Telephone Wiring:
Telephone wiring today today involves a lot of choices such as the number of phone, how they get managed, and whether you choose to use a "phone system" or not. What follows is a brief explanation of some of the basics and how to specify them.

Telephone Cable Basics:
Telephone cable is selected by the number of conductors (pairs) and the number of twists per foot in the cable (catagory rating). The more pairs, the more phome numbers the cable can handle. The higher the catagory rating (Cat number) the more twists oer foot in the cable which translates into a better data transmission speed. Basically the two types of cables used today are either a 4 pair Cat 5 or 4 pair Cat 3. Cat 3 is considered standard phone cable, while Cat 5 is considered data cable. Cat 5 cable has a slightly higher cost per foot than Cat 3 but the added advantage of having Cat 5 will benefit the customer's future needs. With all these things considered, 4 pair Cat 5 cable should be specified for telephone wiring. This will allow for many different choices. It can accomodate mutliple phone numbers (up to four) with standard phones or it can be used for a "phone system". A "phone system" is a product made by different companies, i.e. Panasonic, AT&T, Nortel, etc.. This rquipment can manage multiple phone numbers (more on that later). One of the pairs
can be a number for a fax machine as well.
The Cat 5 cable is best suited for today as well as
any future needs.

Telephone Jacks:
Telephone jacks can have a single wall plate with 1 to 4ports on each plate. Each port can be set up for a different phone or fax number. The ports can also be either 1 line or 2 lines. If the ports are set up to be a single line , then a single line phone can be plugged into each port. If the ports are set up to be 2 lines, then a two line phone can be used in each port. The standard spec should allow for a single plate and a single, 2 line port, thus allowing for 2 different numbers on one plate. The customer may use a single or a 2 line phone in these jacks. Another port on the same plate can be used for the fax machine if needed.

Telephone Cable Runs:
Each cable should be "Hone Run" wired. This means the cable is run from the wall jack straight to the main termination or utility room. It should run without spicing and tight bends. It should never be stapled to tightly.

Terminations:
All cables should eb terminated in the same area, preferably at the location of the main telephone cable. Telephone cables should be terminated on a punch down block.

Fax Lines:
Fax lines are the same as telephone lines. They can be shared in the same cable as the telephone.

Computer Networking Flourishes:
More and more people are turning to the internet to meet today's ever increasing demand for information. No longer are they just using "dial up" connections. Today, houses are being prewired for other high speed connections including home networks. The high speed connections are either a cable modem from the cable vendor or a DSL connection from the telephone vendor. In order to access these high speed connections from more than one computer and to share files and hardware between computers, network wiring is required.

Three Basic Connections to The Internet:

1. Dial up service is the oldest and slowest form of internet connection. It utilizes a modem and a telephone jack hook up.
2. DSL service is a high speed connection from the telephone This utilizes a specialized modem that connects to the main telephone line and then to the computer.
3. Cable Modem service is a high speed connection from the cable vendor which uses a specialized modem that connects to the main cable line and then to the computer.

The basis wiring for a single computer station to access the internet are as follows (remember, this is only for one computer station and not a network):

Dial up service requires a standard telephone jack that plugs right in to the computer. When possible, to insure the best connection speed, it is always best to have a dedicated home run cable for this jack.

DSL service requires a standard telephone jack at the computer. The modem plugs into the telephone jack and then into the computer.

Cable modem service requires a cable jack at the computer. The modem will plug into this jack and then plug into the computer.

Network Wiring:
Network wiring is slightly different than data wiring. Once there is more than one than one computer accessing the internet, network wiring is required so that the computers can share the internet access connection. Rather than having a cable modem at each computer to access the internet, the network will tie all of the computers together through hardwiring so there is only a need for one modem. One benefit gained by a hardwired network connection is that all of the computers are linked together. This enables the sharing of files from one computer to another. Another advantage is that all the hardware devices, i.e., printers, scanners, etc., that are tied into the network can be shared by the different stations.

The Components of Network Wiring:
The basic parts that make up a computer network are:

Network Cabling:
The cable that is wired in the walls that provides the interconnection of the computers that make uo the network.

Internet Access Hardware:
A cable modem or a DSL modem that brings in the high speed in the high speed internet connection from the cable or telephone vendor to the computer.

Router/Hub:
A splitter that allows for multiple connections of computer stations to be tied to a single cable or DSL modem.

Network Cabling Choices:
The most basic network wiring system uses a single 4 pair Cat 5 data cable home run wired from a central location (basement utility space) to each computer station. This enables each computer the use of a high speed internet connection as well as of sharing files and hardware. This single cable network system does not allow for future expansion and should only be used when data wiring is a low priority.

A more realistic approach for data cable wiring should consist of a twin pair or two 4 pair Cat 5 cable runs from the central location home run wired to each computer station. This will provide for all items just noted, as well as the capability to add a network printer or scanner. The other added benefit is to have the extra wire available to provide for future expansion for new technology or, if the need arrises, to have a telephone jack at the computer station.

Some would suggest a "Structure" or "Tech cable" wiring system. This consists of multiple Cat 5 and coaxial cables in one bundle. The reasoning for this type of wiring would be to cover almost any application for a computer station and also to be able to add one or more other wiring stations like telephone, cable TV or Satellite TV in one location. This may be overkill for some and for others it may seem like a good plan to cover a lot of bases especially if there is a lot of indecision as to where equipment should go. Do keep in mind that on one hand, in the grand scheme of things, the cost to run this cable may be a valuable idea for some, but on the other hand, this cost does add up and if never utilized, can be wasteful.

Where should I specify the location of the equipment?
Again, as we touched on before, in a case where there is only one computer station the modem can be located at that station next to the computer. But, of course, these days we are usually dealing with multiple stations in the home. Ths calls for locating all of the terminations and network hardware hardware like the cable or DSL cable modem and router at a central utility location. Generally, the basement is a suitable area. Consider a centralized location to keep the wiring runs as short as possible to the main telephone and cable lines entering the home. The most important factor to consider is where the most logical area would be to allow for easy access and changes later. Typically, unfinished basements that you can gain access to the entire first floor above, make for a great place to create a small utility computer network closet.

How to specify network wiring:

Other Cutting Edge Cables:
As mentioned throughout our newsletter, Cat 5 cable is the network cable that should be specified and used for today's and tomorrow's technology. If we look ahead to the near future, technology is already bringing Cat 6 wiring. This cable is becoming increasingly more available and will become the next generation of day to day cable used. Cat 6 cable willprovide better performance that future computers will be starved for. This cable has a larger copper conductor that Cat 5 cable and more twists per pair which inproves data transfer speed. Next generations will be Cat 7 and Cat 8 types. Yes, you guessed it, one thing you can count on is that it will always change.

If you would like us to personally address any of the items in this news letter or any other questions, please let us know. You can contact Don, Tony or Ed at:

Chestnut Electric | 20 Cricket Lane, PO Box 7393 | Wilton, CT
Wilton: 203.834.1130 | Greenwich: 203.622.7410 | FAX: 203.761.9822
email: info@chestnutelectric.com | www.chestnutelectric.com

Quality and Service

return to top