Structured cabling services
Cablify designs and installs structured cabling for commercial buildings: copper and fiber from the point where service enters the building to every desk, access point and camera, labeled and documented so your IT team can support it for years.
- Media
- Cat6, Cat6A, multimode and single-mode fiber
- Standards
- ANSI/TIA-568, TIA-569 pathways, TIA-606 labeling, TIA-607 bonding
- Testing
- Fluke certification to the cable category
- Systems
- Hubbell Certified Installer
- Closeout
- Labels, port map and as-built drawings
The parts of a structured cabling system
A structured system is planned as one design, so every cable has a defined path, a defined end and a label that matches the records.
Entrance facility
Where carrier fiber and copper enter the building. We run from the carrier’s handoff to your equipment room and label the handoff point.
Equipment room (MDF)
The main room for core switches, firewalls and backbone patch fields. We install racks, ladder rack, patch panels and the bonding to the building ground.
Backbone cabling
Fiber and multi-pair copper from the MDF to every telecom room, through risers and sleeves, and between buildings on a campus.
Telecom rooms (IDFs)
One per floor or zone, placed so no horizontal run passes 90 meters. Each gets the same rack layout and labeling as the others.
Horizontal cabling
Cat6 or Cat6A from the IDF patch panel to each outlet, supported on J-hooks or tray and kept clear of lighting, sprinklers and ductwork.
Work area
Faceplates, outlets, access point and camera drops, and the patch cords that connect each device to its port.
Cat6, Cat6A or fiber
Most buildings use all three: Cat6 or Cat6A to the devices and fiber for the backbone. The choice affects speed, reach, PoE heat and the size of the pathways.
| Cat6 | Cat6A | Multimode fiber (OM4) | Single-mode fiber (OS2) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed and reach | 1 Gb to 100 m; 10 Gb to about 55 m | 10 Gb to 100 m | 10 Gb to 400 m; 100 Gb to 100 m | 10 Gb to 10 km and beyond |
| Typical use | Desks, phones, printers | Access points, cameras, labs, long-life spaces | Backbone inside a building or campus | Between buildings and long campus runs |
| PoE | Yes; large bundles run warmer | Yes; handles heat in large PoE bundles better | No, data only | No, data only |
| Cable size | About 6 mm (0.24 in) | About 7.5 to 9 mm (0.30 to 0.35 in) | Many strands in one small jacket | Many strands in one small jacket |
| Pathway impact | Standard J-hooks and tray | Larger J-hooks, more tray fill, bigger conduit | Inner duct or armored cable in shared spaces | Inner duct or armored cable in shared spaces |
Plenum, riser and general-purpose cable
The National Electrical Code sets which cable rating can go where. A cable with a higher rating can always replace a lower one, so plenum cable is allowed everywhere. It also costs more, which is why we check the ceiling type on the walk-through and price the jacket each space actually needs.
CM-rated cable in a return-air ceiling fails inspection, and it is expensive to replace once the ceiling tiles are back.
| Rating | Copper | Fiber | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plenum | CMP | OFNP | Air-handling spaces, such as return-air ceilings and raised floors used for air |
| Riser | CMR | OFNR | Vertical runs between floors in shafts and risers |
| General purpose | CM | OFN | Other spaces, such as runs inside conduit or open ceilings that are not plenums |
Installation details we work to
These are the details that decide whether cabling passes certification and stays serviceable. They are written into our scope, not left to the crew on the day.
Pathways
J-hooks or tray at intervals of no more than 5 feet, sleeves through walls, and firestopping at every rated wall and floor penetration.
Bend radius and pull tension
No tighter than four times the cable diameter for 4-pair copper, and no more than 25 pounds of pulling force, so the pair twist stays intact.
Separation from power
Cable kept away from lighting ballasts, motors and transformers, and crossing power at right angles where it has to cross.
Terminations
One wiring scheme, T568A or T568B, used on both ends of every link and across every floor.
Labeling
The same identifier at the faceplate and the patch panel, matching the port map we hand over.
Bonding
Racks, cabinets and ladder rack bonded to the telecommunications ground in each room.
Testing
Permanent link tests with a Fluke certification tester to the cable category, with full reports when the project or a manufacturer warranty calls for them.
Common questions
What does structured cabling cost?
It depends on the number of drops, the cable category, whether the ceiling is a plenum, ceiling height and access, the distance to each telecom room, testing and documentation requirements, and whether the work happens after hours. We price from drawings or a free site assessment and list each of these in the quote.
How many data drops does an office need?
A common planning figure is about one drop per 100 square feet of open office, with more in conference rooms and fewer in storage areas. The estimator on our home page uses these ratios. A walk-through sets the real count.
Do you certify the cabling?
Yes. Every link can be tested with a Fluke certification tester to its cable category. Full certification reports are supplied when the project calls for them, and manufacturer warranty programs require them.
Can you work with our general contractor and electrician?
Yes. On new construction and fit-outs we work to the general contractor’s schedule, agree pathways and back boxes with the electrician, and carry the low-voltage scope from rough-in to closeout.
How long does installation take?
It depends on the drop count, ceiling access and working hours. The quote includes a schedule, and in occupied buildings we phase the work by floor or zone so staff can keep working.
Request a structured cabling quote
Send the address, floor area and number of drops if you know it. Drawings or a reflected ceiling plan help us price the pathways.