Structured Cabling
Smartech can provide certified CAT5e, CAT6 and multi-mode fibre optic cabling installed by qualified network engineers and guaranteed to meet the highest standards of data and voice traffic handling. We offer a complete technology project management service to clients planning a new office or refurbishment but we can also work as part of an established team.
Whether you are looking for a couple of additional points or a complete infrastructure, we are experts in the design and installation of all the types of cabling, including;
Fibre Optic
Fibre Optic data cabling uses photons (units of light) to transmit data as opposed to electrical pulses. As a result, high speed and reduced data loss can be achieved over greater distances than with copper cable.
There are two basic types of fibre optic - Single and Multimode. Smartech focus on Multimode fibre optic cabling which is more commonly used for backbone cabling in alongside other types of cabling. Multimode can be used to transmit data up to distances of 300m at 1 gigabit per second. Cables can be installed with between 4 and 24 cores to provide multiple link pairs or redundancy.
CAT5e
CAT5e remains the most popular and commonly deployed cabling standard. Whilst CAT6 has provided a far more effective platform for fast networking due to its decreased data loss, the speed is only relevant when large amounts of data, for example large image files such as 3D need to be rendered across the network. For most business users who require internet, email and access to documents, the cost-effective nature of CAT5e makes it the ideal infrastructure standard. CAT5e is more economical to install, and requires less space than CAT6 and faster to install where space is limited.
CAT6
Like CAT5, CAT6 provides transmission speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second. Unlike CAT5e, it utilises all four pairs within the cable, increasing the frequency of the twists in each pair and reinforcing the cable with a plastic spine, CAT6 is more robust for demanding environments and reduces the level of data loss.
CAT6 should be used by any organisation moving large graphics files over a network such as advertising and design agencies, architects, structural engineers, in fact any designers or technicians that work with large files. This type of robust networking will also be of use to those needing to make use of a common infrastructure to carry voice calls over an IP network. Then there is also an element of future-proofing. There is there is no reason to believe that gigabit networks will not be considered the norm in the near future.
CAT6 cable is around 20% more than CAT5e, but data will only cross the network at the speed of the slowest network device which means further investment in gigabit switches and network cards for your PCs and peripherals to enjoy the full benefit of gigabit networking.
If in doubt about the standard that best meets your particular requirement do not hesitate to consult us and we will be happy to help you to find the option that is right for you.