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April 8, 2023
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The Art of wiring
Have you ever been puzzled by why your high-speed internet still results in lagging Wi-Fi or buffering streams? The answer may lie not in your internet service provider, but within the walls of your home itself.
In the past, smart home wiring, also known as 'structured wiring', was typically a bundle that included two Cat5 cables, two coax cables, and a fiber optic cable, all bound together. Today, this has dramatically changed. We've largely moved away from coax cables and have adopted Internet Protocol (IP) as our standard for structured wiring. But what does this mean?
IP is the method by which data is sent from one device to another on the internet. In a modern smart home, almost everything - from streaming TVs and cameras to doorbells and access points - sends and receives data this way. Cat (Category) cables are used to carry these signals.
Here's where the complexity kicks in. If all the wires running to your equipment room are the same, things can get confusing without proper documentation.
At Digital Home, we've tackled this issue head-on. Taking inspiration from a successful UK-based integrator called Art Of Smart, Art Of Smart,we've adopted a color-coding system for our cables based on their functions – rainbow spaghetti. For example, we use red Cat6 cables for access points, yellow Cat6 and fiber optic cables for TVs, and blue Cat6 for cameras.
This not only simplifies things for our technicians, who have a clear Rough-In Plan (RIP) document to follow, but also gives our clients a handy guide they can refer to in the future.
Why does all this matter? Let me share a story. I recently visited a client, a busy professional who relied heavily on a stable internet connection for his work. However, constant Wi-Fi and streaming issues made his daily tasks frustratingly difficult. Upon inspection, we discovered that the wrong cables had been installed by a non-specialized tradesperson. Now, not only is the client faced with the costly and disruptive task of having his home rewired, but he also has to deal with the added stress and lost productivity this causes.
This is why hiring a professional AV integrator from the start, while perhaps more expensive upfront, can actually save you money, time, and headaches in the long run. We understand the complexities and nuances of smart home wiring, ensuring the job is done right the first time.
Remember, the quality of your wiring infrastructure is crucial for any modern home. And as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for."
Consider three benefits of getting it right the first time:
