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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[gaDJet]

Why go to Home Depot, Lowes?

Find electrical supply store for commercial grade AND cheaper supply, ALWAYS.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Why go to Home Depot, Lowes?

Find electrical supply store for commercial grade AND cheaper supply, ALWAYS.

My experience is....the local Electricians supply stores are always substantially (and I've been in all the local ones)....huge big time substantially more expensive. Especially if you are "joe public" walking in off the street. They typically discount and give breaks to regular electricians that have house accounts there...but even those electricians tell me the local shops are ripoffs..they just go there when they need something quick/immediately.

 

[gaDJet]

Here's a nice list of vendors, open your account through your business, save money.

http://6hrev.com/ma-electrical-suppliers

I'm in Toronto area, go to Sayal, you don't need an account to shop discount prices there.

 

[sys-eng]

Grainger carries Ideal, Klein, and Paladin which are all good crimpers between $50 and $100. Grainger is usually less than Lowes and Home Depot.

You also need a Punch-Down tool.

 

[Rob_NNCC]

I just did some substantial wiring for a country club. This was a 19th century farm house with like 10 additions on it so I hired a sub contractor. We worked together on this as pulling wire is MUCH easier with two people. I also got a class C contractor's licence for low voltage wiring when I started my shop over a year ago.

I used Cat 6 CMP and Cat6 jacks. There is a special type of twine used for pulling wire. I left one at every pull I made. This way I did not have to use up the wire leaving a run, but if something happens to a run, I can pull another one without bothering my subcontrator again.

When I ran wires at my old IT job, we had hollow metal stud walls and a drop ceiling. Easy easy.

My recommendations to you are: Use a good drill bit on the stud running along the top of the wall. A bad bit can slice into your wire making your run useless. A good step bit can be useful here.

Pull more than you need and put a few extra feet in the wall. I would hate to re-run a wire because I did not have enough to terminate it properly.

Don't just lie the wire on the drop ceiling. Get some baling wire or what not and make loops to hold the wires above the drop ceiling, florescent lights, and anything else.

Don't be shy about moving the tiles, but watch how dirty your hands get while you touch the tiles as it is easy to leave dirty handprints behind. ALSO, don't put them back until you are done in that section.

Pull it once and do it right! Use CAT6, use the right type of wire(CM/CMR/CMP). Wiring is expensive labor wise, so show them the value of what you did by not having to go back again and again. Also, future proof it as much as you can.

I might think of a few more things but this is what I have now.

EDIT: Use low voltage boxes, they make life easy! http://knoji.com/images/user/low-voltage-open-box.jpg

 

[NETWizz]

You had better do the job right. I get ****** off everytime I see a job done wrong.

1. Get any necessary licence and read the EIA/TIA 568 codes to become familiar with 568A and 568B.

2. Unless Government or a strange request stick with 568A for the Keystone jacks, RJ45 Modplugs, and patch panels!

3. Get a Quality 110 Punchdown tool such as the Harris (i.e. $50+)

4. Get a quality ratcheting Crimping tool like the AMP crimp tool.

5. CAT5, 5e, and 6 are all different certification levels. You MUST use the same grade (patch pannels, keystone jacks, mod plugs, and cable). I.e. If you use all CAT6 cable and CAT6 Patch pannel then use a CAT5 keystone jack, that is only CAT5 wiring.

6. Do NOT ever splice wire or make connectors to extend a run... Instead, pull a new cable if you must.

7. Always use quality parts like Levitron and Gigamax. Never use something like a cheap $2 keystone jack!

8. ALWAYS leave several extra feet of cabling in every junction box... ALWAYS. If your port is broken (years later) and you get called back or another contractor gets called in because the port won't work... you will NEED to most likely replace the keystone jack. It is an EASY 5 minute fix if you left extra cable in the box. If there is only 4" of cable, it is going to be TOUGH and you MIGHT have to re-pull the entire run!

9. The most expensive cable run is the one that is 1" too short!

10. Use a cable verifyer to test EVERY connection!

11. Label EVERY pull with a professional laber. EACH faceplate should state A) Which IDF/MDF Room, so there is no guessing where the patch panel is! B) Each port (Keystone Jack) should state specifically which it is on the patch panel! (i.e. B-2)

If I walk up to a port I setup and need to patch it, It might say IDF-302, and I KNOW it is Room 302! Next, if it says B-7, I KNOW to find patch panel B then locate port 7.

