Structured cabling—also referred to as voice and data cabling—is the copper or fiber wiring in walls that serves as the core for voice and data networks. This type of cabling is considered “structured” because of a structure formed by a series of patch panels and trunks. This gives electronic devices and wireless access points network capability by facilitating a hardwired connection to the data and phone network.

The Next Link Communications staff has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, and our mission is to deliver unparalleled customer service at every step of the networking journey.

What is Structured Cabling?

Multiple subsystems comprise the structured cabling system:

  • The entrance facility is where the building interfaces with the outside world.
  • The equipment room is where the equipment that serves the building’s users is located.
  • The telecommunications room houses various telecommunications and data equipment. It connects the backbone with the horizontal cabling subsystem.
  • Backbone cabling carries the signal between the entrance facility, equipment room, and telecommunications room.
  • Horizontal cabling connects the telecommunications room to the individual outlets.
  • The work-area component connects the end user’s equipment to the outlets served by the horizontal cabling subsystem.

The design and installation of a structured cabling system must follow specific standards and best practices that define how the cabling should be laid out. It’s important to understand the different types of system layouts and ensure the proper setup for each specific application.

Structured cabling has several benefits over other types of cabling, such as:

  • Higher bandwidths. Voice and data cables have a high bandwidth capability, which helps future-proof a network, ensuring the capacity for expansions and speed improvements down the line as operational needs change and grow.
  • Structured cabling offers a simpler, cleaner look due to its well-planned layout. As such, structured cabling minimizes network downtime because the system reduces the risk of human error and facilitates faster maintenance.
  • Structured cabling offers scalability and flexibility. This helps to improve network performance and drive business growth.

There are different types of cabling that can be used in structured systems. The most common solutions include:

  • Cat 5e. Cat 5e cables supports applications up to 1000 Mbps.
  • Cat 6. Cat 6 cables have double the bandwidth of Cat 5e cables, making them the fastest cables currently on the market.
  • Fiber optics. Fiber optic cables are typically used when the cable needs to be run for long distances. They are especially useful for video applications due to the tremendous bandwidth and transmission speed capabilities provided by fiber optics.

Next Link Communications Can Help

With decades of experience in hardware and networking, Next Link Communications is uniquely qualified to help with installing and maintaining voice and data networks. We are focused on the network needs of our clients because voice and data systems are our specialty. We offer consulting, installation, and turnkey solutions that help our customers meet all of their long-term network needs.

We always provide our customers with excellent customer service. We offer 24/7 emergency response services, as well as 48-hour response times for less urgent service calls.

With Next Link Communications, customers can rest assured that their data and voice networks are in the hands of capable professionals. We offer Cat 5e, Cat 6, and fiber optic cabling to support all network layouts and speeds.

Contact us to learn more about our voice and data cabling and related services.