Today’s homes include bay windows, jetted tubs, round corners, hardwood flooring, vaulted ceilings and a myriad of other cosmetic features that are designed to appeal to the buyer.  While these features are important to the aesthetics and comforts of the home, they are no longer the only standard that makes a home “modern.”

Infrastructure features such as structured wiring and home networking are often overlooked as a beneficial feature to a well-built home. Today’s homeowners want, and often demand, access to the same technology that is available to them in their workplaces, such as multi-telephone lines, computers, high-speed Internet access, and high-quality peripherals, i.e. digital cameras, scanners and printers.  And, all of this equipment must be networked so that access is available in any room of the house.

Current wiring can limit the use of these technologies, as well as those of the future. The limited bandwidth (capacity and speed) of today’s wiring is problematic. Multiple electronics such as multi-telephone lines, computers, and high-speed Internet compete for precious space on existing telephone cable networks currently in homes.  Present wiring schemes become overloaded very quickly.  To avoid this potential gridlock, we suggest moving beyond the normal wiring and installing a structured wiring or home networking system that provides a greater level of flexibility and control.

For example, ten, even five years ago, homeowners were concerned with the aesthetic features listed above.  Now, more and more people are telecommuting or working from home offices. They must have the latest in technology to remain competitive in their own professions and industries.  This means the wiring infrastructure must provide the same technological features as those available in their work places.

Getting that technology to the home is no longer an idea or dream of the future.  Homes are built with structured wiring every day. But, how does that wiring support these technologies?

The Components of Structured Wiring

To best define structured wiring, let’s look at the main components of a structured wiring system.

Wiring

Wiring is an integral component of a structured wiring system. The type of wire installed and the manner in which it is installed will dictate the performance of the entire system.

Bandwidth – One constant in technology is speed and capacity, or how much information can I get and how fast can I get it? Category 5 (Cat5) and Category 5 enhanced (Cat5e) cabling, when properly installed, are capable of transmitting data at 100 Mhz+ and are rapidly becoming the standard in homes. 

The concept of using Cat3 wiring for voice and Cat5 wiring for data can restrict the wiring system. Cat3 has a limited bandwidth of 16 Mhz. For example, a telephone outlet may be used for a standard telephone, but it may also be used for a computer to dial into the Internet.  

The same holds true for coax lines. Coax lines may be used for high-speed Internet as well as cable television. The preferred Coax cable is RG6 Quad Shield. This cable is capable of at least 2.2 Ghz and is recommended for everything, excluding composite video, in which case an RG59 is recommended. 

For the ultimate in speed and capacity, fiber optics is the perfect solution. Fiber optic cabling is currently capable of 7 – 8 Ghz and has the capacity to go as high as 40 Ghz. 

Bundled cables – Using bundled cabling, which contains two Cat5e cables, two RG6 Quad coax cables and two multi-mode fiber optic cables provides the necessary wiring infrastructure for current technologies, as well technologies of the future.

Bundled Cable

Topology – Looping, or daisy chaining, telephone and coax wires completely destroys the possibility of networking or distributing signals and information throughout the home. To ensure the electronic equipment communicates correctly, a star or home run topology must be used. 

Receptacles

Multi-media outlets, or receptacles, are two, four, or six-port outlets and provide two main benefits. First, they incorporate multiple types of connections (e.g., telephone, data, video, etc.) into a single outlet, reducing wall clutter. Second, they provide a forward and reverse path capability to the room in which they are installed. Multi-media outlets are typically placed in any location requiring computer, audio or video equipment.

 The placement of the outlets in a room is very important. As little as ten years ago, telephone outlets were not placed near coax outlets in the media room; there was no logical reason to do so. Today, with the introduction of the DBS Satellite dish, few people would argue the logic of placing a telephone outlet next to the coax outlet. The goal is to provide the greatest level of flexibility. A homeowner should never be required to string a telephone cable across a room so that he or she can get online.

Distribution

The distribution panel is the one component the homeowner will interact with the most. The cabling will be concealed behind the walls and the receptacles may be hidden behind furniture or desks.

There are several types of distribution panels available. They range from the inexpensive panel available at home improvement stores to the custom panel available exclusively through structured wiring manufactures and distributors.

The key word is control. The homeowner must have easy access and control over which room gets which service.  For example, a panel such as the Eaton's Cutler-Hammer StructuredWiringSolutionsä package illustrated here offers this control and usability. Taking the simple plug-and-play mentality, the panel allows for a quick change of what services are available in which room.  For example, a homeowner wishes to move his home office into a larger room. The most difficult task?  Deciding where the furniture should go. The infrastructure for the computer and communications devices is already in place and he simply plugs the equipment into the wall receptacle. Then, from the distribution panel, he reroutes the distribution of services to the larger room.

Thinking beyond the here and now – to the what and then – is basis of the structured wiring industry.  Plan for now, provide for then.