Office Network Cabling Checklist for a New Business Premises
Network cabling is easily overlooked during an office move or commercial fit-out.
Floor plans, furniture, decorating and broadband contracts often receive attention first. Cabling may not be considered until desks have been positioned, ceilings have been closed and an opening date is approaching.
At that point, changing outlet positions or adding new cable routes becomes more disruptive and expensive.
Planning your network infrastructure early helps ensure that computers, telephones, wireless access points, CCTV, meeting-room equipment and other connected systems are ready when the building opens.
Use this checklist to identify the main decisions that should be made before installation begins.
1. Confirm What the Network Needs to Support
Start by listing every system that will depend on the network.
This is likely to include more than desktop computers. Modern commercial networks can also support:
- VoIP telephones
- Printers and shared devices
- Wireless access points
- CCTV cameras
- Door access systems
- Video-conferencing equipment
- Meeting-room screens
- Digital signage
- Servers and storage
- Point-of-sale equipment
- Warehouse scanners and handheld devices
This list will help determine the number and position of data outlets required throughout the building.
It should also account for systems being installed by other suppliers. Security, audiovisual and IT contractors may all require access to the same underlying infrastructure.
2. Review the Floor Plan Before Furniture Is Ordered
The position of desks, meeting rooms, reception areas and shared equipment will affect where data points are needed.
Reviewing the floor plan early reduces the likelihood of outlets being left behind furniture, placed too far from equipment or omitted entirely.
Consider:
- How many people will use each room
- Whether desks may be rearranged
- Where printers and shared equipment will sit
- Which rooms need video conferencing
- Where wireless access points are likely to be installed
- Whether reception and meeting areas need additional connectivity
- Where CCTV and access-control equipment will be positioned
Some spare capacity should also be allowed for future employees and changes to the layout.
A small number of sensibly positioned additional outlets is usually easier to manage than returning to install cables once the premises is occupied.
3. Arrange a Network Cabling Survey
A professional survey allows the proposed design to be checked against the building itself.
Floor plans do not always reveal restricted ceiling voids, unsuitable cable routes, electrical interference or insufficient cabinet space.
During a survey, the cabling contractor can review:
- Proposed cable routes
- Ceiling and floor access
- Existing data cabling
- Communications rooms and cabinets
- Distances between different areas
- Containment requirements
- Fire barriers
- Power and cooling around network equipment
- Access restrictions and working hours
This information should inform the quotation and installation plan.
It also gives the contractor an opportunity to identify issues that could otherwise delay the project once work begins.
Planning a relocation or fit-out? FlexNet can survey the premises and recommend a cabling design based on the building, layout and systems being installed.
4. Decide Between Cat6, Cat6A and Fibre
The most appropriate cabling depends on the size of the premises, the required performance and how the network is likely to develop.
Cat6 may be suitable for many standard commercial connections.
Cat6A is often considered for new installations where greater capacity and longer-term performance are priorities.
Fibre-optic cabling may be required to connect communications cabinets, different floors, separate buildings or areas beyond practical copper cabling distances.
Many commercial projects use a combination of copper and fibre rather than relying on one cable type throughout.
The decision should be based on the intended use of the network and the physical layout of the site, not simply the lowest initial installation cost.
For a fuller explanation of the terminology, read our guide to what data cabling is and how it works.
5. Plan the Communications Cabinet
The communications cabinet brings the installed cabling and active network equipment together.
It needs sufficient space for the immediate installation while leaving sensible room for future equipment.
The design may need to accommodate:
- Patch panels
- Network switches
- Routers and firewalls
- Fibre termination equipment
- Cable management
- Power distribution
- Servers or storage equipment
- Additional capacity
Cabinet location is equally important.
The equipment should be secure and accessible to authorised staff. The surrounding space may also require suitable power, ventilation or cooling.
Larger buildings may need several cabinets linked by fibre rather than one central cabinet serving the entire premises.
6. Include Wi-Fi in the Cabling Plan
A wireless network still depends on physical cabling.
Each wireless access point needs a connection to the network and will often receive power through that connection. The cabling therefore needs to reach the correct access-point positions.
Those positions should be determined by coverage requirements rather than convenience.
Walls, floors, metal shelving, neighbouring networks and the number of connected devices can all affect performance. Warehouses, older buildings and multi-floor offices can be particularly challenging.
Planning cabling and wireless coverage together reduces the risk of access points being installed in unsuitable locations.
7. Coordinate the Installation With Other Contractors
Network cabling rarely happens in isolation during a refurbishment or relocation.
The installation may need to be coordinated with:
- Electricians
- Builders
- Ceiling contractors
- Furniture installers
- IT providers
- Security contractors
- Audiovisual specialists
- Internet service providers
Cable routes may need to be completed before ceilings are closed. Outlets must align with the final furniture plan. Cabinets need power before switches and routers can be installed.
Establishing responsibilities and timescales early can help prevent one part of the project from delaying another.
FlexNet can also coordinate network cabling with networking, IP security, audiovisual and electrical requirements, reducing the number of separate suppliers involved in the project.
8. Confirm Testing, Labelling and Handover Requirements
Every completed cable should be tested and clearly labelled.
Testing provides evidence that the installation performs as intended. Labelling allows individual connections to be traced between outlets and patch panels.
Before appointing a contractor, confirm what handover information will be provided.
Depending on the project, this may include:
- Cable test results
- Outlet and patch-panel references
- Cabinet schedules
- Network diagrams
- As-installed drawings
- Product and system warranties
- Details of the installed cable and components
These records are valuable when faults need to be investigated or the network is expanded.
FlexNet’s in-house engineers use certified and calibrated testing equipment, with appropriate accreditation and warranty information provided according to the project requirements.
9. Complete the Installation Before Moving Day
Where possible, network cabling should be installed, terminated and tested before employees and equipment arrive.
This creates time to address faults or layout changes without disrupting normal work.
The wider IT installation will still need to follow, but completing the physical infrastructure first gives the IT provider a stable foundation for setting up switches, wireless networks, telephones and connected devices.
A final readiness check should confirm that:
- All required outlets have been installed
- Data points are correctly labelled
- Cabling has passed the agreed testing
- Cabinets have power and adequate space
- Fibre links are operational
- Wireless access-point positions are ready
- CCTV and access-control connections are available
- Handover documents have been received
Network Cabling Across the Midlands
FlexNet supports office moves, refurbishments and commercial cabling projects throughout the UK.
Our Midlands coverage includes dedicated data cabling services in:
Working with an experienced regional team can make site surveys, project meetings and ongoing support easier to arrange.
Whether the project involves a single office, a warehouse, several floors or multiple locations, the infrastructure should be designed around the specific building and the technology it needs to support.
Plan Your Network Cabling With FlexNet
FlexNet has delivered professional data networking services since 2012.
Our in-house engineers design, install, test and document commercial network cabling, including Cat6, Cat6A and fibre-optic infrastructure.
We can also support the wider networking, wireless, security, audiovisual and electrical requirements associated with a new premises or refurbishment.
Speak to FlexNet before the fit-out is finalised to arrange a site survey and discuss your network cabling requirements.