Why electricians should not do cabling!
Considering a network installation for your business? Read on to find out more about how not to install a network...
Vibrant Networks were recently requested to complete a firewall and server installation for an engineering company based in Walsall. Our client was a local engineering company based in Walsall in the West Midlands.
The engineering company had been dealing with slow internet speeds, crackling VoIP lines and poor network performance. Our IT support technicians set off to install a new server for the company, not knowing the issues they were about to face, due to a bad data cabling and wiring.
Our IT technicians did not have to look hard to find the many problems that the network was facing. A poor existing network installation can be the cause behind many issues, such as slowing down network speeds, lag, VoIP crackling, slow Wi-Fi and significant downtime. Poor quality network installation setups can potentially disrupt a business from running efficiently day to day and end up costing the business more in the long run when it comes to the various ways it disrupts the business as mentioned above.
Luckily for this local company, Vibrant Networks were up for the job! Take a look below to find out exactly why cutting corners and using an electrician is not worth it in the long run.
Issue 1: The Comms Cabinet
Below is an image of a comms cabinet. The purpose of a comms cab is to house all of your important IT networks, namely your communication and security equipment. If you wouldn’t like the idea of keeping your important files spread all over the office, creased and messy, then you would not want a disorganised comms cabinet.
Our IT support technicians found this Walsall business’ comms cabinet in complete disarray – with wires tangled everywhere and no labelling; it was clear as to why this company was facing slow connectivity.
Vibrant Networks’ Solution:
Our IT support technicians got to work! They reorganised the cabinet and decommissioned the old network switching equipment. Our IT technicians removed the obsolete technology to clear out the unwanted clutter.
They then went on to disconnect the patch panels and reorganise them. This was a key step because the purpose of the patch panels is to help organise the cables and switches in your cabinet. This is the foundation of your cabinets organisational system.
They added in shorter patch cables to save on space and installed a Zyxel 48 Port Cloud Managed POE Network Switch.
To prevent the cabinet from falling into such disarray again, our IT technicians ensured a number coded system was in place. Our client can now manage this cabinet with minimal supervision.
Issue 2: The Patch Panel Numbering
The purpose of a patch panel is to organise your networking equipment. This cannot happen when the patch panels have been labelled incorrectly.
The numbers in the cabinet were incorrect, and the odd and even numbers were on different patch panels. The full patch panel was not event utilised, only using the first 16 plugs on the patch panel! The numbers were also not sequential, ruining the order of the cabinet.
Unfortunately, this company did not have the budget to renumber and re terminate all of the patch panels. They also decided a whole overhaul would cause too much downtime for their business. However, Vibrant Networks were keen to provide an alternative solution.
Vibrant Networks’ Solution:
Our IT support technicians tested all of the network ports on the patch panels and reorganised the cabinet. We also tidied up the patch cabling, so the tech had a better system, and it was easier to identify the locations of the different tech installed.
Issue 3: The Exposed Patch Panel Wiring
There were too many wires were exposed behind the patch panels. This is a main cause behind issues such as interference and cross talk. A trained and certified data cabling company knows that only enough wiring for the patch panel port should be exposed.
Electricians are not trained to know these specifics behind a network installation job. This is another reason why it is essential for you to look for a trained and certified data cabling company when completing a Wi-Fi network setup or a network installation
Vibrant Networks’ Solution:
Unfortunately, there was not enough cabling length for the Vibrant Networks team to fix this effectively. To avoid causing damage, we pointed out the problem to our client and suggested it as a future fix for their comms cabinet.
Issue 4: The Mounted Wall Patch Panels
Another issue we found was that the old network installation had had patch panels mounted onto the wall. This is a bad solution in the long term, as it puts unnecessary stress on the wiring, meaning you’ll need to replace it more frequently.
It’s always better to invest in your IT to ensure your comms cabinet is secure. This avoids having to fork out a larger sum further on down the line due to faulty or damaged equipment.
Issue 5: The Excess Switches
The electrician that had completed this network installation had used too many switches. The result of this was slow traffic on their network, and slow internet speeds. In this case, there were two unmanaged switches: one eight port and one sixteen port. These were stored on the upper floor of the office and were connected to the old network by a 24 port switch downstairs.
Vibrant Networks’ Solution:
Our technicians suggested using less switches. They followed this through by consolidating the switches into one 24 Port Zyxel POE Cloud Managed network switch. This quickened the internet speeds and put a stop to the connectivity issues this company was facing!
The wiring in the dado trunking could not be moved as there was not enough length. We therefore decided to keep the patch panel where it was. The correct length cabling was used to make a neater job.
Issue 6: The Failed Network Ports
Our team surveyed and tested 70 network ports with ideal and net ally/fluke testers. Out of the 70 tested, 13 failed ports were identified – this can lead to slow connectivity and bad internet.
Vibrant Networks’ Solution:
To fix this, our technicians terminated the port. This means our client’s Wi-Fi is now running smoothly, and they have a fully functional comms cabinet for their IT!
Summary
The moral of the story is that you should not use unqualified electricians to install data cabling. If your data cabling isn’t installed properly, it has the potential to cause poor network performance and down time, costing your business more in down time, as the business losses money in hidden costs.
After all the issues were fixed, the Vibrant Networks team came up with the following coms cabinet solution below, with the following Nebula Cloud Managed Zyxel Solution installed to allow complete network visibility:
Zxyel USG 200 Firewall
Zyxel GS1920 49 Port POE Network Switch
Managed Zyxel GS1920 28 Port POE Network Switch
Are you having connectivity problems?
Vibrant Networks have almost 20 years of experience in our industry. With the best trained team and wonderful testimonials from Walsall, Birmingham and the rest of the West Midlands, we can handle any project.
Whether you need a new network installation, a Wi-Fi network setup or even some tech supplied, you can trust us to deliver!
Contact us today for more details on how we can help you!
#ZyxelGoldPartner #CommsCabRewire #EngineeringCompanyWalsall #NetworkTesting #ITProject #Vibrant Networks
