The wiring panel is the central part of any structured wiring job.  The location of this panel is defined when you create a wiring plan, but it is normally placed in the basement, or else, in a closet or attic.

The great thing about a good structured wiring plan is that all the wires are streamed into one sole location, the wiring panel, making it a lot easier to change your setup or to diagnose and repair problems that arise.

Buying a wiring panel can make any wiring work look professional, however, it is expensive.  The shell of the panel may start as low as $50; nevertheless, you will most certainly start adding extra and expensive modules for phones, cable, and Internet distribution.

If the wiring panel will not be located at a visible spot, you’d better get a real wiring panel, which is not very attractive, but in this way you’ll save money and just have to worry about mounting everything on the wall.  The wires will be visible. Still, it offers more room and makes it easier to move cables around.

The non-electrical wires from the outside of the home must be run to the wiring panel.  Since most companies are now offering the three services together, that is, phone, TV, and Internet, having everything in the same place makes it easier to switch companies, if that is your wish.

The panel will distribute these three cables throughout the rest of the home, like this:

-Cable: TV, phone, or Internet

-Phone: Phone or Internet

-Satellite: TV or Internet

-Fiber: TV, phone or Internet

-Antenna: TV

For example, the cable company supplies a special cable modem for the Internet service.  They would like you to have a cable connection close to your computer, because then they can place the cable modem nearby, run the cable wire to the modem, and then the Internet Cat5 cable from the modem to your computer.  If you need two computers connected to the Internet, you would have to run a wire from the modem to the computer in another room.

When you have a structured wiring plan, the cable modem is located in the wiring panel in the basement.  The incoming cable is run to the cable modem, the Cat5 cable is run to an Internet switch that can then distribute the Internet throughout the home.

A basic wiring panel will have a Cable or DSL modem, an Internet switch, a Wi-Fi router, phone splitter, TV/satellite splitters, and an alarm panel.

Before wires are cut, do an estimated layout of where each switch, splitter, and panel will be.  You can start at the top, with the wires coming from the street, then the grounds, and end with the splitters at the bottom.

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There are many types of wires that can be installed inside a wall, for example, Internet, phone, and cable wires, as well as speaker and alarm wires, which depend on the application.  There are also different video formats that you may require if you are going to hang a flat panel TV on the wall, and for these, and many other necessities, here we give you a list of the different wires there are:

1.Coaxial cable
This one is used mainly for TV, satellite, and cable modems, and can also be used to move video between rooms, let’s say, to share a Tivo or cable/satellite box output on two TVs.  You can adapt 3 coaxial wires together to work as component or composite wires.  Not very often, it is also used for security cameras and digital audio.

There are 2 types of coaxial cable: RG-59 and RG-6.  This last one is the only one that you should be using, since everything is moving towards digital, and it is high quality.

2.Category 3 wire
This is used as phone wire.  Each pair of twisted wires handles one phone line.  The typical kind has two pairs of wire for two phone lines; however, the plugs can handle three pairs for three lines.  Phone wire can be black, red, green, and yellow, or orange stripe, blue, blue stripe, and orange.

3.Category 5, 5e, 6, and 7 wire
These are used for Internet connections and network cabling.  Your cable or DSL modem will output this network wire, where category 5 is the lowest quality and category 7 is the top.  All of them look the same, but the best ones have extra twists and better shielding that allow for the transmission of more data.  These can also be used for other data applications like remote volume control knobs, security cameras, and infrared distribution.

4.Alarm/Security wire
This one’s thicker than the Cat 3 cable and is used to wire security systems, that is, alarm panels, window/door sensors, motion detectors, and sirens.

5.Speaker wire
This is needed for in wall/in ceiling speakers.  It comes in 2 conductor (red and black for + and -) or 4 conductor (red, black, white, and green, for left+, left-, right+ and right-).

6.Optical wire
It is used for digital audio, however in the future it may be used for other applications like Internet and TV.

