Originally posted by: Pheran
Originally posted by: BKLounger
Originally posted by: nuMERICA
If it's a small company, the most convenient way, imo, is to use a wireless network. Get a Wireless N router and buy these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...rs-_-Belkin-_-33314032
We did it for our office for about 10-12 desks and it works like a charm with no need to run wires. Although, it was pretty expensive.
/hides from hardcore network guys
i actually advised them away from wireless because the new office is in the basement of an older building so i couldn't be sure what kind of interference they would be dealing with. Also that means all the computers would need to get wireless cards installed which just seems like an unneccessary expense considering all machines are stationary.
*edit*
crusty you do have a point. Thinking about it that way I will probably recommend 4 rj45 and 4 rj11 jacks per office. probably 6 and 6 for the main room. That should give a reasonable amount of expansion in the future.
You are missing my point - you don't need RJ11 jacks for phone, you can use one of the RJ45/Cat6 drops that you install for this. RJ11 connectors will fit into RJ45 jacks. If you get a phone patch panel located next to your data panel in your closet, you can just patch phone lines to whatever jacks you want.
Don't put rj11 cables into a RJ45 connection you wish to ever use for networking.
The 4 by 6 or 6 by 6 rj 11 male plug will often bend the outermost contactors in the keystone jack, because the plastic on each side will wedge that last contactor wire out to the side. this can be a huge PITA to figure out. I have replaced many top quality jacks that had bent outermost contactors from just this problem.
That is why I never let users plug in phones and computers
I have to go heat the network jack up in the switch anyway, so why not finish the job.
If a company is planning to use a digital phone system, run CAT 3 wire and terminate in the proper connection for it. Why run cat 3 you may ask? I can terminate it in less than half the time. Time is money, and I charge a hefty rate. That "wasted, useless" cable in the wall is not the largest cost of servicing the phone systems; my time is. Many folks want thier own conventional fax machines for example. I can punch that down in a 66 block faster than I can type this up, using cross connect wire.
Don't kid yourself that you can easily patch over from most digital phone systems to a patch panel economically, practically, or in an aesthetic manner. It will look like ass in the closet. And it will take more of that $$$ time.
I have designed and installed dozens of cable plants, digital phone systems, and a few VOIP systems.
My guidelines for cable count:
1) 2 CAT6 and 1 CAT 3( if VOIP is going to be used, no CAT3 add 1 more CAT6 in this case) to each office or each possible desk location.
2)Some offices are large enough that a user may place his desk clear across the room from your jacks, requiring some really ugly patch cabling. Make another drop in these larger offices.
3) If wiring a conventional construction office with drywall, use back-to-back locations. One CAT3 4 pair cable to each back-to-back will service 4 jacks. if one of the rooms needs an additional jack, you can often 'borrow' it from the adjacent room by getting a different faceplate and turning the keystone in the wall. it is also easier to drag 4 network wires in one go, rather than 2 pulls of 2.
4) Don't forget possible locations for network printers. Drop 1 each of CAT3 and CAT6 there. Most small companies buy copier/fax machines and need a POTS connection along with the network.
That is the planning part and you can request that from a contractor.
Also require proper labeling at the faceplate and termination closet.
Require a certification test with report, and a guarantee of at least one year.
That last one tends to weed out the fly by night operators, they don't have access to spendy certification equipment.