Considering Category 6 (CAT 6) for the home is a valuable investment. Designing and installing a complete structured wiring system can be a very easy project if you have all the right tools and information. CAT 6 structured wiring system is the best choice to support all your home networking and audio/video needs.
Many home structured cabling infrastructures are changing to multi-user computer networks. Broadband internet access is transitioning the standard voice, data, and video system towards a higher performance bandwidth requirement. They are networked together by a distribution device (DD), or commonly known as the distribution center. Figure 1 below illustrates some of the components of an integrated telecommunications system.
Figure 1
a. Demarcation Point
b. Auxillary Disconnect Outlet (ADO) Cable
c. Auxillary Disconnect Outlet (ADO)
d. Distribution Device Cord
e. Distribution Device (DD)
f. CAT 6 Patch Cord
g. Electronic Equipment (4-Port Router)
h. CAT 6 Cable
i. CAT 6 Telecommunications Outlet/Connector
j. CAT 6 Patch Cords
k. Mulit-User Computers
l. Multi-User Printers
m. Multi-User Scanners and Digital Cameras
There are two basic steps to follow that help in deciding on how to run CAT 6 cabling throughout the home. The first step is to select connection capabilities for each room. A system design planner can assist in specifying the types of connectivity and the number of drops that is needed for each wall outlet.
There are several different types of modular connectors and faceplates that can be used to complete any wall outlet installation. Modular connectors are available for CAT 6 data, CAT 5e data, voice, audio, video, and fiber optic connectivity. The CAT 6 modular connector comes in two different styles, Easy (EZ) for easy termination and High Density (HD) for higher performance. The EZ CAT 6 modular connector utilizes a PCB design that eliminates the need for split pairs, and reduces installation time. (see Figure 2.) The HD CAT 6 modular connector's slim line design permits reduced spacing between ports and is ideal for standard or high density system installations. (see Figure 3)
Figure 2
Figure 3
a. 50 Micro Inch Gold Plated Contacts
b. Available in 11 Different Colors
c. Integrated Color Wiring Diagram
d. One-Piece Termination Cap
e. Single Row Pair Wiring
f. Backwards Compatible to CAT 5e and Lower
Category Rated Components
a. 50 Micro Inch Gold Plated Contacts
b. Standard Keystone Configuration
c. Integrated Color Wiring Diagram
d. Available in 11 Different Colors
e. Backwards Compatible to CAT 5e and Lower
Category Rated Components
f. One-Piece Termination Cap
g. CAT 6 PERFORMANCE CERTIFIED
To compliment the CAT 6 modular connectors, you can choose from the widest selection of configurable faceplates and inserts available. Select between decorator faceplates and inserts, flat, angled, and oversized faceplates, and electrical style faceplates and inserts. Configurable faceplates and inserts can be custom configured with CAT 6 modular connectors for custom requirements and come in different colors to match any home interior and exterior décor. (see Figure 4) Surface mount boxes are also available and can be custom configured with CAT 6 modular connectors. (see Figure 5)
Figure 4
Figure 5
Based from the results you collected from step one, the second step is to select the size of the distribution center, Net.MediaTM center. The Net.Media center is designed to distribute voice, data, audio, video, and security services through the home. It fits between 16” wall studs and comes in 14”, 21”, 28”, 42”, and mini sizes. (see Figure 6) The Net.Media center accommodates a wide selection of snap-in connectivity modules. To support muli-user computers, printers, scanners, and digital cameras, a CAT 5e data module is available. Using CAT 6 cable is recommend with the CAT 5e data module because it is backward compatible and it allows for easy upgrades by just changing the data module when a CAT 6 version becomes available. (see Figure 7)
