Network Cabling for Offices

Structured cabling or network cabling all refer to the cabling and components installed which provides sockets at your required desk positions for computers, telephones, printers, CCTV cameras, door entry systems etc. A properly designed and installed structured cabling system provides a cabling infrastructure that delivers predictable performance as well as has the flexibility to accommodate moves, adds & changes, maximises system availability, provides redundancy and future proofs the usability of the cabling system.

Simplicity – No messy wires as multiple wire systems are replaced with the structured wiring system making the infrastructure much easier to manage.

Increased data speed – Structured cabling provides faster transmission assisting with overall business productivity.

Supports Future Upgrade – Allows for efficient changes and upgrades so all future moves, rearrangements, and upgrades can be implemented with no fuss. Employees can plug in and continue working from wherever they are in the office.

Cost-Effectiveness – A structured cabling system will survive all other networking components with only minimal upgrades required. It reduces power, cooling usage and cost.

Structured network cabling for offices links every device in your network together and implementing it into your business will greatly benefit your organisation. Robust data cables allow for a high-speed network that enables internet access, file sharing and media streaming.

This is all about costs, future-proofing and network speeds. Cat5e will likely be adequate for your needs at present and will provide the lowest cost option, however, for slightly more investment you could choose to install cat6 cabling specification as this will enable faster network speeds in the future. You could always ask for a quote on both options before making a final decision on the network cabling for offices.

Category 5e (CAT-5e) cabling is the accepted minimum standard for connecting computers, Ethernet switches and network devices including telephones together. As an alternative to plugging PCs directly into Ethernet switches, CAT-5e structured cabling provides an easier, neater and more flexible option for network and telecoms management.

Category 6 (Cat6) cables are primarily used for networks looking to run faster than Cat5e. A Cat6 cable is composed of four pairs of wires, similar to Cat5 cable. The primary difference between the two is that Cat6 makes full use of all four pairs. This is why Cat6 can support communications at more than twice the speed of Cat5e.

Category 6a (Cat6a) cabling system is higher performance than Cat6 and is designed to support 10GBase-T over the full 100 metres, 4 connector channel.

If you already have a cat5e system this is likely perfectly fine for your needs and if you are extending the network, we would recommend remaining on cat5e. If you are starting from scratch or want to future proof yourself as much as possible then we would recommend cat6 network cabling for offices.