all. If you need to add $100+ in conversion expense to each of those devices, you're back to using copper by default.

[simoncion]

> Running both everywhere would require you to buy and terminate twice as much cable as you expect to use...

Ah. Let's play with that logic a bit:

"Running Ethernet cabling everywhere would require you to buy and terminate far more than twice as much cable as you expect to use. Just run power cables and wire up one extra outlet for a HomePlug in each room.".

Yeah, that checks out. "Powerline Ethernet" devices are actually pretty good these days, and are right around your magic price range... Amazon has them at ~13 USD per unit. [0] Why would anyone bother running a second cable to each room? Thirteen bucks per room has to be way less than the materials and labor cost for the cable run. Doing anything else is, like, really stupid. Don't you agree?

Anyway. You expect to use the cabling that you plan to install... plus some extra for screwups, man.

[0] <https://www.amazon.com/Linksys-PLEK500-Homeplug-AV2-Powerlin...>