Everything facility managers need to know about structured cabling: Cat6 vs. Cat6A, fiber optic backbone, TIA/EIA standards, and how proper cabling supports security cameras, access control, Wi-Fi, and VoIP systems.
Every technology system in a modern commercial building — security cameras, access control readers, Wi-Fi access points, VoIP phones, workstations, and IoT sensors — depends on the network cabling that connects it. Yet cabling is often the last thing building owners think about and the first thing that causes problems when it fails or reaches capacity.
A properly designed structured cabling system follows industry standards, supports current bandwidth demands with room for growth, and outlasts the active equipment connected to it by a decade or more. A poorly designed one creates bottlenecks, troubleshooting nightmares, and expensive rip-and-replace projects when technology demands outpace what the cable plant can deliver.
Cat6 cable supports speeds up to 10 Gbps at distances up to 55 meters and 1 Gbps at the full 100-meter standard run length. For most office environments with standard workstation connections, Cat6 provides excellent performance at a lower material cost than Cat6A.
Cat6A cable supports 10 Gbps at the full 100-meter distance and provides improved shielding against electromagnetic interference. Cat6A is the recommended choice for new construction, warehouse environments with heavy electrical equipment, and any location where you plan to install Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices like security cameras, access control readers, or wireless access points. PoE devices generate heat in the cable, and Cat6A's thicker conductors dissipate that heat more effectively, preventing performance degradation.
For businesses planning security camera installations with PoE cameras, Cat6A provides the bandwidth and power delivery headroom that ensures reliable performance for the life of the installation.
Fiber optic cable is essential for three scenarios in commercial environments:
Building-to-building connections: Copper cabling has a maximum run length of 100 meters. Any connection between buildings on a campus — even across a parking lot — typically requires single-mode fiber, which can span kilometers without signal degradation.
High-bandwidth backbone connections: The vertical riser connecting floor-to-floor network closets should use fiber to support aggregated traffic from dozens or hundreds of devices on each floor. Multi-mode fiber handles these shorter runs cost-effectively.
Data center and server room connections: 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps connections between switches, servers, and storage arrays require fiber optic cabling with appropriate transceiver modules.
The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) publishes the standards that govern how structured cabling should be designed, installed, and tested. Key standards include TIA-568 for commercial building cabling, TIA-569 for pathways and spaces, and TIA-606 for administration and labeling.
Cabling installed to TIA standards is eligible for manufacturer warranties that can extend 15 to 25 years. These warranties cover both materials and labor for any cable that fails to meet performance specifications. Non-standard installations have no warranty protection and often require expensive remediation when problems surface.
A single structured cabling system supports every technology in your building. Security cameras require dedicated home runs from each camera location back to a PoE switch. Access control readers need cabling to door controllers. Wireless access points require ceiling-mounted cable drops with PoE power. VoIP phones need desktop drops alongside data connections.
Planning all of these requirements as a unified cabling project — rather than separate installations for each system — reduces total cost, ensures consistent quality, and creates a cable plant that is properly documented and easy to manage going forward.
Harris Technology Services designs and installs structured cabling systems for commercial buildings throughout Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware. Our certified technicians handle site surveys, cable pathway planning, installation, termination, testing, and documentation as a single turnkey project. Every installation is tested to TIA standards and backed by manufacturer warranty. Contact HTS at (877) 877-9080 to schedule a free cabling assessment.
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