We went with Cat6 everywhere for home internet.
For tv, we got mixed info - one company wanted two Cat6, the other wanted to RG6 cables. So we did both.
All of our Cat6 on each floor goes to a switch, and each switch is connected together and to the main router.

We hardwired phone to most of our rooms where we thought we'd need it, and figured we'd use wireless sets if we needed more.

Run Cat6 to each location BUT - RUN 2 cables to each location, you may want to add additional cameras and cable is cheap and no more costly to pull 2 lines. Be SURE they use quality SHIELDED Cat6 with SOLID copper wire, NOT the cheap CCA coated Cat6 wire. IF you are in an area prone to lighting, run a #6 copper grounding wire from your wiring closet to the grounding rod for your electrical system. Figure out where you will mount your camera NOW. You do NOT want those mounted any higher than 8' off the ground unless you want to look at the top of peoples heads. For cameras FORGET THE NEST, they are garbage, do NOT use all wifi cameras. Don't set up for motion detection only, you want to capture what took place leading up to an incident. Record 24/7. Run POE cameras.

I would HIGHLY recommend that you spend some time over on ipcamtalk.com and determine just what you want to purchase. The BEST value in the market for cameras now is the Dahua's. Purchase the right camera for each location, i.e. cameras for the front and rear door are TOTALLY different than the cameras that you want to use in a location to capture video of your front yard or driveway. Here's a link to a review for one of their cameras, this is one of their models that I'll be using. This is an OUTSTANDING camera and the current price is $170 per camera. https://ipcamtalk.com/threads/dahua-starlight-varifocal-bullet-z5-7-35mm-ipc-hfw5231e-z5.18220/

Lastly DO YOUR HOMEWORK on cameras. I've spend a lot of time on ipcamtalk and I cannot recommend it enough, the folks their know what they're doing and like Houzz, they'll help you out.

Togo with Penacola's post - consider a whole home surge protector. After the meter is cheaper than before the meter (and doesn't require a utility person to install, just a regular electrician). Cheap insurance, though you should still have secondary protection using power bars/surge arrestors for each device.

I built a ICF house, and I dare you to try wireless in it....let' s just say you can't make phone calls on a cell from most of my rooms!

Wireless will always suffer compared to direct-wired lines, due to latency, bandwidth, etc. For a demand-heavy, reliable connection, wired Cat6 is the way to go. Use wifi to supplement, but I wouldn't rely on it entirely.

Camera: I very recently installed a security camera at our development gate with an NVR with 1TB storage. We have comcast business internet and phone at the gate.

The Hornet Pro 4.0 Motorized 44240 - 4MP (2x1080P) Multi-Purpose Lens Bullet Camera with Motorized Zoom and Focus

The Vanguard 4 Channel NVR with SCWEasyConnect - - SKU: VG4P4

If every utility wire (AC electric, internet, invisible dog fence, satellite dish, etc) does not enter at a common location (service entrance), then no surge protection can exist. Time to install surge protection is when the footings are poured.

A house that small should have no problem with wireless - unless too many neighbors are too close - create interference. Wireless always adds an additional complication. A few fixed wire ports are always desirable.

Routing some Ethernet wires is recommended to selected locations. Then even a local Access Point can be installed there. Or secure networking can be installed. Then adding - moving that network connection is easy.

If your house is on a slab, then a few ethernet wires in the attic makes any future upgrade / correction easy.

But this is the most critical recommendation. All incoming wires must enter at a common point. Every wire inside every cable must make a low impedance (ie less than 10 foot long) connection to a single point earth ground. Either directly or via a 'whole house' protector. This (and an Ufer ground) is essential in FL.

I appreciate everyone's input ! What does this sound like?---
Right now we are guessing we should put:

one RG6, one CAT6, one Cat5e in the family rm, office, tech closet, and mstr. br.
The office and Fam. Rm to have 2 additional CAT6 on different walls.
Other rooms to have one Cat6 and smurf tube for future wiring. All home run to tech closet. We are over budget on too many things.

Understanding wiring and LV terminology is not on my list of skills, let alone which CAT is for what.
We are in a crowded suburb in MN, with a basement. The electric panel will come in on the opposite wall, about 10' away from the LowV panel (all LV wires to run to this location).

g thom said: "All incoming wires must enter at a common point. Every wire inside every cable must make a low impedance (ie less than 10 foot long) connection to a single point earth ground."
Sorry to be so dense, but could you explain a bit differently for the wiring/tech challenged? THANKS so much.

If you are running Cat6, you don't need Cat5e. If you are going to run HARDWIRED POE cameras, you NEED to have a Cat6 cable to EVERY camera location. As noted earlier, run TWO cables to each location. What you want to do is determine where you are planning to put cameras, USUALLY covering your entrances, your garage area/driveway and the corners of the house. As for wires entering a COMMON POINT - ALL of your CAMERA Cat6 wiring will feed TO ONE LOCATION, a COMMON LOCATION. That can be an equipment closet, a bedroom etc. Down the road when you hook up your equipment in "THAT LOCATION", (YOUR TECH CLOSET) those cables will hook up to a POE Switch and that POWERS your cameras. Then you'll connect to either a Network Video Recorder OR a desktop computer. BE SURE that your COMMON location is in an area that can be air conditioned or cooled. The ONLY thing you need your Cat6 wiring for will basically be your cameras unless you have other equipment. But, RUN TWO cables to each location!

Your coax cables, RG6 etc for your CATV has NOTHING to do with your prewire for your video surveillance system. As in my first response, I cannot over emphasize the point of visiting ipcamtalk.com enough. Lastly, I would suggest you AVOID using any WIFI cameras and if you MUST, ONLY on the inside of the house. But wire is CHEAP, do it now BUT, READ and LEARN NOW. You don't want to be taken advantage of and paying for something that you do NOT need. INVEST some time and READ and LEARN. You will NEVER do this any cheaper than you can now.

> but could you explain a bit differently for the wiring/tech challenged?

Find the breaker box. Where AC cables enter and connect to that box is the service entrance. All other wires must enter at this same location. Otherwise surges (ie lightning) are all but invited inside to hunt for earth ground destructively via any chosen appliance.

All must enter at the service entrance to make a low impedance connection to single point earth ground. Cable needs no protectors. A hardwire from cable to that earthing electrode means best protection even from direct lightning strikes.

Phone cannot connect direct to earth. So a protector (installed for free) makes that low impedance (ie less than 10 foot) connection. Protector only does what a hardwire does better. Connect to earth ground.

How to increase appliance protection (and protection of near zero joule power strip protectors)? Enhance single point earth ground. Better protection connects to rebar inside concrete footings - read about Ufer ground. Since concrete is a superb electrical conductor.

Effective appliance protection is compromised if any incoming wire (even one to a detached garage) does not make that low impedance connection at the service entrance.

In MN, risk is usually less than in FL. However even geology is a relevant factor that can change risk. When this is planned before footings are poured, it costs almost nothing for effective protection even from direct lightning strikes.

As an FYI, we paid (in Canada) about $350/1000ft of CAT6 shielded, plenum rated cable (ie, it can go in your walls/in ducting, etc). Not cheap (we needed three reels for our project!), but not bad if you can install it yourself. That doesn't include the connectors though, which can eat into your budget fast.