The home network is the substrate every other system depends on. Distributed audio-video, smart-home controllers, security cameras, doorbells, smart locks, dozens of IoT devices, home-office workstations — all running through the same network. The ISP-provided modem-router can’t handle the device count, the throughput, or the coverage on a luxury home. A proper home network is designed at the architectural stage and pulled at framing.
What a proper home network looks like
A complete home network design for a Vancouver Island luxury custom build typically delivers:
- Wired backbone — Cat 6A or fibre pulled to every TV, AP, AV location, security panel, and home-office during framing
- Managed wireless — 4-8 wireless access points sized to the floor plate, with seamless handoff between APs as you walk through the home
- Network controller — Ubiquiti UniFi or Araknis, with centralised management and remote configuration
- Switches — PoE-capable for cameras and access points, sized to the device count plus growth
- VLAN segmentation — separate networks for main devices, IoT, AV, security, and guest. Each network has its own access rules.
- Redundant WAN — primary ISP plus failover (cellular, Starlink, or second ISP). Automatic failover so the homeowner doesn’t notice an outage.
- UPS protection on the network rack so a brief power blip doesn’t drop everything
Ubiquiti UniFi vs Araknis — which platform
Ubiquiti UniFi is the most-deployed prosumer/commercial platform globally. Strong feature set, cost-effective per-port, well-documented. Good fit for projects where the homeowner or a property manager will engage with the dashboard.
Araknis is a residential-integrator-focused platform with deeper management features for the integrator and a simpler interface for the homeowner. Tightly integrated with Crestron, Lutron, and SnapAV ecosystem. Good fit for projects where the network sits inside a broader integration scope.
Wenner installs both; we recommend per project based on size, complexity, and how much management the homeowner wants visibility into.
Rural and Gulf Island networking — the Starlink integration
For rural Vancouver Island acreages, Gulf Island properties, and West Coast residences (Tofino, Ucluelet), Telus and Shaw coverage is uneven or unreliable. Starlink is now a standard integration:
- Primary WAN on properties without reliable ISP — Starlink delivers low-latency satellite internet sufficient for video streaming, work-from-home, and home-automation cloud back-haul
- Backup WAN on properties with ISP — automatic failover when the primary ISP drops
- Multi-WAN load balancing — both paths active, traffic split intelligently between them
We’ve integrated Starlink as primary or backup on Salt Spring Island, Pender, Galiano, Tofino, Ucluelet, the Cowichan Valley, and rural Metchosin properties.
VLAN architecture
Standard VLAN layout on Wenner home networks:
- Main — homeowner’s phones, laptops, tablets, home computers
- IoT — smart-home devices, thermostats, smart locks, voice assistants. Isolated from the main network so a compromised device can’t reach sensitive data.
- AV — distributed audio-video traffic, Crestron processor, video servers
- Security — alarm panel, security cameras, NVR
- Guest — visitors and short-term rentals. Bandwidth-capped, isolated from everything else.
Each VLAN has its own firewall rules and bandwidth allocation. Devices that need to talk across VLANs (e.g. phone reaching the Crestron app) have specific rules permitting just that traffic.
What it costs on Vancouver Island
A proper home network for a 4,000–10,000 sq ft Vancouver Island custom build typically lands:
- Network hardware (controller, switches, APs, UPS) — $4,000–$12,000
- Structured wiring install (Cat 6A or fibre to every required location, pulled at framing) — $4,000–$15,000+
- Starlink integration if applicable — $1,500–$3,000 for the hardware and integration
- Network design and commissioning — $2,000–$6,000
Total typically $8,000–$25,000 on a luxury custom build. Larger estates with multiple buildings, exterior wireless coverage, and dual-WAN integration run higher.
When to bring the network designer in
At schematic. The wired backbone, AP locations, equipment closet, and conduit runs all need to be on the architectural drawings before framing. Retrofitting structured wiring into a finished home is meaningfully more expensive and compromises the install quality.
Next step
Book a Centre Visit — both Experience Centres run the same network platforms we put in luxury homes. Talk to the team about your home’s footprint, device count, and ISP coverage.
See also: the Home Networking service page.