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Creating a Truly Connected Home
The number of connected devices in the home has grown significantly over the last few years. To adequately support this continuing trend it is important to build residential networks on an organized structured cabling foundation.
Too often, homeowners knowingly accept poor network reliability and quality for the convenience of a wireless system. Many put up with long download times or video conferencing applications that lose connection during that important meeting. And while wireless technology continues to improve, the hunger for bandwidth outpaces it. Modern homes used an average of 17 connected devices per household in 2023, and will jump to 20 by 2025, according to research firm Parks Associates. These include technologies that quickly tax a wireless network, such as 4K and UHD TVs, streaming media servers, game consoles, security systems, appliances, and more.
No one using the latest consumer technologies should accept poor network quality and low data rates. High-speed, hard-wired structured still offers the ideal solution to support many of today’s demands. This does not minimize the benefits of a wireless system, but Wi-Fi should be designed in as an extension of a well-planned home networking array, not the sole connectivity option.
Why Structured Cabling?
Residential structured cabling takes concepts from demanding commercial cabling applications and combines it with multimedia to accommodate audio, video, voice, data, and security systems. The smartest home networks use wired connectivity for stationary devices desktop computers, home office equipment, and game consoles, then add on a wireless router to provide the strongest Wi-Fi signal to portable devices, such as laptops, phones, smart lighting and connected appliances.
If installed during new construction, a well-planned structured cabling system can be a huge benefit to the homeowner and increase the value of the home. But even if that opportunity has past, there is great value in organizing the various systems into a unified design to reduce overall cost, provide maximum functionality, and maintain an aesthetically pleasing result.
To prepare for home network growth, it is important to help homeowners organize their connections. A structured wiring panel or enclosure serves as the central hub for a network, and is an excellent option for housing routers, switches, modems, and more in one place. Mantels, entertainment centers, and desktops can quickly become overcrowded and cluttered, making it difficult to troubleshoot any problems. By consolidating the network in a structured |
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wiring enclosure, homeowners will save valuable space, eliminate clutter, and have easy access to all of their connected devices while maintaining a clean aesthetic.
How to Plan a Structured Cabling Project
The first step is to lay out all the systems you want integrated into the home. Work backwards: start with the applications you want in every room, then plan for the wiring to support them. Each system is going to have its own set of requirements for cabling, infrastructure, power, installation location, and devices used to manage and control these applications. Keep track of each system, the various locations, and the number of connections needed. We do recommend installing Category 6 cabling for its performance and bandwidth advantages. Cabling standards from TIA and BICSI also recommend Category 6, and require Category 5e at a minimum.
The next step is to plan out the components needed for the various systems. Depending on the number of internet extension locations, security system connection points, or home-office phone lines, there are options for modules that serve as a routing point for the data and voice network in the home. These modules are designed to give the homeowner flexibility and control over the systems just as in a commercial building infrastructure. For example, consider the case of a homeowner that wants internet access throughout the home and has planned for multiple devices such as a smart TV, PC, and a game console. If the homeowner decides to convert a bedroom into a home theater, everything would need to change to transition more data access into that room. This type of flexibility can be achieved via the infrastructure that is design and installed.
The final step is bringing the various cabling systems back to the structured wiring enclosure, similar to how the breaker box is the hub of the electrical system. Structured wiring enclosures are designed to fit between standard construction stud spaces and come in various heights to accommodate everything from a small apartment-sized network with only a few features, up to large custom homes with many system applications. This enclosure serves a similar function to the telecommunications room in a commercial building.
The structured wiring enclosure also serves as the hub for the various entertainment options in the home. A coaxial cable coming from the cable service provider or satellite television provider connects to a splitter located in the media enclosure and branches out to deliver video content to multiple rooms in the house. Whole-house audio systems can be routed through the enclosure and in-wall or in-ceiling speakers can be controlled by wall-mounted switches in various rooms. Some installations even include home theater applications. Regardless of how complex or simple the project, organizing the structured cabling into a logical format will provide scalability and add value to the resale of the home.
Leviton Brings it all together
By consolidating network equipment in Leviton's Wireless Structured Media Center, users can boost network functionality, eliminate clutter, and have an easily accessible location to manage all connected devices. Since these enclosures are made of robust ABS polymer, they won’t hinder the full reach of wireless signals like metal enclosures can. Historically, structured wiring enclosures housed passive connectivity. But with today's increasingly connected homes, enclosures now support a greater amount of active gear, which has the potential to generate excess heat that can affect the long-term performance of the equipment. To address this issue, Leviton designed vented doors for the enclosures that promote better intake of cool air and outward flow of warm air, extending the life of the active equipment.
The U.S.-made Wireless Structured Media Center enclosures, doors, and covers — available in 14, 28, and 42 inches — support a wide range of building types and floor plans. They are compatible with Leviton's full line of Connected Home patch panels, voice, data, video, and audio quick-connect distribution modules.
The enclosures and Vented Hinged Doors use a pioneering Ratcheting Hinge & Latch System for fast, tool-free door installations. The unique ratcheting feature adjusts to varying wall-board thicknesses and compensates for minor dry-wall imperfections for a professional-looking flush fit. The Vented Hinged Doors also allow for a 180-degree swing that won't swing shut and can be positioned to open left or right, providing flexibility in tight spaces. The new doors and covers are also available as a stand-alone product and are ideal for retrofitting existing metal Leviton enclosures to improve wireless signal coverage.
The contractor-friendly enclosures are available in bulk packs for large projects, using a unique nesting feature that ensures the enclosures will not stick together when unpacking.
Learn more about the Wireless Structured Media Centers at Leviton.com/wsmc. |
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| Leviton Mfg. Company Inc. |
201 North Service Rd.
Melville, NY 11747
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