Looking for expert u-verse opinions on wiring and setup for optimal use of both TV network and LAN

[SquidDaddy]

Posted this inside another thread but I only received one reply so I'm starting my own with it....

I'm also interested in what is the "Optimal" cabling structure to get the best speed and quality for not only the TV service, but also the computer network side of things.  I came from Comcast and had 5 STB and 1 cable card on the TV side and a Gigabit wired/Wireless N network on the computer side.  Everything worked flawlessly before the U-Verse install. 

U-Verse newbie here and I'm having some services issues/problems with losing the internet service, wireless STB connectivity and other STB connectivity to the DVR....like picture freezing during playback or just dropping the ON Demand channel and going back to the menu.   The problems come and go and I'm trying to decide if the entire system was marginally installed.  When the tech came out to do the install we had to make some concessions as to how the equipment was laid out based on my existing wiring or lack thereof. 

Backgroud:

U-Verse layout as it is now.  Copper lines from the street to COAX (RG6 not Quad Shielf) at the NID (I guess that's what it is called) on the outside of the house.  The COAX runs to the RG on the second story of the home...the RG feeds the STB/DVR over Ethernet with HDMI output to the TV in that room.  There is also a U-Verse Wireless Access Point pluged into the RG Ethernet that supplies two wireless STB in adjacent rooms also on the second story.  The install tech run a new  AT&T supplied RG6 from the NID 100 feet to an AT&T splitter that feeds 3 more STBs (1st floor) over my existing coax.  I'm assuming he also installed the "Diplexor" in the NID to feed the new run of COAX to the 3 downstairs STBs.

Since it was installed this way, how does that compare to an optimal solution? I'm willing to do some new RG6 Quad wiring to all areas that the STBs reside in to a "Home" run location to put the RG and DVR/STB.  Would this be better?  I'm guess I'm trying to get all the STBs serviced over the RG6 network to free up traffic on the Ethernet side...I guess this is basically the same way as my Comcast install.  Right now any of the STBs accessing the DVR are tying up Ethernet traffic on the non-Gigabit switch in the RG.  That hardly seems optimal. From reading the above posts, it seems as though running all the STBs off of Ethernet is the way to go. 

Right now for the internet side of things, I have turned off the wireless in the RG and connected my DIR655 Gigabit Router (DHCP off) LAN to LAN on the RG  and letting the RG do the DHCP and routing.  All my wired Ethernet (pre-existing) is wired to the DIR655 and getting IP addresses through the RG. 

With the setup I have now, both TV and computer network, I'm having these issues come and go.  Soliciting all opinions here on which way to go.  If things are already optimal then I guess the alternative is to just go back to Comcast.

Thanks ahead for your input and replies.

Jeff

[SquidDaddy]

Was really hoping that an "Expert" U-verse would provide some comments.  I have quickly put together a diagram of how the install is now and a possible rewiring based on a comment in the thread below.

http://forums.att.com/t5/Residential-Gateway/Best-home-wiring-solution-coax-vs-cat5/td-p/3187789

My Current Setup....

Proposed Setup....

Comments?

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

Your proposed solution will separate IPTV and Internet traffic, which could help your computers.

However, there is another option instead of running RG6 from the NID to the RG -- you can also run Cat5e instead. This may have lower errors than coax for this run. However, you will need a different balun in the NID, AT&T will have to come provide that for you.

[SquidDaddy]

Thanks for the reply SomeJoe7777.  I have been following your posts in the other thread on how to use other routers with Uverse and I was about to pick your brain on the networking area. I think I will go ahead with the proposed solution and also look into running a Cat5e cable from the NID to the RG as well so it will be in place if needed.

On a separate note, should/do the two different networks be on their own subnet?  I'm not a networking guru so could you provide an example of such.  I have my DLink 655 configured as an AP with the DHCP turned off and assigned a static IP right now of 192.168.1.1 and the RG is 192.168.1.254 doing the DHCP and handing out addresses from 192.168.1.64-253.

Thanks in advance.

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

No, they don't have to be on different subnets. They just need to have the RG separating them, so that the multicast traffic on the IPTV side won't interfere with the computer side. Having all the TV receivers on one of the Ethernet feeds from the RG and all the computers on another accomplishes this.

[SquidDaddy]

Thanks for weighing in SomeJoe777, your thoughts are very appreciated.