Your business depends on network and data cabling to run properly. Data cabling can be the lifeblood of your company, delivering messages, completing secure transactions, streaming video, and communicating among employees and to clients.
Data cabling, also known as structured cabling, is just a fraction of your overall network costs. Poorly designed or installed, though, it can be one of your biggest expenses and cause way more than its share of problems. This is why System Tech trains and staffs a manufacturer and BICSI certified crew of RCDDs and technicians.
Network cabling is referred to as structured cabling, too. It’s the design and installation of wiring that carries data throughout different institutions. Structured cabling follows a certain set of standards to meet the needs of each client. A correctly installed system meets not just current requirements, but also any future needs as the business expands and grows and the network’s demands increase.
The standards for data cabling define how the cabling is laid, with a central patch panel (normally 19-inch rack-mounted) where each modular connection is used as needed. The outlets are then patched into the network switch for ether and IP or PBX phone system or network use.
There are several types of structured cabling, designed for different applications. Which one should be used depends on the overall architecture and structure of the system.
Backbone cabling acts just as the name indicates. Provides a base infrastructure for the telecommunications network of a facility. This infrastructure connects data hubs like network rooms to equipment rooms. One of the most vital services that our team at System Tech provides is the layout and design of network systems. We provide strategies that help connect the important components of the data transferring cable networks.
These are the most commonly used cables, mainly for office spaces and retail and commercial sites. They’re popular for local area networks and can also be used for copper communications network cabling. Twisted pair cables are made from four pairs of thin wires, ideal for ethernet networks. The conductor wires are contained either inside insulation or in the outer sheath of each cable. This inclination protects the cables from interference from other devices – important for security! Plus, they are protected from adjacent cables.
Structured cabling has become more of a need in business that an option. Business managers leverage data cabling to communicate with teams in different departments, hold live conferences, send messages, and secure financial transactions. As the name suggests, structured cabling involves using a cabling system and related hardware to provide a comprehensive telecommunications infrastructure. For instance, when a service provider installs a telephone network, they will furnish a specific line using different types of cables to suit the client’s unique needs.
There is a wide range of Ethernet cables used in telecommunications. However, the most common ones include Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 6e, Cat 7, and Cat 8. This article offers in-depth knowledge of these cables and their specific functions in business networking. Before jumping into that, let’s first try and understand the basics of data cabling.
Most Ethernet cables feature smaller wires twisted and bundled up together to form a broader cross-section. They are the most common cables in network systems within offices and households. The currents flowing through the wires cancel out because two adjacent wires have their power traveling in opposite directions.
Because every cable features several twisted pairs, the number of smaller cables within a specific length is graded in prime numbers such that the pair of wires align. Such an arrangement prevents cross-talking between wires.
Ethernet cables come in various lengths, and their ability to patch a computer and a router are primarily hinged on its length. Some measure as long as 75 meters though in such cases the performance may dwindle if the cable is not well shielded. Shielding involves the use of foil-shielded twisted pair (FTP) to prevent cross-talking in long runs that require a robust infrastructure of electrical wires.
This type of cable is made up of a pair of twisted wires. It is mainly used in 100 Base-T and 1000 Base-T networks, providing data transfer at 100 Mbps up to 100 meters. For 1000 Base-T systems, the cable may provide a better performance, delivering up to 125 Mbps. Unfortunately, these cables have become obsolete and are rarely used in new installations.
Cat 5e Ethernet cables are an advanced version of the Cat 5 option and offer a higher performance per 100 meters—delivering 1 Gbps. These cables may share a similar appearance with Cat 5, but they are manufactured to meet higher demands in data speeds. A Cat 5e cable contains about four twists per centimeter.
Unlike Cat 5 and Cat 5e counterparts, Cat 6 cables contain four tightly wound pairs. They feature more than two twists per centimeter and usually contain a nylon shield to prevent cross-talking. They can offer 1Gbps per 100 meters and up to 10 Gbps within a radius of 55 meters because of their design.
The standard Cat 6e cable was introduced in 2008. The “a” in the Cat-6a stands for “augmented.” Cat 6a Ethernet wires have shielded twisted pairs (STP) and provide twice as much bandwidth and deliver a performance of 10 Gbps per 100 meters at a frequency of 500Mhz. Such a frequency eliminates the chances of cross-talking despite being STP.
Known by its official part number, ISO/IEC 11801 Class F Ethernet cable, this cable features four shielded twisted pairs. The four pairs are bundled up in an outer shield, boosting its data transfer performance. Businesses that require data speeds of 10 Gbps per 100 meters and 600 Mhz frequency can install Cat 7 data cabling.
There’s not much to say about Cat 8 cables, but one thing for sure is that they will provide a significant advancement in data speeds and overall performance.
Coax TV cable is a type of copper wire that is shielded by a foam covered in a metallic mesh-work, which is, in turn, insulated by a plastic material. Their unique construction allows householders and businesses to transmit high-frequency TV signals to their TV antenna without much loss.
A speaker cable is used to transmit electrical signals from an amplifier to a speaker. High-performance speaker cables have high conductance and inductance but low resistance. Resistance is by far the most critical property to consider, because it allows more power into the speaker coil, resulting in better audio output.
Fiber optic cabling is best when high bandwidths are needed. These are most common in data center facilities, especially ones with dozens or hundreds of workers. Installation of fiber optic cables is the best place that requires high capacity. Places like hospitals, airports, and banks also rely on this type of network cabling. It’s the go-to for sending high volumes of data.
Other types of cables are used less frequently, including coaxial cable and multipair cable. Other media, such as wireless, aka WiFi, are also common.
Structured cabling consists of six subsystems. These are:
Registered Communications Distribution Designers (RCDDs) are vital in creating an installation design that is secure and precise while ensuring the network cabling will hold up over time. A well-trained, experienced team of RCDDs can save you and your company from costly unnecessary changes due to poor installation and design of structured cabling.
At System Tech, we employ BICSI and manufacturer certified technicians with the expertise and skill to implement the RCDD’s designs into the installation correctly the first time. Our technicians have years of experience working with fiber optics and copper cable (5e, 5a, and 6a). Together the RCDD and technician will design and install an integrated system that you can trust for years to come.
System Tech has helped hundreds of businesses and public buildings with their structured cabling needs. Give us a call today and let’s discuss your project.
