Let's talk about what types of cables to install in your home and their capability.

Phone - The technology used for the last 15 years was Category 3 wire or station wire (1 or 2 pair of copper wires). Telco companies are still installing this as their base infrastructure. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. If you find this happening or know of Builders who think this is still today's acceptable standard, you will know one of two things about them. They are lining their pockets by installing cheaper and inferior wire or that they don't understand the difference.

The difference is this: Category 5 or 5e (enhanced) wire is the new standard in Telecommunications; the Bandwidth is greater with lower interference and provides 4 twisted pairs of copper wire. In addition to this, the wire should be home run. Home run means each outlet provided within the home is dedicated and runs back to a centralized point. This is called a Star Topology. Currently, Telco's run a Looped Configuration, where one wire feeds off the other and back at the centralized point there is only one cable. Not very proficient if you wish to convert a phone line to another dedicated number or have a problem with one location, all can be affected.

Data - Is the 3rd wire or the future of home infrastructure that hasn't been seen, since the time of cable TV. Many people wonder why they need data connections within the home, when Internet Services can be provided over the Phone or Cable lines. Well 30-40 years ago when Cable TV arrived, Phone Companies were saying that there wasn't a need for this new wire; they would be able to watch TV through the Phone wires. Well, we all know how this worked out.

Category 5 or 5e or 6 or 7 wire is now available for running data lines throughout the home. Don't worry so much about the higher numbers, the only difference is the cost and in the amount of Bandwidth that can be delivered through the lines. Category 5 and 5e wire are enough to handle up to 100mb per second, more than adequate for technology for the next 15 years. Most people today are only getting 3mb for high speed access if they are lucky.

In addition to this you are installing data wire that can create a network which you can share information to other Computers or Internet Appliances within your home. Similar to a network in a corporate environment, you would only to add a router/switch or hub to accomplish this.

Video - When we think of Video wire we think of its use mainly for the Television, but now there are other applications that can be considered utilizing the Cable TV wire called RG6. Video Cameras and Internet Services are now considered normal for use with RG6 wire. This cable is insulated as it is prone to interference. Though the bandwidth is a lot faster than Cat 5 wire, once it is shared with many people or if the signal is split many times within your home, the signal degrades. Be aware of the different grades of RG6 coaxial wire, some are quad shielded, which means that they contain 4 different type of Aluminum shielding to prevent loss; these are normally used for longer cable runs. If you can recommend what Video cable wires then ask them to run RG6U with a FT rating of at least 1.

Audio - For the Audiophiles in the crowd, this can be the most important wire to run before the walls go up. It also is usually the trickiest one, when deciding where you want them to be placed for a number of reasons. One, you may not know where you think your stereo equipment will be residing. Two, you may face certain Architectural challenges in placement of your speakers, either in the wall or ceiling. Thirdly, you may not be aware of the Multi-Room Audio Systems that involve another type of wire (Category 5) in addition to the speaker wire.

The different gauges of wire can also be confusing to some as the lower the numbers get, the better the quality is as opposed to other types of cabling structures. 18/2 16/2 14/2 12/2 or 14/4 AWG. What do these numbers mean? In most cases, 16 gauge should be sufficient, with the possible exception of high-power subwoofers. Using 18 gauge instead of 12 gauge would only result in a power loss of 0.1dB, which is essentially undetectable by humans. You should use multi-stranded copper wire for speaker applications.

Max. Length

up to 25 feet                  18

up to 40 feet                  16

up to 60 feet                  14

The second number represents the number of pairs of wire. For example 14/4 AWG means; 14 is the size of the conductor, 4 means the number of conductors or 2 pairs in the wire casing and AWG means American Wire Gauge.

Security/Intercom - Something we normally don't worry about, that's what the Security Company is for. Well to brush up what you need to know about these wires, is not so straight foreword as we think. When dealing with Security wire for Motion, glass breaks, door and window contacts we use Station wire or Quad wire. This is 22 conductor size with 4 conductors or 2 pairs of wire. For keypads we should keep in mind Automation or Home Management Systems and run Cat 5 wire to these areas, this is a good way to future proof your home.

When it comes to Smoke and Co2 Detectors most building codes in Canada and the US require a high voltage wire to control the power of these devices. When utilizing an Automation system, be sure to run an extra Quad wire to the areas, so you do not have to put redundant detectors in your home. The ceilings will start to become full and not look very aesthetic.

Intercoms have a completely different topology used to achieve communication inside and out of the home. More or less you will be using 22 gauge quad wire, except with intercoms that have cameras that could involve putting Cat 5 or even Coax (RG6). Each intercom systems usually have their own wiring topology. We recommend running an additional Cat 5 wire along with the Quad wire for the future, as the technology being developed for the next generations of Intercoms, will involve more integration with the rest of the home.

Remember if you are running any of these wires outside the home or in commercial establishments the rating on the wires may change; please consult a professional upon selection of your wire infrastructure.

Richard J. Railey is currently the CEO and Founder of Interactive Interiors Inc. A Residential and Commercial Automation Firm that specializes in delivering: Whole Home Automation Design through to Installation Services for MDU/MTU Dwellings, High-End Custom Homes and Tract Home Subdivisions. Currently, Interactive Interiors has a presence in Ontario, Nova Scotia and British Columbia in Canada. They also perform Residential Design Services for the USA and UK market. Mr. Railey has over 12 years of Information Technology Experience working previously for various Hospitality Service Organizations in Directorship, Management, and Conciliatory roles. He formed Interactive Interiors Inc. in 1998 upon the idea that Residential Home Owners would soon want and demand the benefits of the Internet and improved communication within the home when it came to functional appliances and controls. Mr. Railey's commitment to ensuring that simplified lifestyles can been attained by using simple and reliable controls, has positioned the organization to handle accelerated growth that awaits the chasm of the Residential Automation Industry over the next few years.

Mr. Railey can be reached at the Corporate Head Office in Toronto at 416 482 7003 or emailed through Richard@interinter.com .