7.Composite cable
This is used for audio and video.  It is a very popular and inexpensive format although the video quality is the worst available and can’t handle HDTV signals.

8.S-Video
This popular video format is being replaced with DVI and HDMI.  It is actually two coaxial cables in one, with two signal cables (Y and C) and two grounds.

9.Component
This video format is better than S-Video even though it is less common and is also being replaced by DVI and HDMI.

10.VGA (Video Graphics Array)
This is the old computer monitor video format that can be found in old flat panel TVs.

11.DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
This is the video format used now in most flat panel computer monitors.  It comes in three formats: DVI-D (Digital), DVI-A (Analog), and DVI-I (Integrated).

12.HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)
This is the latest standard for high-end flat panel TVs.

13.UDI (Unified Display Interface)
This is trying to become the next video standard.  It offers higher resolutions than HDMI.

14.DisplayPort
It also offers higher resolutions than HDMI, but it is still being developed.

15.Infrared
You need it if you have your remote in one room and your stereo components in another.  The sensor must be where the remote is, and the main unit where the stereo components are.

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The ideal scenario is to wire a home while it is being built; however, there are ways to do it afterwards.  Here we will show you what you can ask for, so that you make an informed decision when installing structured cabling.

When you build a house, wiring it right can add thousands, and even tens of thousands, of dollars to its future value, but you have to consider its getting wired correctly can cost you just as much.  Most builders won’t let you do this kind of work yourself while the home is being built because of safety, insurance, and theft reasons, nevertheless, anything is possible.

In any case, whether you hire a structured cabling professional or you decide to do it yourself, a good wiring plan will have all the wires streamed to a central location, normally the basement.

If you don’t have a basement, you will need another central location to stream the wires to.  Your builder should give you some suggestions, but the most common places are the closet or utility room where the hot water heater and the electrical box are, or the attic.  All this must be specified in your wiring plan.

The majority of contractors will run the wires room to room, this means, for example, that if the builder is adding a phone line to the kitchen and main bedroom, he will run the wire from the basement, to the kitchen, to the bedroom, and this not the best.

The right way to do it is to stream a line from the basement to the kitchen, and a second one from the basement to the bedroom.  This method has two main advantages:

1.If there is a problem with the connection, you just have to look at the two ends.  There is no need to remember and check every spot that the wire goes through.

2.In the room-to-room way you are limited as to what you can do with the wires, because you can run phone lines in series, but not Internet network cables.  Most builders run Internet wires for the phone lines, and this is how it should be done, otherwise, only one room will be able to use the wire as a network cable.

Everything must be defined before the wiring begins.  You must know what wires will be streamed where, and you better run too much wire rather than too little, because an unused wire is inexpensive but trying to run a new wire after the walls are up can take a long time.

After the wiring plan is ready, you must establish how much wire you need and where you can get it.  Only then, you are ready to get started.

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If your building infrastructure was put together during the 90s or later, chances are that you have some form of Cat 5 UTP cabling installed. Cat 5 UTP cable was designed to support the demands of an ATM, CDDI, or Fast Ethernet (100 Base TX) data networking system and represented a significant upgrade over the Cat 3 cable found in buildings designed for 10 Base TX systems installed in the 80s.

Cat 5e cabling was introduced a bit later and is fundamentally the same as Cat 5, but has a few additional items specified.   A chart showing the differences between all three common types of copper cabling is shown below:

CAT5, CAT5e, and CAT6 UTP Solid Cable Specifications Comparison

Chart from http://discountcablesusa.com/ethernet-cables100.html

Delay skew is a measure of the difference between the signal delay along the fastest pair of conductors and along the slowest pair of conductors, and is a measure of the uniformity of signal transmission along the cable.  Cat 5e cable and Cat 6 cable have the same specification, which is a max of 45 nS.

NEXT and PS-NEXT are specifications for cross talk, and near end cross talk, respectively.   Cat 6 cable has more stringent specifications for these parameters, and also is rated to support bandwidths of up to 250 MHz.   Cross talk, which is the bleeding of signals from one pair to another through induction, is highly undesirable and cause slower signal speeds as well as signal degradation.

