Tips for wiring office

[Velvis]

I have a client who is moving his office to the building next door. Only one of the rooms has ethernet jacks.

My plan is to buy a big roll of Cat5e and a crimping tool from Home Depot and wire each room myself.

The office has drop ceilings, so my plan was to wire through the ceiling and then drop it down the inside of the wall to hole I cut for the box.

Does anyone have any hints or advice about tackling this project?

Thanks.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Errmm....unless you've gone through a wiring certification class, what I would do is.....if someone not qualified/trained has wired a building/office that I will be supporting the network on, I will rip it all out and have it replaced. I don't support networks laid by someone not trained/certified in it.....have learned this the hard way waaaay to many times in the past.

Do not get some budget crimping tool that costs less than 50 bucks...the el cheapo ones have soft dies that end up making you waste lots of ends and result in a poor job.

Actually, in doing an office wiring job, you'll never use a crimper. Properly done...you'll have a patch panel in the server room or phone closet (wherever you switch will be)...and you'll have properly done wall jacks/plates. They're mostly tool-less..lay cable by hand, punch down, trim edges, snap cover on. No crimpers involved.

Good supplies at Monoprice or PIMfg.

Learn building code laws as they apply to data wiring. example....plenum ceiling space and type of cable required.

[Ccomp5950]

Obviously check your local ordinances and regulations regarding "Low voltage wiring".

Get a punch tool, crimpers for patch cables but the wall jacks use a punch down tool.

Use fishtape to speed up your wire feeding down walls. You can get it at Lowes or where ever else.

[rsarceno]

Originally Posted by Velvis

Does anyone have any hints or advice about tackling this project?

If your in the USA, the first thing you need is Low Voltage Systems Contractor license for telephone and data lines. You might want to considered hiring a sub-contractor.

[kaiser715]

^^^ what Stonecat said

Definitely do patch panels and wall plates -- looks much more professional, and is much more reliable in the long run. Nothing looks more hack than a crimped net cable coming out of a hole in a wall, or worse, hanging from the ceiling to the desk.

But I've seen a lot of screwed up stuff by "certified" intstallers, too.

Big deal lots of people screw up on is what he touched on...lots of times in commerical space, the area above the drop ceiling is return air for HVAC...plenum space. Cables installed there...if only for a foot, must be plenum-rated. Or you wind up screwed by building inspector (if new construction), fire marshall (if caught on inspection), or if there should be a fire, even if your wiring had nothing to do with it, lawyers after a paycheck.

Also have to use firepaste on penetrations here (like where you drill thru the top plate...and supposedly the fire blocking within the wall....but that is impossible in a refit)

And...it's a lot faster and easier to pull off of multiple spools, not one. I usually put 2 wall or floor plates in each room, with 2 lines to each. Not that much more labor running the cable, and gives them much more flexibility in the future (adding a network laser on a credenza behind the desk, etc). Larger rooms, such as a work room, copy room etc, usually get more drops.

Don't forget things like the (possible future?) timeclock (usually at entrance or in breakroom around here. Also drops for WAP's if they are going wireless for employee or guest access.

My point is, installation is cheap while you are there the first time. Fully planned and done right, with plenty of outlets, your client is set for a long while.

Where are you located?

[Ccomp5950]

Originally Posted by rsarceno

If your in the USA, the first thing you need is Low Voltage Systems Contractor license for telephone and data lines. You might want to considered hiring a sub-contractor.

This is location specific, in my part of Texas it's not required.

[jogold]

If you're not using shielded then be very careful not to place the wires over the florescent lamps. This can cause emi disruption that you'll never trace.
Also where ever you pull a wire, pull an extra one.
It's easier said than done but great experience and will help you troubleshoot network problems in the future.

[rosiesdad]

As long as youre pulling Data cables, dont forget to do an extra one at each location for office phones (can be cat 3)
Cell stuff is nice and getting to be the norm in homes, but business still tends to cling to hardwire phones (or systems)

[Velvis]

I am in Massachusetts. Does anyone know if a license is required to do this work?

[sys-eng]

Originally Posted by Velvis

I am in Massachusetts. Does anyone know if a license is required to do this work?

Your local building inspector will know. Many states have no license requirement for low-voltage. Outside the local code requirements, be sure to not bend the cable sharply. You can look up the recommended wiring method for Cat5 about this. I have seen many runs by the "professional licensed cable installer" where they bent the cable around sharp corners and cut the throughput to about 30-Mbs instead of 100-Mbs.

Some connectors (Amp) will not work with other brands of crimping tool well and some connectors are junk so this requires a bit of research.