If you get the chance, always run more extra network fiber cabling

Extra cabling: when “more” makes sense (and when it doesn’t)

• Many agree with the article’s core point: when you’re already opening walls or trenches, extra fiber/copper is cheap insurance; labor, permits, and access are the expensive parts.
• Telco/large-network perspectives push back: duct space, weight on poles, and leased duct costs make “run everything” unrealistic at scale; capacity must be economically planned.
• In small-scale hosting, campus links, or homes, the incremental cost of thicker fiber bundles is often a rounding error compared to pulling again later.

Conduit, pull strings, and physical risks

• Strong consensus: always use conduit where possible and always leave a pull string (or tape); the “dead” cable can sometimes act as a pull, but that’s unreliable on long/lubricated runs.
• Multi-cell innerduct in conduit is praised for making later additions easier.
• Direct-burial copper between buildings is widely discouraged: nearby lightning and seasonal ground movement kill it; fiber or copper+media converters are safer.
• Rodents, raccoons, squirrels, backhoes, ice, and mis-aimed drywall screws are recurring failure modes. Armored or bend-resilient fiber and nail plates help.

Fiber details: bend radius, cleaning, and safety

• Extended debate on minimum bend radius: modern G.657 fiber can bend far tighter than Cat6; jacket specs can be more limiting than the glass itself.
• Emphasis on careful routing (no sharp corners, staples, over-tight zip ties) and on cleaning connector faces; dust can cause intermittent faults.
• Safety: never look into a fiber; assume it’s lit. Use a phone camera or light meter instead.

Single-mode vs multi-mode

• Broad agreement: in 2025, default to single-mode fiber. It’s cheaper or comparable to multimode, scales to far higher speeds/distances, and is what most new data centers and access networks favor.
• Multimode is now mainly for legacy systems or vendor‑locked subsystems; if required, run SMF plus MMF, not MMF alone.

Homes, offices, and WiFi vs wired

• Many homebuilders and renovators regret under-wiring: too few Ethernet drops, no garage/attic/yard runs, not enough circuits or exterior outlets.
• Ceiling APs with wired backhaul are strongly recommended in concrete/brick or metal-stud buildings; WiFi alone often struggles with latency and coverage.
• Small switches can fix “one jack per room,” but 10G switches are still hot and pricey; some settle for 1G/2.5G at edges with 10G fiber or DAC backbones.

Tools and alternatives

• For home/homelab, mechanical connectors often suffice; fusion splicers are now attainable via cheap/used units but seen as overkill for short runs.
• Alternatives like MoCA over coax and powerline are discussed as fallbacks where pulling new cable is impractical.