Common Cabling Mistakes
May 17th, 2014 by admin
Network cabling can be quite a hassle and there are many mistakes people make when attempting to run cables. Using improperly installed cable can hurt your network performance, cause maintenance issues and create hidden expenses. The following are where people tend to go wrong, however, the good news is that ATEL can help you avoid these mistakes and many others.
Problem #1: Not planning for your organization's future.
Maybe your business has 100 Mbps network connections to the desktop for now, although 1 Gbps has become fairly standard. However, your organization may move to a new location in the near future and you will need to install new cabling. Will you go with yesterday's best cabling technology or will you install something that will meet today's needs and your growing needs for the next few years? Consider reasonably high-end cable for your installation to avoid a future headache.
Problem #2: Using different cabling for voice and data.
While twisted pair cabling used to be pricey, it led some companies to install different cabling for voice and data needs. Since voice required only a single pair of wires, cheaper cabling was used for voice while data enjoyed the bulk of the budget. However, as of today, a total installation can still be expensive but the majority of the cost is usually labor. Further, with the growth of services such as VoIP, voice in many places has become a data need and requires data-level cabling. Actually, with the right VoIP equipment, companies can often get away with using an existing data cable. Then, they are able to use the VoIP device's built-in Ethernet switch to save on the expense of running multiple cables, if that becomes necessary.
Problem #3: Running cables parallel to electrical cables.
When running unshielded cabling in parallel with electrical cables, the magnetic field can be disrupted and the communication becomes noisy and garbled. A lot of times, transmissions will simply not make it from Point A to Point B. In some cases, transmission rates will lag behind as communications are constantly retried.
Problem #4: Not following laws, codes and ordinances.
Failure to follow local codes can create dangerous issues for safety personnel that might have to find their way through the area in the event of a future emergency. In addition, if you do not follow local codes related to low voltage cabling, you will risk fines and may even have to rip and replace your cabling. Doing it right from the beginning is crucial.
Problem #5: Not testing your cabling infrastructure.
Once cabling is installed, you should test all cables using appropriate tools to make sure it's suitable for its intended use. Verifying length and cable specifications matched to needs is important as well. For example, if you need 1 Gbps transmission speeds, confirm that the cable's properties will support that need. These are just a few of the most common mistakes made when cabling. The list goes on and on. However, with each of these problems, and the various other unmentioned, ATEL has the solution. Save yourself the headache of dealing with these mistakes and let us help you get it right the first time.
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