Ultimate Guide to Structured Cabling, Part 3: Installation
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 14 hours ago
Welcome back to the ultimate guide to structured cabling from IES Communications. In Part 1, we talked about what structured cabling is, what it’s used for, and why it’s important. In Part 2, we explored the components that make it all work. Today, we’re looking at the process of structured cabling installation, or what to
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Structured Cabling Installation Guide
As we discussed in Part 1 , structured cabling delivers a range of benefits for businesses and non-profit organizations alike. From ensuring data and communications network uptime to enabling fast and reliable connectivity and collaboration to protecting data — and many points in between — structured cabling is an essential in today’s tech-centric world.
But achieving those benefits depends upon getting installation right! And installing a high-performance cabling system is a complex process that requires a careful and deliberate step-by-step approach. Specific standards, codes, and guidelines must be followed, not only for safety and to meet applicable regulations, but also to ensure optimal performance and, by extension, maximum return on investment.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the installation process and the steps it requires, as well as when and how often it should be done, and by whom.
How to Install Structured Cabling, Step by Step
How does structured cabling installation work? More than simply assembling the necessary components, the process of structured cabling installation involves following a specific blueprint to make sure all those elements work together harmoniously and in a way that best supports network demands, while also providing the ability to scale up or down as needed.
Step 1: Preparation, Planning & Design
The first step to structured cabling installation is putting together a plan of action and creating a working design for the system. This stage includes:
Conducting a site survey with a comprehensive assessment of all facilities in the structured cabling system, taking into consideration any existing environments, infrastructures, and cable routes — or the need to replace them.
Good to know: Even though larger facilities with multiple floors — or campuses with multiple buildings — will require more extensive planning than smaller, single-structure installations, a diligent, expertly conducted site survey is essential for any installation.
Assessing network demands, including not just current needs, but also mapping out future demands in a way that plans for any scalability needed to accommodate future growth, evolving technology, or changing market trends.
Good to know: Scalability is essential for future-proofing a structured cabling system. That means building in the flexibility needed to accommodate growth and any need to adapt to new technology — an especially salient feature at a time when AI is rapidly changing the requirements and makeup of many organizations’ IT infrastructures. It also saves money by building in the capability to upgrade and maintain the system.
Creating a floor plan, which involves mapping out the layout of the system and identifying the best locations for equipment rooms, cable routes, telecommunications enclosures, workstations, and all the other structured cabling components.
Good to know: Getting spatial distribution right requires expertise, as does the correct identification of the safest, most efficient locations for consolidation and entry points — guesswork doesn’t cut it!
Step 2: Choosing, Acquiring & Assembling Components
With a design in place, and a firm understanding of the size and scope of the new system, it’s time to select the structured cabling components. This includes not just cables but also patch cords, cross-connects, fiber shelves, and any other connecting equipment needed for that system design.
Like every other part of installation, this step must also be conducted as part of a larger, strategic process to ensure that all components are not only compatible but also complementary and non-redundant to ensure performance and cost savings. Read more about essential structured cabling components here .
Good to know: It takes expertise to balance affordability with the need to use premium materials — especially since some components will require higher standards than others, not only for performance but also to meet regulatory and safety standards.
Step 3: Installation & Documentation
With the design in place and the components selected, it’s time for installation. At this point, the installation team will have a specific blueprint to follow, and can provide a timeline for completion.
Care should be taken to ensure that the process meets all applicable safety and regulatory standards, and that diligent documentation is carried out. This means clearly labeling every component, both in its place of installation and within a separate standalone document, to ensure efficient organization and facilitate easy management, maintenance, and future upgrades — all of which will also reduce costs in the long run.
Step 4: Verification, Qualification & Certification
After installation is complete — and ideally, during the process — it’s important to test cables and connectivity to validate system quality. Necessary for ensuring optimal performance, this step also helps identify any potential issues with design, so adjustments can be made at the earliest possible stage, all of which helps ensure maximum ROI.
There are three steps to this process:
Verification, which checks basic connectivity and system health,
Qualification, which checks if the system can support the specific applications it was designed for, and
Certification, which compares the system’s performance against industry standards.
Step 5: Maintenance & Upgrades
Finally, the installation team should provide a maintenance schedule for future inspection, maintenance, and updating. Even though structured cabling systems are designed to be long-lasting and able to support multiple hardware generations, achieving that longevity requires continuously checking performance and inspecting hardware.
This step also helps to ensure that a structured cabling system always functions at its highest possible capacity, with no unexpected errors or random malfunctions, while also detecting wear and tear at any early stage so replacements can be made before the entire system is compromised.
Good to know: How often should structured cabling systems be updated or replaced? Like any tool or piece of machinery, regular inspection and maintenance is needed to ensure the best possible performance and value for money invested. An installation expert will recommend the best maintenance schedule for your system.
How Long Does it Take to Install a Structured Cabling System?
Exactly how long any given structured cabling installation takes will depend on each unique building or campus. A single, one-story building may be completed in a few days. Larger projects, on the other hand, may take weeks or even months.
It will also depend on the function of the cabling system, as well as site-specific considerations like whether any existing components need to be used or replaced, what local environmental regulations may need to be followed, and other key considerations.
How Should Organizations Carry Out Structured Cabling Installation?
The truth is, the days of do-it-yourself cabling are over. Even for smaller businesses with modest needs, this is too complex a job to be done without professional expertise. Besides technical proficiency, installers need an up-to-date understanding of applicable regulations and how to design a system that best meets an organization’s unique needs. For these reasons and more, structured cabling installation is a job best left to experts.
Need to know: The impulse to save money right now by handling installation internally can backfire! For instance, do they know when to use Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6a? Do they understand cable pulling — i.e., how to install cabling within the proper pathways while following standards around weights and bending? Any failure here can lead to poor performance at best, and system failure, fines, or even shutdowns at worse.
Trust Your Structured Cabling Installation to Experts
Ensure the best possible performance, uptime, scalability, and future success of your installation with America’s leading structured cabling provider. We bring decades of collective experience to every project, big or small, coast to coast — and we’re standing by to design and deliver the solution that works best for you. Contact us today to learn more.