Commercial Network Cabling Planning Guide

Whether you're preparing a space for a new tenant, remodeling an existing office, or upgrading an aging network, network cabling is something that is easy to overlook until you need it.

The cabling behind the walls can remain in place for years. The computers, phones, wireless equipment, cameras, and tenants using that infrastructure will change much more frequently.

Before hiring a cabling contractor, there are several questions a property manager or onsite IT professional should answer.

1. What will the space need to support?

Start with the business and the building, not the cable. Make a list of everything that will need a network connection now and what may need one in the future. Consider:

• Employee computers and workstations
• VoIP phones
• Printers and copiers
• Wireless access points
• Security cameras
• Access-control systems
• Conference rooms
• Digital displays
• Point-of-sale equipment
• Servers and network storage
• Building automation or other connected equipment

Don't plan only around the equipment that exists today. A tenant with 20 employees today may have 40 employees two years from now.

2. How many network connections do you actually need?

One of the most common planning mistakes is counting computers instead of locations. For example, a workstation may eventually have:

• A computer
• A VoIP phone
• A docking station
• A printer or other device

You may also need connections for wireless access points, cameras, conference rooms, printers, and other equipment.

Ask yourself: if the business grows, will there be enough network connections already in place? Adding a few extra connections during construction can be much easier than trying to add them after walls and ceilings are finished.

3. Where will the network equipment be located?

Before work begins, identify where the building's network equipment will live. Determine whether the property has:

• An MDF
• One or more IDFs
• Existing network closets
• Existing racks
• Available rack space
• Adequate electrical power
• Adequate cooling
• Space for future equipment

For larger buildings, don't assume every cable should run back to one central room. Multiple network closets may be necessary depending on the size and layout of the building.

4. Do you know where the wireless access points will go?

Wi-Fi should be considered before the cabling is installed, not afterward. Ask your IT team or wireless provider to identify the anticipated access-point locations. Things that can affect Wi-Fi coverage include:

• Building size
• Walls and construction materials
• Ceiling height
• Number of users
• Equipment density
• Interference
• Warehouse shelving and racking
• Outdoor areas

A warehouse, for example, may require a very different wireless plan than a traditional office. Once access-point locations are established, make sure network connections are planned for those locations.

5. Are security cameras part of the project?

If the property has, or will have, IP security cameras, include them in the cabling plan. Think about:

• Building entrances
• Parking areas
• Loading docks
• Hallways
• Common areas
• Warehouse areas
• Exterior locations
• Restricted areas

More importantly, ask: what do we actually need each camera to see? A camera that provides a general view of a parking lot has different requirements from a camera that needs to identify a person's face or read a license plate. Camera placement, lighting, lens selection, recording capacity, and network connections should be considered together.

6. Do you need Cat6, Cat6A, or fiber?

You don't necessarily need to specify the exact cable yourself. Instead, give your cabling contractor or IT professional the information they need to make the appropriate recommendation. Consider:

• Current network speeds
• Expected future speeds
• Distance
• Building size
• Network equipment
• Existing infrastructure
• Future expansion

Cat6 remains a very practical choice for many commercial Ethernet connections. Cat6A may make sense for certain higher-performance applications. Fiber may be appropriate for connections between network closets, buildings, or other locations where copper isn't the right solution.

7. What is already in the building?

Before installing new cabling, find out what you already have. Look for:

• Existing Cat5e, Cat6, or Cat6A
• Existing fiber
• Unused network drops
• Existing patch panels
• Network racks
• Cable pathways
• Abandoned cable
• Existing labeling

If the property has older cabling, don't automatically assume that everything needs to be removed and replaced. Determine what can be reused and what should be upgraded.

8. What happens when the tenant changes?

Property managers should think beyond the current tenant. Ask:

• Can the cabling be reused by a future tenant?
• Are network connections concentrated in useful locations?
• Are there adequate pathways for future additions?
• Is the cabling documented?
• Are the network closets accessible?
• Can additional cable be installed later?

A well-planned infrastructure can make future tenant improvements considerably easier.

9. What about the cable path?

You don't necessarily need to design the pathway yourself, but you should know how the contractor intends to get from point A to point B. Ask:

• Where will the cables run?
• Are ceilings accessible?
• Are there existing pathways?
• Will new conduit or cable tray be required?
• Are there areas where access will be difficult?
• Will the work affect finished areas?
• Are there fire-rated walls or assemblies involved?

This is especially important in buildings that are already occupied.

10. How will you know the cabling works?

Don't assume that because a network connection works today, the installation has been properly tested. Ask your cabling contractor whether the installed cabling will be tested and what the warranty is.

For commercial installations, testing and documentation can be valuable long after the original contractor has left. Keep the documentation with the property's IT or building records.

11. Is everything going to be labeled?

Good labeling saves time later. Ask whether the following will be documented:

• Cable numbers
• Patch-panel ports
• Wall outlets
• Network closets
• Fiber connections
• Camera connections
• Wireless access-point connections

When a tenant reports that a network connection isn't working three years later, proper labeling can save hours of troubleshooting.

12. Think about the next five years

The best question isn't "what do we need today?" It's "what are we likely to need five years from now?"

Technology changes quickly, but replacing cabling inside a finished commercial building can be expensive. Think about potential future requirements such as:

• Faster network connections
• More wireless devices
• Additional cameras
• Access control
• VoIP
• Additional employees
• New tenants
• Additional network closets
• Fiber expansion
• IoT and building systems

You don't have to install everything today. But you should avoid designing an infrastructure that makes tomorrow's upgrades unnecessarily difficult.

Commercial cabling planning checklist

Before you contact a cabling contractor:

• Identify how the space will be used
• Estimate current and future network connections
• Identify workstation and equipment locations
• Determine wireless access-point locations
• Identify security-camera locations
• Locate existing network closets
• Determine what existing cabling can be reused
• Identify MDF and IDF locations
• Consider whether fiber is needed
• Identify existing cable pathways
• Consider future tenants or expansion
• Ask about cable testing and verification
• Request labeling and documentation
• Determine whether additional capacity should be installed now

Questions to ask your cabling contractor

Before approving the project, ask:

• What cable are you recommending and why?
• How many connections are you recommending?
• Where will the network closets be located?
• How will the cabling get from the closet to each location?
• Are you planning for future expansion?
• Are the wireless access points and cameras included in the plan?
• Will existing cabling be evaluated before we replace it?
• Will the finished cabling be tested?
• Will I receive layout and numbering documentation?
• Will every cable and patch-panel port be labeled?

The bottom line

Network cabling is part of the building's infrastructure. Plan it like infrastructure, not like an afterthought.

For property managers and onsite IT teams, the goal isn't simply to install enough cable to get today's computers online. The goal is to create an infrastructure that is organized, documented, expandable, and capable of supporting the businesses that use the building today and in the future.

A little planning before construction can prevent expensive changes after the walls are finished.