When choosing which type cable to use for your implementation, it is important to note that cat 5e is probably fine for most small businesses running Fast Ethernet. Much of the cat 5 cable available today is also really cat 5e cable that simply hasn’t been tested to the new rigorous specifications.  Cat 6 is a good choice for 1) mission critical areas such as a data center, or key on-site servers, 2) networks you want to upgrade to Gigabit Ethernet, or 3) networks you want to “future-proof” so that new standards and speeds can be easily accommodated.

A new category of cabling, Cat 6a, is being introduced to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks as well. It will operate up to frequencies of 500 MHz.  Some Cat 6 cable can also support 10 Gigabit networks if properly installed, but only over shorter structured cable lengths due to losses.

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There are many tradeoffs to consider when choosing between fiber and copper structured cable.  Besides the obvious cost differential, another key difference is that PoE or Power-over-Ethernet is available when using copper-based wiring.

The PoE standard allows you to eliminate the need for a separate power cable when powering most routers, switches, IPPBXes, and Ethernet phones.  This not only streamlines the amount of structured wiring that needs to be run, it makes your equipment more portable as you don’t have to locate it near power if Ethernet cabling is properly run.

PoE allows your entire network to be easily fed from a battery bank in the event of a power outage, which means you can continue critical business operations in an emergency and not lose data.  PoE also replaces old-school “wall wart” converters that use energy poorly and are quite vulnerable to power surges and brownouts.  So moving to a PoE architecture also means taking a step forward to “greening” your organization!

Last but not least, your offices and cubicles will look less “cluttered” as less power bricks and wires will be under foot.

Implementation of PoE means upgrading to at least cat 5 Ethernet cabling throughout your organization.  You will also need to choose some PoE sourcing equipment, such as PoE switches or routers, which are commonly available.

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Range Fuels is a start up Green Energy Company that makes Biofuels. They needed a data center solution that could easily scale as their company grows.

Goals:
• Build a Data Center for a growing company. Needs to Scale
• Fit Budget
• Limited Space
• Maximum Capacity
• Reusable Materials
• Energy Efficient

Solution
• Flexible Data Center Planning
• Reusable APC Cabinets with external digital readouts
• Scalable Cooling System that fits into a small footprint
• Expandable UPS
• Color Coded and Carefully Organized Wiring with Smart Wiring Covering

Working with IT Professionals.
We understand the pressures and unique challenges of today’s IT professionals. We worked with the Range Fuels team to help upgrade their previous data center at Hain-Celestial Seasonings. When it came time for them to design a data center from scratch, they asked us to help plan the project correctly from the start. The team at Range Fuels had extensive experience running network and data storage systems, they brought us in to fill in their knowledge gaps of cooling, uninterruptable power supply, data cabinets and structured wiring. Because everyone who worked on the project had an engineering background, we knew we could build a system that was a perfect fit.

One of the reasons we love working with the Range Fuels team, is because we appreciate learning from some of the best IT personnel in the business. We share ideas and work as a team to design a solution that fits their data needs as well as their budget and space constraints.

Flexibility for Changing Needs
We understand that a start up organization has shifting priorities that present a unique challenge to design. The first iteration of the Data Center design was planned around extremely aggressive growth. The team set out to build a large data center that would accommodate a fast ramp up of personnel and extremely fast uptake of fuel products. The company and the market then shifted expectations and we all went back to the drawing board. Throughout the process the IT team had to juggle changing budgets, data center locations, growth projections, and timelines. We understand that this is the norm, rather than the exception in the modern IT environment, so we helped them design and redesign the plans as priorities shifted.

We also realized that growth and flexibility would always be subject to the whim of the marketplace. We helped the IT team design a data center that would be very scalable with the number of servers and storage devices it can handle. We also helped them design a system with reusable pieces, so if the data center needs to be moved in the future, we can reassemble the pieces. We believe flexibility is essential in both the design and planning stage, and the equipment we install.

