HOME NETWORK INSTALLATIONS

Experts in bespoke solutions

: The IT networks that we install in private homes, utilise the same professional grade cable and equipment as the ethernet networks we install for large commercial projects and our networks are all tested using the same Fluke Networks cable analysers to ensure that the installation has been installed correctly and that the performance is to the rated speed and without any interference.

With many people now working from home and others just wanting the benefits of a modern smart home, domestic users can enjoy a high performance networked internet connection that covers their entire home and can also provide coverage in a standalone garden room, attic or annex which may be in use as an office or similar. Building a network of this type also allows the household to add security CCTV cameras, a camera security door bell and a central file storage system, even a standalone business VOIP phone and headset with all the features of a business telephone system. These networks also allow for systems such as multi-room audio and multimedia systems as well as heating control systems such as Googles Nest and also the smart lighting systems to give you a full automated smart home. These systems are all accessible from outside the home on a smart app.

Some clients will refer to the cabling used in these installations as low voltage, UTP cabling, ethernet cabling, IT or ICT cabling, network cabling and these are all correct and fine terms to use but we also have folks who use terms like internet cabling, computer wiring and similar which are fine too but less accurate than the first set of examples. With us you can use any of these terms we don’t mind what you choose, we'll know what you mean.

So as mentioned above, installing an IT network into a private property gives you the same benefits that a commercial network offers but with both examples there are three main components which need to be correctly in order for the entire system to operate consistently at high performance which are A. The telecom cabling brining the incoming internet connection into the property from your provider such as Eir or Vodafone. B. The local ethernet cabling which connects the devices together and C. The active hardware such as the WiFi access points, switches and controller which runs the network because if there is an issue with any one of these individual components, there will be a negative impact on the overall experience.

In our day to day operations we see issues even in commercial buildings where the client had electricians or trades men and so on with no experience in low voltage data cabling who install budget cable without a way to test the cabling after the installation. Lynch Networks are specialists in digital data cabling and use the latest Fluke Networks Versiv testing equipment on every installation.

So it’s important to know the cabling installation has been carried out professionally and tested to the TIA standards or equivalent which is why using a cable analyser is critical as this allows us to verify each individual cable and shows that there are no problems and everything can operate at the performance you are paying for. The TIA are the Telecommunication Industry Association who created the specifications for Cat5e & Cat6 and so on.

You will notice printed on the side of the cables used in IT networks such as Cat5e & Cat6 cables: TIA-568. This means the cable manufacturer is stating their product meets the TIA-568 specifications.

More in-depth reading is available here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSI/TIA-568

Under TIA-568 rules a Cat6 spec cable installed at a maximum length of 55 meters is rated for 10GBase-T which means 10Gbps transfer rate over your local cabling. Most user devices such as desktop computers and laptops currently have use a 1Gbps network card, so choosing this cabling standard in a small building such as a house or apartment that doesn't requires runs longer than 55 meters offers a good level of future proofing.

This is why we specify that domestic installations use a TIA rated Cat6 cable with 23AWG cores and the installation to be tested with a Fluke Networks analyser that will confirm no damage has taken place during installation and the cable is performing to the speed the customer is paying for. If installed correctly and the cabling length is under 55 meters, which our Fluke Networks analyser will verify, this will allow for a 10Gb network bandwidth and support POE++ for powering devices over the cabling such as high power WiFi access points and remotely rotatable cameras for example. Installations that require longer cables runs due to the size of the property, we specify a Cat6A cable which is rated for 10GB at 100 meters, which allows for an extra 45 meters installation length

More in-depth reading is available here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category_6_cable

The cosmetic aspect of these installations is what will steer the price of the project with some customers requesting the cabling installed inside the walls and out of sight, and some are happy to use a surface mounted trunking solution that the cables go inside of as this will lower the total cost of the project because its simply quicker and easier to install with this solution. If we are to install inside the walls it typically means cutting access holes in the plasterboard/drywall and routing the cables up into the attic and then back down inside the walls to their required location. For this we have inspection scopes and also a FLIR camera which can help us see inside the walls and help choose the most convenient routes and also avoid high voltage cable and water pipes.

So once the cabling infrastructure is in place we can focus on the active equipment which is everything that needs to be plugged in to power such as cameras, Wi-Fi access points and so on.

It’s important to know the equipment we install will continue to operate at high performance when we are finished the work and have left which is why we only install equipment such as Ubiquity or Cisco Meraki as these manufacturers allow us to configure the system to update and self-maintain and this means your IT system will perform consistently and not just for a few days or weeks.

Most people are aware that a neighbours Wi-Fi network can have a strong impact on your own signal which is why having a system that automatically scans for other networks each night and then changes its own settings to a less congested channel is crucial to a professional grade solution. As well as this the other active devices on your network need to automatically run their own updates and make configuration backups and so on so that everything is kept up to date and self-maintained.

Our aim is to install a package from A to Z which looks and performs to a professional standard and operates consistently even in a domestic environment.