Okay, we got it. Structured Cabling isn’t sexy. In fact, it is pretty down right boring, but in today’s world, even the smallest of businesses have to be smart when it comes to their cabling and network design. 

 

Structured Cabling – 10 Easy to Avoid Mistakes

With such an array of technologies available in cabling today, it is easy to be confused by your options when having network cabling installed. This article should give you a few tips to help you avoid making costly mistakes.

Take a look into the future.

While Cat5 cabling may be the less expensive route, but it’s important to think about the future of your telecommunications system. With this being said, it’s wise not to install anything less than Cat5e cabling. It is also smart to install cabling that will give you the option to upgrade in the future. Most up-to-date applications require high speed and good memory. It is also important to keep in mind the need for future application. Labor is usually the most expensive part of having a communications network installed so it makes sense to have Cat5e or Cat6 cabling which will offer a solid option for future needs.

Don’t skimp on cable management.

Often time business owners or managers are more focused on the installation of their network cabling system and overlook the need to manage the cables involved. Using a ladder rack is the most efficient way to manage your cables, especially when more cable is added on at a later time. Cables should be labeled or color-coded cables can be used.

Use the same type of cable for both voice and data. 

It used to be that voice cabling was cheaper than data cabling and twisted pair cabling was altogether inexpensive. Single pair wires were used for voice while more expensive cabling was used for data. These days the cabling wire itself is not what drives up the cost; installation does. With VoIP phone systems being more popular, voice is considered a data need which requires data-level cabling. Don’t assume that you can use older cabling for voice if you are running a separate cable for the phone. Be sure to match the data cable type.

Be aware of “noisy” fixtures and devices.

Any type of device that sheds electrical or magnetic interference can wreak havoc on your cabling solution. Be sure to leave a cabling pathway that will avoid these kinds of devices from interrupting or causing noise during transmission.

Don’t run unshielded cables parallel with electrical cables.  

Data cabling consists of twisted pairs that that holds a magnetic field generated by a low voltage that runs through the cable. When run parallel with electric cables, that magnetic field can become disrupted which makes communication noisy and can even result in transmissions to not even make it from point A to point B. If going near an electrical power line, use shielded cable or cross cable perpendicular instead of parallel. This is okay as long as there is a 1 to 2 foot separation.  And no cables of any type should run with power in any case in the same cable tray – needs to be separated by a metal trough.

Consider distance limits. 

There are typical distance limitations when running cable. For instance, the distance limitation with typical Ethernet and UTP cabling is up to 1 Gbps away which is 100 meters. Depending on the type of cable you intend you will need to consider distance limitations.

Test the cabling infrastructure.  

Always test the cabling you have installed, with the proper tools. Verify the lengths and cable specifications to make sure they match the needs of the cable network. Make sure the transmission speeds will be supported by the cable’s properties. Don’t ignore cabling standards during network cabling installation

Don’t ignore cabling codes/laws/ordinances.  

While this may seem obvious, many times codes are overlooked in an effort to save time and money. This is a major safety issue as code/law/ordinance violations can create dangerous issues for safety personnel. For example, using PVC-jacketed cabling in roof/crawl spaces is highly toxic and dangerous when it burns. This puts firefighters and other personnel that may be exposed when navigating the area during an emergency. Not only is it dangerous to violate codes, you risk incurring heavy fines and penalties and the possibility of having to rip out what you have installed and having to replace everything to code.

Hiring a reputable, local cabling contractor who knows and follows the codes in your area is the first step. Hire a company local to you and is up to date on all state and local codes, it may seem like a money saver when going with the lowest bid, but it could cost much more in the long run.

Follow proper cabling standards. 

The EAI/TIA-568-A and B cabling standards have been created and put in place or a reason; to insure proper, professional, efficient, and ethical installation. Whether you want to take shortcuts or just aren’t sure, it’s vital that who you hire to install your network cabling does it the right way. Deviating from those standards means risking noise pollution, inefficiency and a lack in your networks overall performance. Native Tele-Data Solutions specializes in engineering, installation and maintenance of BiCSi standards-based structured cabling systems.

Don’t skimp on the cable. 

This sometimes happens when trying to save money. Don’t have an Ethernet switch installed instead of a cable. Instability in an otherwise well-designed network comes from using mini-switches instead of just adding another port. When there is a need for a lot of network resources, unintended bottle-necking can occur, it makes sense to just run an extra cable or two.