In today’s hyper-connected world, people in every industry have come to rely on computers to perform essential tasks. On top of the computers themselves, it has also become essential to have a strong network to connect them–both to other computers in your office, as well as to the global internet. While wireless capabilities are continuing to expand, they still can’t replace solid network cabling & wiring. Our team at Network Connections wants to help you do what’s best for your business, so in this article, we’ll be going over some key things you need to know about network cabling & wiring in order to get the best performance.
- Bandwidth Needs- Perhaps the most important factor in network design is your bandwidth needs, or how much data your team will need to broadcast at the same time. When it comes to calculating bandwidth requirements, the number of users on the network plays a major role–for example, a network of 10 workstations will typically need a much lower bandwidth than a network of 50. However, the type of data also has a major impact on bandwidth needs, as one user broadcasting a high-definition video can easily use more data than 10 users typing in Word.
- Network Environment- Another factor to consider when choosing your network cabling & wiring options is the environment that network will need to operate in. For instance, while fiber optic cable offers the fastest bandwidth, it is also susceptible to transmission problems due to scratches or dirt on the fibers. If your workplace is prone to dust or otherwise unfriendly to fiber optic cables, you may want to choose a twisted copper option like Cat5e or Cat6. Our team is happy to consult with you about your needs and provide expert recommendations.