Finding the Right Vendors
We pride ourselves in sourcing equipment that meets the needs of our customers. Our data center vendor Liebert’s products didn’t fit the needs of the Range Fuels team. We evaluated the available products from other vendors and eventually agreed that APC best fit our needs. We built a relationship with APC, and agreed to sell their products because it was the best fit for our clients’ project.

We also concluded that the data needs of their system didn’t require expensive Network Cable Cat 6 cables, instead we opted for the more appropriate Cat 5E cables, saving their company money and still providing the necessary bandwidth for running the system. Little steps like using specific wire colors for each data centric task and using Chatsworth Wire Management make managing the equipment easier on the IT professionals.

Data Center Design
After several top-directed redesigns of the data center, we finally settled on the right number of cabinets, UPSs, cooling systems, and structured cable to fit their needs. We took advantage of as much space as possible by building an ultra-modern and peak efficiency system that sits directly on the floor instead of a raised platform. This allowed us to use full-height cabinets and maximize the number of server slots. The cooling systems vent to the back, keeping the systems at optimal temperature. The cabinets allow for additional power supplies and cooling units to be added as both scale. All of the data center metrics like temperature and power usage can be monitored from the cabinet displays and via a web application, so the IT professionals know at a glance if their systems are running optimally or it’s time for an upgrade.

We know how mission critical a data center is to a growing company. We also understand that function follows form, and building a system correctly from the start can save a company huge headaches in the future. That’s why we always source the best products, design and layout the best structured wiring, and work directly with our clients to choose the right design to fit their needs.

Denver Convention Center Sign Installation for Yesco, Inc.

Goals:
• To install multiple 30-foot signs at the Denver Convention Center
• To run Signs from inside the building, saving the huge headache of maintaining PCs in outdoor conditions.
• Normal DVI cabling only covers 15-20 feet, maximum. Need a solution that runs further.
• To run a fiber solution grade that can handle both indoor and outdoor conditions.
• Manage non-standard conversion boxes at both sign access and PC.

Solution:
• Indoor/Outdoor Armored Plenum 12-strand Fiber chosen for durability and quality connection.
• Fiber Fusion Spliced directly to converter boxes at sign provides maximum data integrity.
• Fiber patch panel installed at rack allows easy exchange of PCs in the future.
• Test connections rigorously with Fluke DTX 1800.

The Project:
Yesco installed two very large scale LED signs at the Denver Convention Center, including the largest LED display in the Denver Area. They needed to run the signs from a PC installed in the Center’s main communications rack. This saved them from the huge headache of managing outdoor PC equipment installed directly into the sign. Unfortunately, normal DVI connection cables only run 15-20 feet, not nearly far enough to reach the signs 400 feet away.
We proposed a fiber optics solution. Using our Fitel S121m Fusion Splicer, we spliced fiber directly to the conversion box in the sign and ran it to a fiber patch panel in the communications rack. We then connected it directly to a networked PC managed remotely.

Outdoor Installation:
Yesco bolted their signs in place and we got to work. They installed the underground piping that allowed us to run fiber cables. We chose an Armored Plenum Fiber Cable for its outdoor durability and high connection quality. We used our Fitel Fusion Splicer to directly connect to the DVI converter box installed in the sign. This solution would allow the signal to travel as far as 1400 feet without any data loss.

Indoor Installation:
We ran the fiber into a patch panel directly installed in the communications rack at the convention center and then into the DVI converter box of the PC. This solution allows for ease of swapping PCs in the future. The cabling was well structured and carefully installed, to prevent any other teams in the communication room from upsetting the connections. It would be very embarrassing if the Convention Center signs were shut off by a telecom operator accidentally breaking a connection.

Collaboration
We worked directly with Yesco’s Master Electrician. He was on site to wire the high voltage connections to the sign, while we handled the low voltage data connections. We pride ourselves on being easy to work with and helpful. Our goal is to work together to get the job done, so we pitched in and set up the PC.