12. Each port on the patch panel MUST state the room it is in. If I am in the IDF patching a port, the patch panels themselves should be labeled A, B, C, etc. They already come labeled 1,2, 3... 48 from the manufacturer. Therefore next to each one you put the ROOM Number.

So in the example above if I am in Room 302 looking at Patch Panel B and look at port 7, it would have the Room number that actually has that port.

13. Do NOT use network cable with snag-less boots with a patch panel or the switch. Those should ONLY be used from the port to the computer (and only if you really want too). Patch panels should have bootless cables only. It is a LOT of work to remove cables when there are 96 of them booted and you can't get your fingers behind both sides because they are so close together. Then the added force may break the switch or port on the patch panel leaving you with a loose connection.

14. NEVER reuse a patch panel or keystone jack! The connections will NOT be tight enough to keep corrosive air out and prevent corrosion. Sure, it may work perfect when you are there, but what about 1 year later when a tiny bit of invisible/microscopic rust forms between the connections making it intermitant (i.e. Only work when someone jiggles the cable???)

 

[twonline]

My experience is....the local Electricians supply stores are always substantially (and I've been in all the local ones)....huge big time substantially more expensive. Especially if you are "joe public" walking in off the street. They typically discount and give breaks to regular electricians that have house accounts there...but even those electricians tell me the local shops are ripoffs..they just go there when they need something quick/immediately.

Interesting. Typically we can pick up 1000' boxes of plenum and riser cable at Greybar and Rexel for about 30% less than HD or Lowes will charge. Same for RJ45 tips, biscuit jacks and keystones. Not as cheap as buying online, of course, but in a pinch it doesn't hurt so bad when you need a box on the quick.

Also, it seems telecom and data is exempt in MA from low voltage licensing. But that's just from a cursory read through of the statutes. Might want to double check. Otherwise, follow the majority of the advice in this thread.
- Always pull 2 drops instead of 1
- Check your punchdowns with a wiremapping network tester
- Be sure to label your jacks at the wall and the 110 panel
- Use pull string
- Leave a service loop in the wall
- Know your local wire code in regards to fire foam/putty, etc
etc

Oh, but use T568B...it's a lot more common than A, and any followup network techs will appreciate it.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Oh, but use T568B...it's a lot more common than A, and any followup network techs will appreciate it.

Yup, here in the US....B is the common one. Of the hundreds of networks I've done/taken over/worked on...I've seen A pattern once.

 

[SprinterTech-WI]

Yup, here in the US....B is the common one. Of the hundreds of networks I've done/taken over/worked on...I've seen A pattern once.

"A" is standard for res. "B" is for Commercial, except gov still uses "A" (Or at least the IRS and SS buildings we've done).

Nothing peeves me off more than cabling done wrong, use cable hangers in the ceiling, cables can NOT just lie across the ceiling (whenever possible), run all cables together for as long as possible, and in a grid like layout, ALWAYS easier and safer to use 2 people, make sure and leave at least 3' extra cable on every run, ALWAYS punch to code( and NEC) - nothing worse than an inch of stripped cable hanging out of the back of a jack!, NEVER split lines (2 units to 1 cable), if a cable gets sliced re-pull, don't use cheap chinese cable, use quality cable (Belden is always good for me), also use quality connectors, I buy some online and get some locally (greybar etc...).
Also ALWAYS use LV boxes in the walls, and put in a rack with a patch panel.

If you are at all unsure..... don't do it, contract it out. When I started cabling I read all the NEC and other state and federal codes and standards. Then I cabled my offices and then started doing sites, most recently we did one that was over 75,000 feet of cat5e.... that was a nice 125hrs of work! (Including a server move, new POS, new copiers etc...).

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

"A" is standard for res. "B" is for Commercial, except gov still uses "A" (Or at least the IRS and SS buildings we've done).

I've never heard of any preference...like res or gov. Back when doing my cert classes with Leviton, they even said in the US it's 99.99999% B, other countries you can find A.

Even the wiring guys we sub work to...it's all B regardless of type of installation.