How to make a good LAN infrastructure cabling
Important things to consider when doing LAN cabling include the purposes of the cabling, the location where the cabling is done, and the users or devices that need to connect to this network. It is important to note that there are mainly two types of network switches that can always be used in LAN infrastructure. They are the standard Power over Ethernet (POE) switches and POE switches. POE switches are those that not only transmit data packets but also power the device at the receiving end.
The location where the LAN infrastructure is installed is important because it will determine the type of CAT6 cable you should use. There are mainly two types of CAT6 cables that you can choose from. They are shielded twisted pair (STP) and unshielded twisted pair (UTP). STP are technically recommended for outdoor situations as they come with additional armor in the holster. This extra sleeve ensures your cables won’t wear out or break when subjected to harsh outdoor conditions. STP cable is typically more rugged and expensive compared to indoor UTP cable.
Make a smart choice of switches in the network
The choice of a switch between POE and none POE will depend on whether or not you need to power any devices over the network, such as IP phones, cameras, access points, among many others. Network switches are often rated by their data transfer speeds. Faster switches are always better as they will improve your connectivity speeds and ensure a better network.
Factors to consider when setting up the LAN
1. The number of users on the network is a key factor to consider. This is because it will determine the subnet you can use. If you are going to have more users than a single subnet can hold, you need to make sure that you provide a range that contains all of your projected users. We will talk about subnet mask management in our next article.
2. Make sure to view your devices and especially the shares on your LAN. These shared resources will include devices such as printers, scanners, sql database servers, exchange servers, and access points, among others. These devices are almost always assumed to have static Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. We’ll also discuss IPs in another article so we can get a better picture. To avoid confusion and conflict on your network, a smart network administrator should always have shared devices on static IP addresses for easy management. However, it is critical to ensure that you do not provide IPs to these devices within the lease range of the Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) server.
3. Make sure you have a firewall between your Internet Service Provider (ISP) router and your LAN switches. This is important as it helps ensure that you protect your network from intrusions or unauthorized logins. a good firewall will always improve security and these choices can be made based on the finer details and your network usage.
In summary:
It is worth noting that all of the above factors will only guarantee you a good network when you have your modules and patch panels properly finished. Always make sure your cables are tested and have passed the LAN tests before you start connecting devices to the network. Having all of your LAN setup secured in a good cabinet with clean power will also go a long way in ensuring you have a long-term stable and reliable network.
