Structured cabling: what to ask before you hire

Direct answer

What you need to know

Before you hire for structured cabling, confirm the drop count and locations, cable category, pathways and ceiling type, who supplies cable and hardware, the termination and labeling standard, and how each run will be tested. Then ask each technician about similar jobs, the test equipment they bring and the results they hand over.

Questions to answer about the job

How many drops, and where does each one go?
Which cable category (for example Cat6 or Cat6A), and plenum or non-plenum?
What are the pathways: drop ceiling, hard lid, conduit, J-hooks or cable tray?
How high are the ceilings, and is a lift needed?
Where are the IDF and MDF, and is there rack and patch-panel space?
Who supplies cable, jacks, patch panels and labels?

Questions to ask the technician

Have you done similar jobs in this kind of building?
Which test equipment do you bring, such as a cable certifier?
Which labeling scheme will you follow?
How will you handle obstacles like firewalls or full conduits?
How many people does this job need, and who leads on site?

Testing and handover

Test results for every run against the agreed standard
Photos of terminations, labels and cable management
A port and cable schedule
Notes on anything that could not be finished

Licensing and permits

Low-voltage licensing depends on the state and sometimes the city. Require the license your project needs and ask for the number before you award the job. Each OnSiteO city page links to the official state licensing source.

Find technicians in your city

City pages show the local areas, building types, state licensing source and local questions for each market.

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Questions

Straight answers

What is the difference between Cat6 and Cat6A?

Cat6A is built for 10-gigabit speeds over the full channel length and is thicker, so it needs more pathway space. Choose based on what your network needs now and in the next few years.

Should I ask for cable test results?

Yes. Test results show each run meets the agreed standard and make later troubleshooting much faster.

Does a cabling technician need a license?

It depends on your state and city. Some states license low-voltage work. Require the license your project needs and ask for the number before you award the job.

Can one job cover several floors or buildings?

Yes. Describe each area, or add each building as its own site so each one gets its own check-in, photos and sign-off.

Next step

Post the job and choose who comes.

Post a job