Improving Your Grasp On Technology

Posted on: 13 January 2015

Most homes today have more than one television, stereos, and computers. If you would like to enjoy these no matter what room you are in, you should consider installing structured cabling. Below is some information about this so you can decide if it is right for you.

Structured Cabling

Structured cabling distributes data signals throughout your home. Some signal types support telephones, cable television, and Ethernet computer networks. Some benefits of structured cabling include:

• Listen to a stereo system throughout your home.
• Play a DVD in one room, and watch it on any television in your home.
• Hook more than one computer to one Internet connection.
• Send files from one computer to another in your home.
• Have different phone lines.
• Place video cameras in your baby's room, back yard, front door, etc., and watch the pictures on your television.
• Share devices such as fax machines, printers, and computers.

How it Works

Electricity enters your home through a main power cable, and this cable connects to your circuit breaker box. It then directs the energy flow through electrical lines that lead to electrical outlets throughout your house.

A structured system works a little differently.  It connects to a central control box that is typically installed near your circuit breaker box. External data lines are connected to this control box, which connects things such as your security system, DSL, cable modem, telephones, and cable television.

A second structured cable carries the signals back to the control box to a splitter, which allows the signal to be spread throughout your home. You can then plug your devices into these outlets.

A high quality control box also contains a signal amplifier. This ensures the outgoing signals are strong, which gives you much better performance. If not used, you could have problems, such as static on your phone lines, or with the picture on your television. This also gives the same strong signal to each room in your home.

Structured Cabling Wires

The wires included in your structured cabling system depend on the manufacturer. The system should include two CAT-5 quality twisted pair cables, and two RG-6 quality coaxial cables.

A coaxial cable is a black cable that is used for things like connecting your VCR or cable box to your TV. RG-6 is the rating quality, which gives you better picture quality.

Twisted pair cables are the telephone cables that runs to the phone jacks in your home. It has two twisted wires, which is why it is called twisted pair. CAT-5 is also a rating quality.

Structured cabling makes things in your home much more convenient for you, and it typically can be installed in one day. If this seems like the right option for you, contact providers, such as First Business Solutions Inc.