Why do I need structured wiring?

Given the choice, most professional home systems installers will choose wired technology for a home's communications infrastructure, but as I work with clients year after year one question is continually presented when it comes to discussing their home wiring plan. "Why should I pay for structured wiring when all of my networking is done wirelessly?"

I first explain what structured wiring really is. It's a method to the madness that is our home telecommunications and cable television wiring. By creating a central point for these cables to start from, they can be used for more than just watching TV and talking on the phone, activities that a wireless networking system may not be able to handle.

Of course, the benefits of a wireless networking system are undeniable. For starters, it's portable. Wireless networking products let you use your computer, laptop or game console anywhere in the house and be on the network or get access to the Internet. If you have a large house, the wireless signal will generally go through most walls and ceilings. If you need to go extended distances you can use access points to boost the wireless signal.

Second, it's cost effective. Having a structured wiring system installed into an existing home can be costly due to the labor involved. Even in a new home, it may run 50 to 100 percent more than a builder's basic specification-grade TV and phone wiring package. Setting up a basic wireless home network can cost significantly less.

Third, a wireless network is neat and you can install it yourself. If you choose to set up a wireless home network in a home that was not wired structurally you do not need to run cables across your house, which can create trip hazards across rooms, hallways and stairs. Also, choosing to set up a wireless home network means that you do not need to run cables underneath carpets or drill holes through walls or ceilings to pass cables through. Set-up is fairly intuitive through Microsoft Wizard so most folks can manage for themselves without having to call in a specialist.

Now let's look at the advantages of a structured wiring system.

It's Faster. Wired connections can reach networking speeds of up to 1000 Mbps with Gigabit Ethernet networking equipment, necessary for bandwidth-hungry applications such as gaming, feature films, future HDTV downloads, perhaps a home movie file from your daughter or son and their newborn child. Today, for most users, 54 Mbps wireless networking speeds are more than sufficient for basic networking activities such as emailing, shopping, downloading compressed music (MP3) and low-resolution video files.

It's Reliable. Physical, fixed wired connections are not prone to interference and fluctuations in available bandwidth, which can affect wireless networking connections. I've never been able to troubleshoot a wireless connection effectively over the phone for one of my clients. With a wired connection it's a simple 1-2-3 status check.

It's Secure. With a structured wiring network, you don't have to worry about your networking signal traveling through the air and being interrupted by eavesdroppers (snoopers, phishers, etc.), which can happen if you don't protect your wireless network. WEP (Wired Equivalency Protocol) security standards are very effective for wireless networks (you just need to remember to add passwords to your wireless network settings to stop neighbors from nicking your wireless connection). Provide your family with a top-notch firewall for peace of mind and keep your software updated regularly.

It's Versatile. Structured wiring can do more than just network computers. It can also let you watch high quality HDTV signals; watch the rest of your movie in the master bedroom from the DVD player in the family room. It's listening to music and viewing family photos from any room in the house that has a structured convenience outlet.

It's Wireless too! Whoa. Wait a minute Ken, I've followed you so far but what are you saying exactly? Why not sit on your family-room couch and stream audio into your surround-sound system, why not check email from the back porch? Today's structured wiring systems provide a wireless access point that will provide a high-powered 'beacon' that can transmit signals up to 54 Mbps to your laptop. Look for products from ONQ http://www.onqhome.com called a wireless access point that can connect to your structured wiring panel via a router to enable house-wide wireless convenience.

The way to look at it is that structured wiring provides the infrastructure and a solid backbone, and wireless provides flexibility.