Common Network Cable Problems & Their Solutions
Lightning-fast network speeds are one of life’s most satisfying privileges in the modern day. Many internet providers today offer blazing-quick packages that make personal life and work productivity that much easier.
However, many in homes and offices tend to find that their networks aren’t living up to their potential, and the cabling could be the main culprit.
Discover common network problems and their solutions below!
5 Common Network Cable Problems and Their Solutions
Are you seeing gruelingly slow internet speeds? Do you see your network go out frequently? There are many instances where network issues come down to cable issues, where a few common problems hinder their performance.
Here’s our list of the most common network problems and solutions:
- You are laying down your cable without a clear plan.
Understandably, you want to get your network up and running soon. However, rushing into things and laying down your cable without a concise plan likely means you’ll end up with a mess that could slow down your system.
Not only slower speeds, but it’ll make maintenance hard and a hassle to fix any further network problems.
- Solution
Ensure you or your IT team take the time to plan the network’s cabling infrastructure to maximize speed and efficiency. Plan a neat, clean cabling route, and it will save time, money and optimize performance.
- Letting your cables dangle and stretch.
Stemming off planning your cable infrastructure, you’ll want to ensure that in no place are any cables dangling from walls or stretching under their weight. This can cause a lower signal quality, compromising the integrity of the network.
- Solution
Again, create a plan for laying cables that do not involve any dangling or stretched pathways. Network cabling plays a crucial role in your connection, so it’s smart to invest and have them professionally set up.
- Your network cables are next to electrical wires.
Many people tend to forget that different types of wires placed next together can cause adverse effects on their intended purpose. It’s not uncommon to find someone has put their network cables next to electric wires, which can interrupt signal transmission on both ends.
The electromagnetic fields produced by electrical wires will disrupt signal if they are run parallel and should be avoided running network cables against them as much as possible.
- Solution
Try and keep your network cables separate from your electrical ones. If space is limited and this isn’t possible, try and run them perpendicular rather than parallel to reduce the risk of interference.
- The cables aren’t ideally situated.
It’s surprising how many things can cause interference or disrupt the signal of network cables, which is why you need to approach laying them down to get the best performance carefully. One of the most common network issues is that the wires aren’t ideally situated in places inconvenient for others or disruptive.
Suppose cables are blocking locations with access to maintenance points or in the way of significant building assets like fuse boxes or plumbing valves. In that case, someone trying to access them will likely fiddle with the cables. That can cause more problems than you’d like, as they’d see damage, interference, or breaks in transmission.
- Solution
Be mindful of where you place your cables, ensuring they follow paths that don’t block essential assets that see a lot of maintenance.
- You’ve tied up the wire ties wrong.
Some IT personnel believe that simply tying up cables is what it takes to keep them organized and out of the way. However, misusing them can cause more harm to the cabling than good, and it’s a fairly common sight in offices.
Overtightening wire ties on network cables can crush them, causing breakages or signal loss. Replacing them altogether can cost a pretty penny, so it would be a smart idea to consider contacting someone that provides network cabling services to do it for you. It is an investment, but it’ll pay off in the long run.
- Solution
Don’t overtighten your wire ties when bundling network cables together. Leave them loose enough so they can move a little bit but tight enough so they aren’t too far from each other.
So as you can see, there’s plenty to think about when laying network cable to optimize performance. Sometimes, the solutions for the best signal aren’t as obvious as we’d like them to be, given the floor plan around your home or office.
Conclusion
This concludes our list of the most common network problems and solutions. We hope it was helpful and potentially even helped you in solving a network problem you faced.
Remember, for every problem – there’s a solution!
Let the Specialists Do the Wiring For You
We’re a network cabling specialist company, experienced and capable of laying down cables for the best performance and speeds. Give us a call, or contact us today for a free site survey and a quote that will give a premium solution to any networking problems you may have!