Structured Cabling — Cat6, Cat6A, and Fiber
WiFi is the connection your laptop sees; structured cabling is the spine that makes WiFi (and everything else) actually work. Every access point, security camera, smart-home hub, VoIP phone, and PoE device on a serious network needs a hard line. A clean, labeled, properly-terminated cabling job is the single biggest thing that separates “the network is acting up again” from “the network just works.”
Cat6 vs Cat6A vs Cat7 vs Fiber
For residential and most small-commercial work, Cat6 supports 1 gigabit at 100 meters and 10 gig at shorter runs — it is the right default. Cat6A supports 10 gig at full 100 meters but has stricter bend-radius and conduit-fill rules and costs more. Cat7 is rarely warranted. Fiber (OS2 single-mode or OM4 multi-mode) is for building backbones, long runs, or future-proofing.
How many drops, and where?
A modern home should have hardwired drops at every TV location, every desk, behind every WiFi AP (one per 1,500 sq ft for solid coverage), and at each camera location. Plan for at least double what you think you need — drops are cheap during rough-in and expensive afterward.
Labeling and termination — the boring part that matters
Every cable should be labeled at both ends, terminated to a patch panel in a proper enclosure, and tested. We use Fluke or equivalent testers and provide a certification report. No more “guess which port” or “is this the right cable?”
Common mistakes we see
Cables run alongside Romex (induced noise), unterminated cables jammed behind drywall, no labeling, no patch panel, mixed Cat5/Cat6 batches, and bends that crush the conductors. We rip out and redo more bad cabling than we install fresh.
Want a real number for your project?
Send us the details — we’ll come back with a clear scope and a free, no-pressure quote.
Call 801-940-2000 · info@tritech.biz