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Planning for Network Cabling?

Are you planning for Network Cabling for your office or Warehouse? Here are some useful tips to helps to maximize the efficiency of designing the Network Cabling Setup.

Understand your needs

This is one of the important first steps which will help you evaluate what you need and what are your requirements. You will need to find out how many users would have the access to a wired network and how many would be using a wireless network, impedance in the network. What will be your bandwidth requirement based on your setup and number of users? Based on the requirement, you have to procure the required network hardware including switches, routers, desktops and even type of network cabling including Fiber.

Choice of Network Cable:

Evaluate your bandwidth requirement and choose if you need Fiber or Copper cable? The first Golden rule of data cabling is that Networks never get smaller or less complicated therefore plan the network that will work for next 10-15 years. Plan one cabling system that will accommodate voice and data and always install more cabling than you currently require. Plan for extra network outlets with faceplates as they will surely come in handy someday. For typical office environments, UTP cable is your best bet while environments with electromagnetic interference will need Shielded shielded twisted-pair cabling. However, if field strength exceeds 90 meters or 300 feet, Copper fails and therefore fiber-optic cable is a better choice. Fiber is the only cable that won’t be outgrown quickly. Although Fiber to the desktop is not yet a practical reality, fiber-optic cable is touted as the ultimate future of network and Voice Cabling.

Designing the Cabling System

A proper cabling-system design is paramount to well-functioning cabling infrastructure. Designing a structured cabling infrastructure that properly routes, protects, identifies, and terminates the Data or fiber Cabling is absolutely critical for network performance and future upgrades. Have the cabling system design properly mapped on to the layout of the space. Factor in the following key elements when planning a stable network:

  • Flexibility
  • Scalability
  • Longevity
  • Performance
  • Ease of use
  • Quality

Of the proper cabling-design criteria listed, standards and performance characteristics is the
most critical. The quality of the materials used in a cabling installation will directly affect the transmission efficiency of a network. Always prefer well-known brands such as Panduit, Belden, Hubbell or Comscope as these companies have proven technical know-how to create professional Cabling Hardware. Avail the services of a professional and Certified Network Cabling company that has the experience and skills to design your Cabling network. Certification ensures that the quality of the Data wiring and connection meet industry standards.