Structured Wiring - Smart Home Future

Southern California homebuilders and installers must consider structured wiring when planning new homes and consider how to make it possible for existing homes to also benefit from structured wiring. When working on commercial projects, it’s also hugely important to consider a structured wiring infrastructure plan. This type of smart home and smart building wiring is in demand and will continue to be necessary to residential and commercial consumers.

Structured Wiring

Structured wiring is defined as the network of wiring that supports all devices within a home or commercial structure. These wires are bundled to support different rooms or offices and can power all devices individuals and families use.

Just as electrical cabling carries the voltage needed to power lights, structured wiring carries the signal required to power your connected devices in a smart home or commercial setting.

How Structured Wiring Works

A handful of variables can truly impact how a structured wiring network will perform in a smart home. These variables include:

• The type of wires used
• The number of direct access ports throughout the home
• The quality of cables used

Network installers should be well-versed in the different types of cables available, including ethernet cables like CAT6 and CAT6A, coaxial cables, and fiber optic cables. When wiring a new home, structured wiring planning should be treated similarly to planning electrical cabling or plumbing. The best way to ensure long-term usability and success is to make a plan upfront.

Benefits of Structured Wiring

The most significant benefit of structured wiring is that it alleviates a home’s wireless network strain. Strategically placed satellite nodes throughout a home or office can also strengthen the Wi-Fi. These nodes are directly plugged into the wiring giving the wireless signal extra reach and the ability to handle more signals.

Additionally, using the latest cables - like a CAT6 vs. a CAT5e - can increase the bandwidth of the network speed. While most wireless networks have run on Mbps in the past, networks with gigabit service, which has 10x the speed of Mbps, are now more common. CAT6 cables can handle gigabit speeds and are the best way to ensure that the structured wiring installed today will be able to keep up with advancements in networking in the future.

Smart Home Structured Wiring

It may seem strange that the answer to better connectivity in a wireless world is physical wiring. But structured wiring is the best way to keep all of the wireless devices running better by strengthening the reach of wireless networks.

While structured wiring is seen as the future of residential construction, it’s also important to note that current homeowners or those who are purchasing existing homes can still take advantage of structured wiring. It is possible to retrofit existing homes or commercial properties with structured wiring, but it can be time-consuming and can result in a bit of mess when having to install specialized wall plates and ports. However, future-proofing residential and commercial buildings is more important than ever and much more marketable in the long run.

For more details about structured wiring for smart homes and commercial buildings in Southern California, contact the network installation experts at Kudox Network. With nearly two decades of experience, Kudox Network team of highly professional and skilled installers can bring structured wiring to any current or future project. Contact us for more information.