Network and data cabling installation
Cablify installs new, added and replacement data drops in commercial buildings: the cable, the jack, the patch panel port and the label, matched to the system you already have.
- Longest copper link
- 90 m panel to outlet, 100 m with cords
- Cable
- Cat6 or Cat6A, rated for the space it runs through
- Testing
- Each drop tested; Fluke certification on request
- Records
- Port map updated with each drop
What one drop includes
A data drop is more than a cable. These are the parts we install and hand over for each one.
The cable run
From the telecom room to the outlet, supported from the building structure on J-hooks or tray, never resting on ceiling tiles, and plenum or riser rated where the space calls for it.
Jack and faceplate
A jack of the same category as the cable, in the brand and color scheme already used on the floor where we can match it.
Patch panel port
Terminated in the next open port, or on a new panel if the rack is full, in the same wiring scheme as the rest of the panel.
Label
One identifier printed at the faceplate and at the patch panel, and entered on the port map you keep.
Test
A tested link, so a bad termination is found and fixed on the day instead of by your help desk a week later.
Patch cords
Cords from the panel to the switch and from the outlet to the device, if you want us to supply them.
How far a copper drop can run
Twisted-pair Ethernet has a fixed length budget set by ANSI/TIA-568. A device past it needs a closer telecom room, a fiber-fed switch or a different approach.
Consolidation points
Open offices sometimes use a consolidation point in the ceiling so furniture can move without new home runs. It has to sit at least 15 m (about 50 ft) from the telecom room, and no cross-connection is allowed there.
Cameras and access points
A link can be terminated straight to a plug at the device end, called a modular plug terminated link, which avoids an outlet and cord above the ceiling.
Beyond 90 meters
For a device past the limit we add a telecom room, run fiber to a small switch near the devices, or use a listed PoE extender where the device and distance allow it.
Adding to a system that is already there
Many network cabling jobs are in buildings that already have a cabling system. New drops should look and test like the old ones, so the help desk can support them without a second set of records.
Before pricing we check the rack, the switch and the ceiling, because a full patch panel or an empty PoE budget changes the job more than the cable does.
- Same cable category as the existing system, except access points, which get Cat6A
- Same jack colors and the same labeling format
- Open ports on the patch panel and the switch, and PoE power left on the switch
- J-hooks and tray with room for more cable
- Firestopping restored wherever a new cable passes a rated wall
Drops by device
Typical planning counts for common devices. Your device list and a walk-through set the real numbers.
| Device | Drops | Cable | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workstation | 1 or 2 | Cat6 | Two where a desk phone and a computer each need a port |
| Wi-Fi access point | 2 | Cat6A | TIA-568.1-E-1 requires two Category 6A cables per access point |
| IP camera | 1 | Cat6 or Cat6A | Fiber to an outdoor switch past 100 m |
| Printer or copier | 1 | Cat6 | Placed where the machine will actually sit |
| Conference room | 3 to 6 | Cat6 or Cat6A | Display, camera or codec, room panel and table connection |
| Access control panel | 1 | Cat6 | Plus the door wiring, which is separate |
Keep, test or replace existing cable
Old cable is not automatically bad cable. We test before deciding.
Passes at its category
Cable that passes a certification test at its rated category can stay for the devices it was built for.
Cat5e for 2.5 Gb
IEEE 802.3bz runs 2.5 Gb over 100 m of Cat5e and 5 Gb over 100 m of Cat6. TIA TSB-5021 covers how to check installed cable for it.
Untested or unlabeled
Runs with no labels, splices or unknown routes cost more to trace than to replace in most ceilings.
No longer used
Cable that is not terminated and not tagged for future use counts as abandoned under the NEC. See cable removal.
Common questions
How long can an Ethernet cable run be?
The permanent link from the patch panel to the outlet can be 90 meters (295 feet). With cords at both ends the full channel can be 100 meters (328 feet).
Should we use T568A or T568B?
Both are allowed by ANSI/TIA-568.2. What matters is using one scheme on both ends and across the building. Work under U.S. federal contracts calls for T568A, so we use whatever your existing system or contract specifies.
What does a data drop cost?
It depends on the cable category, the distance to the telecom room, the ceiling type and height, whether the patch panel and switch have room, testing requirements and working hours. We price from a floor plan or a free site assessment.
Can you add drops in a finished office?
Yes. Most drops go through the ceiling and down inside the wall. Where a wall is solid or the ceiling is closed, we use surface raceway or an access panel and show you the route first.
Request a network cabling quote
Send the address, how many drops you need and where they go. A marked-up floor plan lets us price the runs before the visit.