Wiring your office for a new network cable is an expensive task. It can also be a frustrating experience if not done correctly the first time.
These are three of the most common mistakes companies make when installing their office wiring.
- Skimping on Wire Maintenance – Wire maintenance devices such as a ladder rack or wire rack system are often seen as added, unnecessary expenses when a small business is setting up a network. Yes, these systems are a bit more pricey. However, they will save you headaches down the road should you ever need to upgrade your system or troubleshoot a problem.
- Running data cable parallel to electrical wiring – If you are building a new office or remodeling an existing space, it may be tempting to run your data cable along with the electrical cables in the walls. After all, the holes are already drilled, right? Wrong. Data cable is an unshielded cable. The magnetic field in the data cable is disrupted by the current in the electrical lines. If you must cross the two, intersect at a perpendicular angle.
- Not preparing for the future – Most of the cost involved in having a company come in and set up a network for your office lies in the labor. As opposed to the materials. Take a good look at your business plan. Then, have the company wire your office for where you will be ten years from now. Doing the extra wiring now will cost a bit more. However, it will be a lot less expensive than having a company come back in ten years. Then, try to tap into your existing system and fish new wires.
To talk more about network cable installation in your office, or anything else related to office networking, please contact Bluwater Technologies. Thanks.
3 Comments
Your tip about crossing wires perpendicularly to limit the noise created by electricity is really smart. I heard the same advice from someone who was talking about audio cables. It’s really interesting that the same principle applies to data networks. I’m sure a professional service would know not to run the cables next to the electrical wiring.
Hi Kairi!
You would be surprised at how many installations we see that have been installed “professionally” yet incorrectly! Taking shortcuts to save time and money is never the right answer.
It definitely is a good idea to evaluate the growth potential for your business in order to possibly predict where you can add additional wiring while you already have the laborers on hand. It may be hard to determine if you business will be thriving within 10 years, but for those working in the technology industry it might be a little bit more obvious. It could be a good idea to look up industry statistics of growth to help you guess how much your business will grow.