Testing:
All of our projects are thoroughly tested using the Fluke DTX 1800. The Fluke is the highest end testing kit on the market. It allowed us to be absolutely certain that our connections were the highest quality and met the most rigorous IT standards. Because Yesco used a non-standard connection, we purchased new fiber modules for the Fluke to confirm that the connection gave the highest data integrity. Testing with the Fluke DTX 1800 helped us confirm that our connections are the best in the industry.

J.Comm is building the telecommunications and information systems infrastructure for a Fortune 500 Company’s new Denver office space.

Goal:
• A large, multinational company is building a new office in Denver.
• They need a structured data solution for 700 office spaces.
• They need a sophisticated system that will allow them to do video conferencing, real-time project collaboration, and remotely control oil exploration across the globe.
• IT needs a tremendous amount of flexibility in the construction for an evolving spec.
• They need a contractor who can provide all materials and manage costs for a $300,000 job.

Solution:
• Structured wiring package that is professionally designed and built to allow IT flexibility in design
• Multiple Data Ports to each office Space for computer, VOIP solution.
• Data capacity large enough to handle future traffic needs
• Flexible Data Center design allowing IT to expand their solution as technology needs evolve.
• Engineering and experience on the job site to help solve problems as they arise
• Fiber data connection for LCD displays

The Project
J.Comm is building a 21st Century office space in Denver for a Fortune 500 oil and gas company. They needed us to design, plan and install a data center that is large scale enough to meet the technology needs of an expanding industry. Each of the 700 office spaces require multiple connections for computer terminals and VOIP phones. The conference rooms will have large LCD displays for collaboration and video conferencing and require fiber connections because of distance.
The company is also building a remote operation center for oil and gas discovery. All of the discovery systems will be run from the new facility. Unfortunately, as is often the case in IT, the systems are not finalized. Our data center design and infrastructure needs to be flexible and powerful enough to handle the final needs of the complex, meaning we have to anticipate future use without a finalized spec.

Flexibility for the Realities of IT Design and Planning
Often in IT, specs and needs aren’t finalized when construction begins. In the case of J.Comm’s project, some of the technologies for the center hadn’t been invented yet. Our goal is to provide ample data capacity for anticipated needs and choose a data center platform that can grow with changing technology.

When it comes to the structured wiring, it’s much easier to build it right from the start than to reinstall additional wires in the future. We carefully installed miles of Network Cable Cat 6E cabling throughout the building. Each line was carefully tested with our Fluke DTX 1800 to confirm data fidelity for the most demanding projects.

On a project this size, one of the biggest challenges is working around the timetables of other subcontractors. Our Data Center install is contingent on the heating and air conditioning contractors installing the cooling units as well as the electricians and construction team. Because we’ve been working construction sites for 13 years, we always do our part to be flexible and accommodating when projects take longer than anticipated.

Working with 21st Century Technologies
Each office space has a conference room with large LCD displays. These displays allow the technical staff and managers to work on specific projects in real time. A technician can point out a problem on his desktop screen and the whole team can move to the conference room to collaborate on a solution. Unfortunately, normal video cabling can’t handle data transfer across such large distances. We installed high capacity Cat 6 Network Cabling across the office to allow the large transmission of video data from any terminal in the building. We also needed to install a a separate converter box at each LCD screen and connect the entire system to matrix switching hardware in the main data center. Because of this central hub design, the system is scalable for other large projects like video conferencing as it becomes more prevalent in the future.

The Denver office will be the hub for remote oil and gas exploration control systems. This will allow the company to have a central location to monitor their global energy explorations. Technicians can monitor up to 6 rigs across the globe from a single desk in Denver. Drilling experts can direct exploration equipment with a small skeleton crew of technicians on site. Unfortunately, as is often the case in IT, the system was not yet finalized when construction began. Our job is to build the Data Center and structured wiring needs to meet this future demand. J.Comm was able to get a rough idea of the data needs of this platform and we were able to propose solutions that will be more than adequate for the system’s needs.